When it comes to offering the best mix of availability, affordability, and desirability, several metros across the South are ranked as the top choices for Americans seeking new-construction homes, according to Realtor.com.
The Aug. 31 report notes that eight of the top 10 best metros for buying a new home are located in the South, where land is available, cheaper, and “builder-friendly,” with more permissive zoning and less restrictive building codes.
Charleston, South Carolina, nabbed the top spot among the 100 largest U.S. metros, with new homes priced at a median of $443,273—12.2 percent below the national median existing home price of $504,832.
“New construction is one of the most important ways to expand the supply of homes available to buyers, but the opportunity is not evenly distributed across the country,” Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner said in the report. …