Big house on new-build estate or smaller house in town?

[MegBusset]

House on new-build estate a couple of miles out of town is big and vgc, estate is 'nice' but soulless, no shops/pub/anything apart from Sainsbos, so would have to drive everywhere

Period house in town has one bed less, needs a lot of work, but full of character and in a lovely area with local shops etc and walking distance to city centre

New-build is 30k less meaning more money to enjoy life with the kids

Both are walking distance to excellent primary and secondary schools

WWY choose??

[Fayrazzled]

The smaller character property in town- every time. I'd hate to live on a bland estate where I had to drive to every amenity.

[Fayrazzled]

I'd also imagine the period property in town will hold its value/be a better investment than property on estate in the longer run.

[LynetteScavo]

Have have lived in both types.

I was happier in an older house in town (although I have been known to weep in the middle of building/decorating work.

[maize]

I will be alone in this but I would chose the big new build. I dislike my own older more central house and can't wait to move to the burbs!

[zandy]

When my children were toddlers/young school age, new build house on new estate full of similar, was excellent choice.

Town house now we're older and don't need on the doorstep friends for kiddies.

[MegBusset]

Hmm very interesting point there. Our DC are 3 and 1 and our main reason for moving is the schools. The estate has its own primary school/preschool (secondary is in next village) and it's packed with young families. Town house in a more mixed but still v family-friendly area.

[thisismyname]

I would go with new build too.

[maize]

What is parking like with the town house? That would be a consideration for me as well.

[NomDePlume]

the smaller older one unless you absolutely NEED the extra space in the new build.

[mintyfresh]

I'm with Zandy - new build estate in the sticks would be (is) my choice with young kids due to safety, parking and hopefully needing less work.

As soon as the kids grow up DH and I are off back to the city for a life again!!

[HerHonesty]

smaller one. you wont regret it. will increase in value too more than new build if you change your mind

[MegBusset]

Smaller one has off-street parking -- v rare in that area hence the extra £££!

[pcworld]

We were in your position very recently and chose the smaller victorian semi in town. We LOVE it - and being able to walk everywhere was a key requirement - had we opted for a bigger new-build, I would have ended up in the car constantly.

[CaveMum]

I've known so many people that have had problems with newly built houses that I'd never buy one myself.

MiL bought a new build in 2004: great big cracks in the wall around the stair well, constant problems with the central heating and boiler, blockages in water waste pipes causing flooding in the kitchen.

New build "executive estate" (prices STARTING from £550,000) in our town built last year: several families have had to move out because of subsidence.

Work colleague moved into new (1yr old) house 2 weeks ago - last week the lights blew and she's been told she needs a new circuit board.

Personally I find that newly built homes lack the space of olderhouses. The rooms are often smaller and the gardens non-existent.
Plus you pay a premium fir a new house.

A new estate is being built in our town, you can buy a five bed house from £380,000.
In a nearby village, lovely place with good schools and facilities, there is a five bed house (built 150yrs ago and extended in the 1980s) with a HALF ACRE garden on the Market for £275,000. I know which I would rather buy!

Older houses every time for me!

[mousymouse]

new build if of good quality. you then have a much more economic structure - better insulation proper double glazing windows. so i theory the bigger new build should be cheaper to run and heat. but we all know that big devolopers often cut costs...
is the public transport ok? I hate to be somewhere where I am totally reliant on a car.

[noddyholder]

The old house no question.

[cybilliberty]

Hey nodders! I was just thinkning about you yesterday

[MegBusset]

The new-build is substantially cheaper, as well as bigger than the older house. Re: public transport, there are buses into town and proposals for a rail halt.

[expatinscotland]

New build. Cheaper to run, IME, better set up for families - kitchen usually bigger, mod cons in place, plenty of sockets to run things, garden.

Good parking.

Probably more kids around.

We rented a period house for 2 years and I'm so glad we didn't own it - it cost a bomb to maintain.

[noddyholder]

helloooo cyb!

[upahill]

Defintly without question the older house.

[MegBusset]

My main concern about the new-build is whether we could end up with a house that was impossible to sell. There's another development planned right next to this one which I fear could devalue it over time, although it would bring additional benefits such as the rail halt.

[MegBusset]

Also, we have just found out the old house has old thatched insulation in the roof which is starting to look like a costly nightmare in terms of making fire safe, insurance etc...

[BrittanyBeers]

Would there be lots of noise in the evening in the town house?
People coming home from pub etc?

Gosh that's a tricky one.
Is there space to extend the older property?
What size are the gardens?
Might you have more DCs?

30k is a lot of money.

With small children, I'd probably choose the big one tbh, although it'd go against my very fibre.
Safer when the children are older.
Probably has a kitchen/diner, downstairs cloakroom and phone points in every room etc.

[MegBusset]

I have already warned DH that in the new-build there'd be an empty room waiting to be filled