Brand-new homes can cost less than older ones in these booming housing markets

If you’re shopping for a new home, one region of the U.S. in particular offers competitive pricing and an abundance of choice. The South leads the country as the best region for buying a brand new home, according to a new report from Realtor.com. Eight out of the 10 leading metro areas for buying newly-built are located in the Southern U.S., with Charleston, South Carolina leading the way. Outside of the South, only Boise City, Idaho and Madison, Wisconsin made the list of the top metro areas. “Markets such as Charleston, Greenville and Boise are demonstrating what new-home buyers value most: choice and pricing that make a newly built home a realistic option,” Realtor.com Senior Economist Joel Berner said in the report. In ranking the best markets for buying a brand new home, the new report considered a handful of factors including what share of listings new homes account for, home much more or less buyers pay for a new home, and how many days new homes spend on the market. The ranking also included data on the climate-related risk of new homes compared to older homes. “New construction is one of the most important ways to expand the supply of homes available to buyers, but the op…