Dear Mr Chen

Many of the homes in this price category have vinyl siding,but we do have many homes with Hardiplank siding which is a fiber cement siding material and very solid material

I am a lifelong 3 rd generation Iowa City native and the key to answering your question further is by breaking down what other factors and needs are important to you

Homes can be built with any quality of construction you desire but you might have to sacrifice some size to achieve a better quality home

Geothermal is a great product and is usually used in more higher priced homes because of the upfront cost to install. The systems can range from 25K-50K + and usually takes a 10 + year payback

We deal with 25-50 transactions per year in new construction while having a back round in construction of homes as well as multi-family developments

Please let me know if you would like some help answering your questions further in depth

Respectfully

Brad Houser
Licensed realtor in the state of Iowa
319-631-2492

In the Midwest, we put a premium on vinyl siding; but in other parts of the country there are different preferences. Brick is very good - solid, a good insulator, more difficult to destroy! Contact me for an article I could send to you. Also, the geothermal HVAC units (the new ones) are worth their weight in gold. They provide very inexpensive alternatives to heating and cooling your home. They also cost more to install, which would drive the home prices with these units up a bit.