When we took into account the cost of the home ready to move into, I have concluded that resale would be a better value. However new construction has the bonus of everyone moving in at about the same time so no established clicks. The $10,000 settlement charge at closing for utilities hookup on new construction, I found to be especially off-putting.
Also Engineer hubby thinks that any settlement of the lot would have already occured in a house thats a few years old (sink holes not withstanding) so potential structural issues would have already been dealt with. Resulting cracks in slabs are not uncommon in most of the country, I assume the villages is no different.
I found a good reference to be: "Why buy preowned" on lyle grant's site
http://www.lylesellsfla.com/frame.sh...cceebe4e84.pdf
I am researching this thing to death, and wish you all the luck, don't overthink it like I am it will keep you up nights.