Whether a new house or an old house is better is not a black-and-white matter. To start with, walking into a fresh, brand-new home that has never been lived in is a dream come true, especially when you have met with the builder to customize the home to your own taste. For those who have the resources to upgrade or build a custom home from scratch, there is great satisfaction.

But truth be told, not everyone likes new. Certainly, homes built in the '20s and before can have amazing architectural charm and attention to detail. Midcentury modernism, which was reflected in homes built in the '50s and early '60s and carries a personality of its own, has a huge following in every age group. Midcentury modern enthusiasts often find that today's typical new home doesn't meet their architectural desires at all.

Of course, there are new production homes; low-budget, custom new homes; and high-quality, custom new homes. The difference is huge. A new production home built in a large subdivision might get built for under $200 per foot, while a new freestanding, production-quality home might cost $235 per foot. Moving up to a home with many custom wood finishes; intricately finished carpentry; high-quality, custom cabinetry; and very expensive doors, windows and hardscape might exceed $375 per foot. Finally, a home with all the finishes plus large spans of glass, supported by structural steel and lots of stone, marble, slate, mahogany or mosaic, might cost as much as $1,000 per foot.

So, you could assume that everyone wants a house with the detail that would cost $1,000 a foot to build, if they could afford it. But it's impossible to say whether new or old is better without more information and understanding. Everyone has different tastes. A new home might not have the quality of a home built in the '30s or '40s; rolling the clock ahead 10 years might reveal frequent repairs needed due to inferior materials and workmanship, for example. But it's new ...

My advice is to have a very thorough physical inspection, hire a first-class inspector and try to negotiate a comprehensive builder's warranty if possible. Ask lots of questions, and determine whether the construction — new or old — meets a reasonable standard.

For more information, please call Ron Wynn at 310-963-9944, or email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Ron and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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