New Construction in Wichita: What It Really Costs
When a family tells me they want to build or buy new, I always tell them the same thing up front. A brand-new home usually costs a lot more to own than a home that's 15 to 20 years old. You pay a higher price, and then you also pay specials and higher property taxes.
The specials and the taxes are the part that surprises a lot of buyers, so this page walks through what they really cost around Wichita, using real sales data from our MLS.
What Are Specials?
Special assessments, or “specials,” pay for the streets, sewer, and water lines in newer subdivisions. When a developer builds a new neighborhood, those costs get spread across the lots.
Specials are added to your property tax bill every year for a set number of years, so they show up in your monthly payment if you escrow your taxes. Before you buy, always ask how many years are left and what the yearly amount is, because it varies a lot from one subdivision to the next.
Specials by Suburb
About 88% of homes built since 2023 carry specials, and most of them (about 76%) run about $150 to $300 a month.
See the numbers
| Area | Typical specials (new builds) |
|---|---|
| Andover | $188/mo |
| Maize | $227/mo |
| Valley Center | $185/mo |
| Derby | $264/mo |
| Bel Aire | $202/mo |
| Goddard | $242/mo |
| Park City | $113/mo |
| Wichita | $173/mo |
- Only about 56% of Park City homes built since 2023 carry meaningful specials, the lowest share of any city here.
- Haysville has had too few new builds since 2023 to report a typical specials amount.
How Much Specials Usually Run
For homes built since 2023 that carry specials, the middle half pay about $164 to $235 a month.
See the numbers
| Monthly specials | Share of new builds |
|---|---|
| Under $100 | 5% |
| $100-$149 | 14% |
| $150-$199 | 27% |
| $200-$249 | 34% |
| $250-$299 | 15% |
| $300+ | 5% |
New vs. Existing Price per Square Foot
Per square foot, a new build costs about 48% more than an existing home.
See the numbers
| Home type | Median price per sq ft (2026) |
|---|---|
| New build | $189 |
| Existing home | $128 |
New Builds Are Getting Smaller
The typical new build has shrunk from about 2,262 square feet in 2022 to about 1,787 this year, even as the price per square foot rose from about $175 to about $189. That's how builders kept prices from climbing faster.
See the numbers
| Year | Median size | Price per sq ft | Median price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,169 sq ft | $153 | $329,000 |
| 2022 | 2,262 sq ft | $175 | $379,000 |
| 2023 | 2,054 sq ft | $184 | $359,000 |
| 2024 | 1,993 sq ft | $191 | $360,000 |
| 2025 | 1,893 sq ft | $185 | $356,000 |
| 2026 | 1,787 sq ft | $189 | $334,000 |
Price per square foot on new builds
Over the same stretch, the price per square foot on new builds went from about $153 in 2021 to about $189 this year.
See the numbers
| Year | Price per sq ft |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $153 |
| 2022 | $175 |
| 2023 | $184 |
| 2024 | $191 |
| 2025 | $185 |
| 2026 | $189 |
The Full Cost of Owning
For homes priced $300,000 to $500,000, a home built in 2020 to 2022 costs about $3,500 more per year in taxes, specials, and HOA dues than a home built before 1990, and it took about three times as long to sell.
| Year Built | Median Price | Days on Market | Taxes, Specials, HOA per Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 1990 | $343,000 | 12.5 days | $3,829 |
| 1990-2004 | $355,000 | 15 days | $4,723 |
| 2005-2019 | $365,000 | 21 days | $5,863 |
| 2020-2022 | $373,000 | 41.5 days | $7,318 |
Existing-home resales priced $300K-$500K, 12-month data. Annual property tax + specials + HOA. Excludes insurance, utilities, maintenance. Wichita-area home sales, closings Sept 30, 2025 to Sept 29, 2026. Source: SCKMLS data analyzed by Caleb Claussen. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Want to run the tax numbers yourself? Try my property tax calculator.
Where the New Construction Is
In Maize, about 39% of recent sales were new builds.
See the numbers
| Area | New-construction share of sales |
|---|---|
| Andover | 17% |
| Maize | 39% |
| Valley Center | 20% |
| Derby | 10% |
| Bel Aire | 21% |
| Goddard | 17% |
| Haysville | 1% |
| Park City | 17% |
| Wichita | 6% |
Negotiating With Builders
Builder incentives are a mixed bag. What I've learned is that they're negotiable, as long as you get a little creative about what you ask for.
I've negotiated lower prices, help with closing costs, and extras like a fence and lawn overseeding for the families I work with. Builders are often willing to work with you to make a deal happen.
The builders I see most often in recent MLS sales are Liberty Communities, Perfection Builders, Superior Homes, Don Klausmeyer, Sharp Homes, and Comfort Homes.
New Construction Questions
What are specials in Wichita?
Specials, or special assessments, pay for the streets, sewer, and water lines in newer subdivisions. They're added to your property tax bill every year for a set number of years. Before you buy, always ask how many years are left and what the yearly amount is.
How much are specials on a new home?
About 88% of homes built since 2023 in the Wichita area carry specials. The middle half run about $164 to $235 a month, and it varies a lot by suburb and subdivision. Ask for the exact yearly amount on the specific lot.
Is new construction worth it?
It can be, but go in knowing the full cost. Per square foot, a new build costs about 48% more than an existing home, and newer homes usually carry higher taxes, specials, and HOA dues. For a lot of families, a home that's 15 to 20 years old is the better value. If you want new, I'll help you compare the real monthly cost before you decide.
Can you negotiate with builders in Wichita?
Yes. Builder incentives are a mixed bag, but they're often negotiable if you get creative. I've negotiated lower prices, help with closing costs, and extras like a fence and lawn overseeding. Builders are often willing to work with you to make a deal happen.
Thinking about building or buying new?
I'll help you compare the real monthly cost.
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