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Gleaming new appliances, the latest in high-tech countertops and the color palette of your choice. Everything brand new and built just for you. That’s the appeal of buying new.

But then there’s the charm of an established home, shaded by mature trees where the children will enjoying swinging. There’s the lovely little flower garden a previous tenant put in, and the feeling of continuity as you take over custody of a beloved house.

Which is better when it comes to homebuying, new or used? Realtors say it’s largely a matter of preference.

“There are new buyers and there are people that want to stick with something vintage,” said Gene Zinda of Windermere Pacific Crest Realty in McMinnville. “With financing, I don’t think there are any pros or cons. You can finance an older home just like you can a new one.”

He did say, however, “Sometimes you might get a better tax break on an old one.”

Location may play into the decision, Zinda said.

“Depending on where the home is, a used one may be in a neighborhood you like, and there are probably no new ones available to be built there,” he said. “So you may have to take an old one and fix it up.”

There are differences between the two, however, beyond the question of being able to select colors and styles from the beginning.

Depending on the type of heating and appliances that have been installed, homes built after 1992 are probably more energy-efficient than older ones, according to broker Jon Triest of Willamette West Realtors in McMinnville.

“I think something that’s often overlooked is the environmental problems — asbestos, lead paint — in houses that were built in the 1970s and earlier,” he said. “But there are those who think lot of new homes have those problems as well, with outgassing of carpet and other new materials.”

For fans of today’s preference for fancy tiling, bed and bath suites and granite countertops, it may be an advantage to go for a newer home, Triest said. “We’ve seen a trend recently for fairly fancy surfaces even in inexpensive houses.”

Lot sizes also differ. Lots sold today are often much smaller, and occupied by a much larger house.

“That can be either a benefit or a negative, depending on your attitude,” Triest said. “A lot of folks, especially if they’re both working and don’t have young children, all they want is a patio they can put a barbecue on. There’s more uniformity of neighborhood, which again may be either a pro or a con.”

Gardeners may be looking for enough land to grow flowers, vegetables or fruit trees, and may want to look at established houses on larger lots. And some buyers prefer the mixed housing types often found in older neighborhoods, to the homogenous appearance of a new development.

Landscaping could be an issue. While newly built homes do offer the chance to design everything yourself, the privilege may cost you quite a bit.

“Until very recently, the home was there, and you could live in it, but you would spend $15,000 to $20,000 putting in landscaping, fences, window coverings,” Triest said. However, some builders are now starting to put in landscaping and window coverings to better attract buyers, he said.

A previously owned home, on the other hand, offers the advantage of “a very established neighborhood, trees that are seriously grown up,” he said.

Styles as well as materials differ in new and older houses, as trends change from one decade to the next.

“With older homes, a lot of people feel there was more attention paid to construction, and certainly more ornamentation — lath and plaster, nice wide wood trim,” Triest said.

“I think the best of both worlds is something on the order of a three to five-year-old home. All the initial settling and adjustments have taken place, but it’s still in its honeymoon period.

“You can see the neighborhood in place. The landscaping is starting to grow up, so you’re not out there every weekend working on putting it in.”