I'm looking at options in the Moscow region. New construction is cheaper, but it won't be ready until 2028. Resale apartments are more expensive, but I can move in now. What downsides to each option am I missing?
The main thing with a new building is to check out the developer, because deadlines often slip, and nobody wants to live in a half-finished house with incomplete work. Resale apartments seem cheaper, but they've got hidden problems: utilities might be on their last legs, the electrical system often isn't designed for modern loads, and the foundation can gradually settle. I'd look at whether the new building has good reviews from completed projects by the same developer, and for a resale place I'd definitely bring in someone who can see what's hiding behind the finishes. Plus keep in mind that in a new building after two years the repairs will still be fresh, but with a resale you'll have to redo at least some of it.
With secondhand apartments, the problems are often less about pipes and wiring than about neighbors and soundproofing - things that aren't always obvious during an inspection but are expensive and complicated to fix later. With new construction, besides potential delays in handover, you might end up in a situation where the building is ready but the surrounding infrastructure isn't - no shops, decent roads, or minibuses - and neighbors spend years complaining and demanding compensation from the developer. If a secondhand apartment is in decent condition and it's a good neighborhood, the price difference can be justified by the ability to move in right away instead of waiting for construction to finish.
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