I have been working with a buyer this week, and after seeing all the resale inventory including short sales, and foreclosures they decided on a new build.  What is amazing to me is that the deal they got with the local builder is BETTER than any of the comparable resales in that area.

A resale home that was essentially the same home as they purchased was an option, BUT it was 45,000 dollars more, and a SHORT SALE too.  The new construction will take 8 months to close, but a short sale can take 90-180 days to close.  Plus the new home has all the features and upgrades that they want.

This perplexed the buyers.  The new home Should be More, but in a falling market, I explained, that Bank owned, and new builds pull the market down, since they HAVE to Sell.

A builder is not a builder if he is not building, so, he has to stay competitive in the market. 

Bank owned properties have owners that want to get rid of them asap.

Short sales, and "regular" sales have a major disadvantage since they have to follow the market and are constrained to appraisal issues.