Serving North Texas Buyers & Sellers Since 2018
If you've driven through Van Alstyne, Anna, Howe, or Gunter lately, you've seen it. New rooftops, new model homes, and big banners advertising low rates and closing cost help. Growth is good for our towns, and it's a big part of why people want to live here. But if you're selling a home that someone has already lived in, it also means you're not just competing with the house down the street anymore. You're competing with builders.
The good news is that a well-priced, well-presented resale home still sells. It just takes a different game plan than it did a few years ago. Here's what you're up against, and how to be strategic about it.
At a glance
| Pre-owned home | New construction | |
|---|---|---|
| Move-in timeline | Often 30–45 days | Varies; quick move-ins are fast, to-be-built homes can take months |
| Financing incentives | Negotiated by the seller | Often rate buydowns and closing costs through the builder's in-house lender |
| Neighborhood | Established, finished, mature trees | Active construction, younger landscaping |
| Extras | Fencing, blinds, landscaping, and upgrades often already done | Many extras cost more or come later |
| Price flexibility | Every dollar comes from the seller's equity | Builders can spread incentives across a whole community |
Why selling a resale is harder in a growing town
Builders can offer things most sellers can't. A builder with an in-house lender can buy down a buyer's interest rate, cover closing costs, or throw in upgrades, and spread that cost across an entire subdivision. For a buyer comparing monthly payments, that can make a new build look more affordable than a resale at the same price, or even a lower one.
"New" is a powerful word. New appliances, a builder warranty, nobody else's nail holes in the walls. Buyers walking through a model home in the morning and your home in the afternoon are going to compare.
Buyers have more choices. When there's steady new inventory in town, buyers don't feel the same pressure to jump on a resale. A home that's priced a little high or shows a little tired can sit, and days on market become their own problem.
None of this means your home is at a disadvantage across the board. It means you have to know exactly where you stand and price and market around it.
Tip 1: Price against the new builds, not just other resales
Traditional comps still matter, but in a growing town your real competition is often the new construction a few minutes away. Before you set a price, know what buyers can get in the nearby builder communities for similar money: the base price, what the upgrades in your home would cost there, any lot premiums, and what incentives the builder is advertising right now.
If a buyer can get a brand-new home with a lower payment for about the same price, your home needs a clear reason to win. That reason is usually price, condition, location, or what's already included.
Tip 2: Think in monthly payments, because buyers do
Most buyers shop by payment, not just price. That's exactly why builder rate buydowns work so well.
You can play that game too. Instead of only cutting your price, consider offering a seller concession the buyer can put toward a rate buydown or closing costs. Depending on the buyer's loan, the same dollars spent on a buydown can lower the monthly payment more than an equal price reduction would. And unlike most builder incentives, a seller concession can usually be used with whatever lender the buyer chooses.
Your agent and a trusted lender can run the numbers side by side so you know which option makes your home more competitive.
Tip 3: Sell what the builders can't
New construction has plenty going for it, but there are things a resale often does better. Make sure your listing says so plainly:
- A finished neighborhood. No construction traffic, no empty lots, no wondering what will get built behind you.
- Mature trees and established landscaping. That takes years to grow.
- Things already done. Fencing, window coverings, a covered patio, gutters, a garage storage system. In a new build, those often cost extra or come later.
- Lot size and location. Many older neighborhoods have bigger lots or sit closer to downtown.
- Taxes and fees. Depending on the neighborhood, a resale may not carry the same special district fees some newer communities have. It's worth checking and pointing out if it applies.
- Speed. A resale can often close in about a month. A to-be-built home can take much longer.
Tip 4: Price it right the first time
In a market with plenty of new inventory, "let's start high and see what happens" usually costs sellers money. Buyers and their agents notice a listing that's priced above the competition, and they move on to the model home down the road. The first two weeks on market are when you get the most attention, so that's when your price needs to be right.
If you're still weighing what to do with a home that's already been sitting, my post on what to do when your home has been listed for 60+ days walks through the options.
Tip 5: Close the "new" gap before you list
You don't have to make your home brand-new, but you do want it to show well next to one. A few things that make a real difference:
- Fresh, neutral paint where walls are scuffed or dated
- Repairing the small stuff: dripping faucets, sticking doors, cracked outlet covers
- Deep cleaning, decluttering, and professional photos
- Sharing receipts for big updates like a newer roof, HVAC, or water heater
Buyers who see a cared-for home with recent updates are much more comfortable choosing it over a builder warranty.
Tip 6: Market to the buyers who want what you have
Not every buyer wants new construction. Some don't want to wait on a build. Some want a bigger yard, mature trees, or a quieter street. Some just want a home that's done. Your marketing should speak directly to those buyers, and your agent should be reaching out to the agents working with them.
Thinking about selling in a growing town?
Selling a pre-owned home with new construction going up all around you takes a plan, not just a sign in the yard. If you're thinking about selling in Van Alstyne, Howe, Anna, Gunter, or nearby, I'd be glad to walk through how your home stacks up against the competition and what it would take to make it the one buyers choose.
Kelly Bishop is a full-time real estate agent serving Van Alstyne, Howe, Anna, Gunter, and surrounding communities since 2018, and co-owner and Broker of Record of Rise Realty Texas.
This article is for general information only and isn't financial or lending advice. Talk with a licensed lender about how concessions and rate buydowns apply to a specific loan.