Should we just buy new construction since we don't know the neighborhoods yet?
It's a reasonable instinct — known condition, a warranty, nothing to repaint — but don't let it become a default you back into. Transplants often choose new construction because it removes the neighborhood question. It doesn't remove it; it answers it for you, usually with a longer commute and a streetscape that needs fifteen years to grow shade.
Two things to know going in. The friendly agent in the model home works for the builder — bring your own representation, which typically costs you nothing as the buyer. And builder contracts are not the standard Minnesota purchase agreement. Timelines, deposits, upgrades, and change orders all run on the builder's paper, and that paper favors the builder.
Sometimes a new build is exactly right. I just want it chosen, not defaulted to. Try the vibe-match tool, DM me RELOCATE, or call.
I wrote this answer, and I stand behind it. I'm Chris Deutsch, a Minneapolis Realtor (MN #20382264). Twenty-five years of walking these neighborhoods, checking basements, and sitting across kitchen tables from people making exactly this call. I re-check every answer and date it — this one was last verified .
If your situation is more specific than the market, that's the one worth talking through. Email me at chris@lakesarearealty.com.