One type of home is saving Americans tens of thousands of dollars right now

According to a new report from Realtor.com, buying a new home could save you a ton of money in your first decade of homeownership. But those savings depend on where you live. On average, U.S. buyers who choose a new home end up with $25,335 in savings over the course of 10 years. That chunk of change could offset the higher price tag of a newly built home, even if it doesn’t show up as up-front savings. The hidden savings tied to buying a newer home can mostly be attributed to two major factors: energy costs and new systems that don’t require maintenance or upgrades out of the gate. New homes might lack the aesthetic charm of their classic counterparts, but they excel when it comes to energy efficiency. “Homeownership is not a onetime expense, and the ongoing costs of owning a home are where new construction really shines,” Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com, said. “Buyers who focus only on the listing price are missing a significant part of the financial picture.” Older homes are much more likely to have drafty rooms that allow warm or cool air to escape, a phenomenon that adds up considerably when it comes to paying the bills. The same goes for older windows, which are more likely to have air leaks and single-pane designs that aren’t as effective at maintaining a controlled climate compared to the insulating boost from modern multipaned glass. Preexisting homes are also much more likely to come with aging cooling and heating systems that lack the efficiency of more modern systems. If an HVAC system, a water heater, or even a roof requires an upgrade a few years after buying, that’s one more hidden cost on top of a home’s asking price. National differences The perceived perks of buying a new home can shake out very differently depending on what corner of the country you live in. In New England, newly constructed homes save buyers the most on average—but those homes also list for a lot more. In Massachusetts, a new home spares buyers almost $39,000 i