It is not an either-or answer.

It depends on many factors tied to what a buyer is looking for.  

A re-sale is a better buy right now, you can get more features within a house. If built well, they stand the test of time and just need updating, with older properties come more potential problems.

Builders are putting houses up so fast here, that many of them look like rectangular boxes with room dividers and the cheapest of landscapes is installed so contractors can increase their gross profits.

That would really depend on MY CLIENT's NEEDS are and how I can help them to include getting their WANTS in the Deal... Not on my preferred preference!!!

I like newer personally. But if new construction were perfect Mike Holmes would be out of a job. I'm not sure that newer is always better.

We wouldn't have those great pics from Richard Weeks inspector.

All things cannot be equal! One is new and one is not.

All things are rarely equal. However if that is the right home for the client, I would always recommend a new-build but I would also say buy the model. It's already done and the seller might lease it back for a couple months till you're ready to move in.

With the cost of materials so volatile, you don't know what you're paying until you're done.

Valuation-wise, now is a great time to buy a resale!

New construction is outrageous and the largest number of fall-out sales we have seen in our office are new construction. This was caused by the builder later hiking the price, oftentimes by tens of thousands of dollars.

They HOPE the buyers walk because after 4 -6 months of building, the value has gone up and they can get more with a new buyer.

These aren't production builders either - they're high-end, custom builders. I simply hate to see buyers finding themselves in the middle of these builder games. 

I had a friend who bought new construction in Vegas.  The builders forgot to secure the floorboards in the second story to the supports... and that was just one of the several major things they screwed up on.  Don't forget the "Shame on DR Horton" signs that were on darn near every street corner in Santa Clarita back in the early 2000s for a host of issues.  We've all probably seen Richard Weeks' photo of the new construction home where they forgot to put electric for the disposal in.  I'd call those pretty big unseen maintenance issues.  I can't forget the development in Moorpark, CA where the grading wasn't properly done and most of the development sank and had problems back in the 80s/90s.

New construction is alright, but far from perfect.  Lots on new construction tend to be postage stamp-sized, while resale has the chance of having a good yard... at least in your more entry-level and move-up level homes.  Your estates and luxury homes will have good lots to begin with, but price tags to match.

Everyone in this lifetime should purchase a new home as it is a highly pleasant experience i.e., being the first to use it all. Next in line is a good remodel that compliments what you like & want and lastly, a nice home in a good or great location is a must have experience too! Get-busy as life is a short journey and even the masterful cannot cram it all in TIME RUNS OUT

100% Depends on the location. Most new construction in San Diego County, I'd never want to live in their locations.

And yes new construction has a great warranty, but that doesn't preclude you from having unforeseen maintenance issues, it just means they will get repaired on someone else's dime for a time. New construction have laundry lists of post move in issues my clients have discovered and they have system failures too.

It totally depend on the buyers - what do they prefer.  Some want new, others prefer more established neighborhoods with large lots and trees or views.

If the price were the same, and the appliances/size/finishes/etc are the same, I'd go for the new one. But because they are new, and typically more expensive, they are not equal at all.

Regardless of the preferences, the options are limited in our market.

For some a new home is the the pinnacle for others an already broken in home offers more charm

I like solid old homes, made with much higher quality materials than modern homes are built with.

New is great but your money certainly doesn't go as far with new... It never ceases to amaze me.  And as many have already replied, "it depends"...  ;)

I had 2 different clients this year that got outbid multiple times on resale homes. We ended up finding them new homes with 7 month build time frames. The advantage they knew they were going to get the home and could pick their interiors. The negative, they had to go to perimeter areas. The homes will be worth more than they paid for the homes immediately in this strange hot market we are still in.

These things are not equal, and it really depends on so many factors - price, condition, location, schools, HOA, amenities, and the list goes on and on. It's not my recommendation to make to my buyer clients. What's right is what works for their needs, budget and timing.

It depends on the client's criteria and needs. I have run into Buyers who will only buy new and then there is also a timing issue and if they want a roof over their head ASAP a resale maybe the only option.

So much is based on what your needs are.  In our market, brand new homes are typically on small lots with little backyard and little privacy.  Older homes, although dated in their interior finishes, have space and other reasons - such as a fenced backyard - that may be better for the buyer.

Having purchased both I prefer pre-existing homes as I do not believe the statement of unseen maintenance issues is a statement that should be made, you never know what may happen in new construction - statements like that may get you in a lawsuit (sorry) I have seen some nightmares and by very reputables builders  

In general, the resale offers more value per square foot. Many many factors are involved including the buyer's priorities, wants, needs, and the resources to hire a quality builder.

Whatever works for the buyer! My choice in a close decion would be new construction unless an existing home had an ideal configuration 

this is a "depends" because I'd much prefer one built in the 80s or 90s that has had some interior updating, but materials and workmanship took a dive after that.  But the HOUSE is less important to me than the location.

It depends on the builder. It is taking 8-12 months to get a house built in many cases. You have to agree to substitutions up front and really have no control. It is hard to get builders to come back after closing. The process is a lot more stressful on buyers than it has been during my career.

I recently remodeled my kitchen and made it the way I want it. If I were buying today, I'd probably be looking at homes with good bones in an amazing location and make it the way I want it.

There are many more factors to consider than age of home. I sell a lot of new construction and have seen my share of shoddy work by some big name builders, who manage to find all sorts of excuses not to fix problems or honor their warranties.

Worked for a national builder. Would always pick existing resale, or older home for myself to live in or invest in.

It depends. Resale might already have all the bugs worked out. New homes in this area usually come with a long punch list that can take several months to get completed.( Depends on builder also). I know some builders where buyers can expect no problems when buying new homes. Other builders have reputation for building low quality junk where buyers can plan on doing a lot of the work correctly themselves.

It depends on someone's preferences.  A

I have bought a brand new home, and was a major pain, even as a REALTOR.   

New house.
I've never heard of a haunted "NEW HOUSE.'
Those dis-embodied beings are up to no good.

A home that is about 1 or 2 years old may be preferable for a number of reasons. It's still new and should be fresh, the landscaping may be more done and kinks identified or removed (e.g. leaks in copper pipes); basements might be finished and so on.

I have zero confidence in today's builders and remain unimpressed with what they offer.  The quality of product and creativeness is sadly lacking in my opinion.  It's no wonder that the majority of new builds we see back on market are less than 2 years after building - owners disappointment is obvious.

Way too many variables to answer that.  Inventory being the main thing.  New home prices are high in our area too.  Lots are high.  Materials….  Do you want to live where you can build or is that too inconvenient to commute to work?

I wish I could say the same for large appliances!