买新房 vs 买二手房：新移民首套购房指南

New Construction 指从 production builder（Lennar、DR Horton、Pulte 等）或 custom builder 购买新建住宅——从 slab 到 closing。新移民视角优势：modern floor plan（open kitchen 常见华人偏好）、new systems 减少首 5 年 big ticket repair、builder warranty 框架、有时 builder-paid closing costs 或 rate buydown。 风险：Builder contract heavily favors builder——deposit forfeiture、delay without meaningful penalty、mandatory closing with preferred title/ lender 条款可能。School district 在新 master plan 可能 unproven。Community amenities「coming soon」可能 years late。Overseas gift for down payment：builder deposit + closing 需 same seasoning rules as resale。 Types：Spec（quick move-in）、pre-sold to-be-built（customization window）、custom build（longest、most complex financing）。Production builder tract home 华人买家常见 entry——compare resale comp in same ZIP 防 premium overpay。 Warranty walkthrough：Closing 前 punch list（paint、 tile、 window operation）document in writing。Year-one 通过 builder warranty portal 报修——response time 因 builder 而异，read online reviews。

Resale（existing home）从 private seller 或 bank（REO）购买——美国二手房市场占交易量 majority。新移民首套 常见路径：成熟 suburb（Arcadia、Plano、Jersey City 等——举例非推荐）、established 学区、可 walk 看 neighborhood、negotiate based on inspection。 优势：Predictable closing、comp data abundant（Zillow/Redfin/MLS with agent）、inspection contingency 保护、mature 华人生活圈。Credit building：先租 1–2 years establish credit → FHA/conventional pre-approval 再购 resale 是 common immigrant arc。 diligence：General inspection $400–600、termite、sewer scope if old、review seller disclosure、HOA resale packet（budget、reserve study、 litigation）、 flood/fire zone。Appraisal protects lender not buyer overpay——still need agent comp analysis。 Fair housing：合法选择 neighborhood 基于 commute、school、budget——拒绝基于 race/national origin 的 steering（无论 agent 或 community pressure）。自行 research 学区 boundary（county assessor/school district map）。