If you are going to stay in your house for a few years then it is probably a good idea to finish the basement now. If you are making it into something that you want and can use, especially to bring more income in to the house, then you will get use out of it and will help to bring more value to your home. You always want to check with the local real estate market and not just the nation wide one because each area is different. The Houston real estate market will be different than the Dallas one, even if only slightly. Homeowners want different things in different areas, so when you are doing your remodel, make sure that it isn't too personal but that it can be adapted to any lifestyle or appeal to many people.

If you don't have the money to finish the basement or want to spend the money making something else better in your new house, then you should probably wait to finish it. Most people stay in new homes for a while and so you can wait a few years, and then finish it. With the way the economy is, you probably won't want to sell your house any time soon, and will want to keep as much cash as you can in your pocket.

Just because you are building a new house doesn't mean that you have to finish everything about it. Half the fun of owning a house is remodeling it and making it your perfect house. You can work on the rest of the house later when you are exactly sure what you want. You can still use the space, so don't get frustrated or annoyed if you can't afford to finish it.

Take a look at the real estate market in your area. If you are thinking about selling your home within a short while, hire a realtor or at least talk to one about the market. They will tell you if you will be better off finishing it before you sell it or not. Each market is different and no one knows about the current market better than realtors. If you don't like their advice, talk to someone else, but the really good realtors and ones that are rated the top in the area usually know what's going on. Remember, it is to their advantage to get the most out of your house so they will usually help you as much as they can.

Finishing your basement is ultimately up to you. If you think you should then do it. But if you don't then don't finish it. Some home buyers don't want to have to finish anything when they move in, but others want to be able to personalize the house a little more to what they want and buying a house with an unfinished basement might be just what they are looking for.