Building a New Custom Home vs Purchasing an Existing Home

When it’s time to move to a new area, get a larger home to accommodate a growing family, or move into a new home that’s more suitable to your lifestyle, you have some decisions to make. For many; one of the biggest decisions in the home-buying process is whether to build a brand-new custom home or purchase an older existing home.
Both options come with their own advantages, challenges, and long-term considerations, but the right choice often depends on your lifestyle, priorities, timeline, and budget.
If you’re weighing the pros and cons of new construction versus a home that already exists, here’s what you should know before making your decision.

Designed for Real Life: Exploring the Flexible Floorplan of 1310 Mockingbird Lane

Tucked into the welcoming community of Mount Vernon, Indiana, 1310 Mockingbird Lane is more than just a new home, it’s a thoughtfully designed space built for the way people actually live today.

From the moment you step inside, the floorplan reveals a seamless blend of comfort, flexibility, and modern functionality, offering spaces that can easily adapt to your lifestyle.

Whether you’re working from home, hosting friends and family, or simply looking for a layout that grows with you, this home delivers. Every square foot has been carefully considered, creating a balance between open-concept living and multi-use areas that make everyday life feel both effortless. What truly sets this home apart is how the layout guides your daily routine with a natural flow between spaces, smart separation where you need it, and open connectivity where you want it.

Before You Build: Understanding Today’s Home Construction Costs

Since 2020, the cost of building a new home has climbed at an unprecedented pace, reshaping expectations for homeowners and home builders.

Before 2020, budgeting for materials, labor, and timelines was a relatively predictable process. Today, this same process has become more complicated and complex due to global supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and fluctuating material prices.

From the price of lumber spiking during the early pandemic to ongoing increases in concrete, steel, and skilled labor, nearly every component of residential construction has been affected.

As demand for housing remains strong, these rising costs continue to influence not only how homes are built, but also what buyers can afford and how projects are planned.

In this blog, we’re walking you through these price increases to help you get into the best and most educated mindset before starting the process of building a new home. By having a good understanding of how homes are priced in today’s market, you can make more informed decisions.

Where Memories Happen: Designing a Home for Entertaining

Picture this: You’re in your living room, imagining a house full of friends and family for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas morning, and Sunday Night Football. The table is overflowing with food, music hums in the background, and laughter carries from room to room. It’s the kind of home that brings people together effortlessly. There’s just one problem…your current space isn’t built for it.

Do Affordable Starter Homes Still Exist?

If you’ve ever wondered why today’s “starter homes” in the Evansville area look nothing like the ones your parents or grandparents bought, you’re not alone. What was once a small affordable first home, has evolved into something very different. 

How Appraisals Work for New Construction Homes

When you’re building a new home, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes beyond choosing floor plans and finishes. One important step that often raises questions is the appraisal.

New construction appraisals work a bit differently than appraisals for existing homes, and understanding how they’re done can help you feel more confident as you move through the building process.

In this article, we’ll break down how new construction appraisals work, why they’re so important, what factors appraisers look at, and what homeowners can expect along the wa

Understanding the Home Building Timeline: How to Plan Ahead

It’s important to understand what goes into planning, designing, and building a custom home before you start the process. Without a clear understanding of the complexities of the process, you risk disappointment when things don’t work the way you think.

If you’re looking to build a home from a standardized, or mass produced blueprint, your home could be completed sooner, but without any customizations.

10 Aging-in-Place Features You Must Have in Your Custom Home

As an Evansville, Indiana–based custom home builder and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, we’re here to design and build a home that’s as beautiful as it is functional: one you can enjoy for decades.
In this blog, we’re sharing the top ten essential features every aging-in-place home should include.

How to Work With Your Home Builder: 9 Communication Tips for a Smooth Build

Building a custom home is exciting. You’ve been dreaming about it for years, and now you can finally turn your ideas into real walls, rooms, and spaces you’ll actually live in. But let’s be honest: the building process can feel a little overwhelming if you and your builder aren’t on the same page.

A Client’s Journey: Inside One Family’s Custom Home Build

When you’re in the market to build a new home, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is the company you hire to build it. With every home build comes at least a few unforeseen issues such as unexpected price increases, discontinued flooring, or extreme weather. Finding a builder that you get along with is just as important as finding one that’s knowledgeable, professional, creative and adaptable.

The builder-homebuilder relationship starts with trust. We could tell you all about our team’s professionalism and trustworthiness, but we thought it best that you hear it from one of our former customers. So, we interviewed Janel R., the owner of the Modern Country House we designed and built in Mt. Vernon, Indiana. We talked about her experience building with Custom Homes by Modern Structure, how we responded to unexpected issues, and her favorite parts of her new, custom home.