These are first-time buyers, move-up buyers, and investors who ran the numbers before signing on a resale — and discovered the math doesn't lie.
Featured Stories
These featured stories represent the types of outcomes readers have shared with us.
“We were under contract on a 1998 resale in Riverview, FL — $389K, ‘great bones.’ Then I ran the numbers from Chapter 7. Maintenance alone on a 27-year-old house projected at $4,800/year vs. $1,200 on new construction. The insurance chapter sealed it — the resale didn't qualify for wind mitigation credits, so our premium would have been $2,100/year higher. We backed out and contracted with a production builder. New build: $405K with a $12,000 closing cost credit and a rate buydown to 5.875%. The 25-year total cost difference? Over $340,000 in our favor.”
— Jason & Maria C., Riverview, FL
Strategy used: 25-year cost comparison + insurance float analysis + builder incentive negotiation
“I'm a real estate agent and I've been recommending resale homes to clients for 11 years because that's what we were all taught. The state-by-state rankings in Part 5 forced me to look at this differently. I started running the Resale Trap calculator for every client and 3 out of my last 5 buyers chose new construction after seeing the 25-year numbers. My income per transaction is slightly lower, but my clients are making better decisions and my referral rate has doubled.”
— Danielle R., Raleigh, NC
Strategy used: State-by-state cost ranking + build-vs-buy calculator as a client tool
“I bought a 2003 ‘fixer-upper’ in 2021 for $310K. In 3 years I've spent $67,000 in repairs: HVAC ($14K), roof ($18K), plumbing ($9K), electrical panel ($6K), plus all the small stuff. I read The Resale Trap too late. The maintenance-by-age chart in Chapter 4 predicted almost exactly what I spent. If I'd seen this book before buying, I would have built new and saved six figures over the life of the home. I've already shared it with my brother who's house hunting.”
— Kevin T., Knoxville, TN
Strategy used: Maintenance-by-age cost model (Chapter 4) — confirmation of the data
“First-time buyer, single income, Texas. Everyone told me to buy the cheapest house I could find. The Resale Trap showed me that ‘cheap’ at closing doesn't mean cheap over 25 years. I used the builder incentives chapter to negotiate a $15K upgrade package and 2-1 rate buydown on a new-construction townhome in San Antonio. My monthly payment is $140 more than the resale I was looking at, but my projected 25-year cost is $287,000 less. The energy efficiency alone saves $180/month.”
— Brianna H., San Antonio, TX
Strategy used: Builder incentive negotiation + energy efficiency gap analysis
“My wife showed me the cat bond chapter and I couldn't believe nobody talks about this. We own a 1985 ranch in a Florida flood zone. Our homeowner's insurance went from $3,200 to $7,400 in two renewal cycles because reinsurance costs are getting passed through. The Resale Trap explains exactly why this is happening. We're selling and building new in an inland community with modern wind mitigation credits. Our projected insurance on the new build: $2,100/year.”
— Greg & Linda P., Port St. Lucie, FL
Strategy used: Cat bond insurance analysis + relocation to lower-risk new construction
Run the Numbers Yourself
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