New build house up for sale on housing estate - would you buy?

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

Quick Q - not for me but for my DB and SIL. They're looking to buy a house as have a young baby and 5 year old in a flat.

They've been house hunting but have been held back due my DB only doing highly paid contracts (tv) - he's looking for a permanent job at the moment.

Near where me and DM live (both live in same area, about 5 to 10 mins drive from each other) a townhouse has come up for sale. Looks great, nice price. Only... It's within a housing estate with what looks like council and shared ownership builds. That's why it's cheaper than other property in the area obvs. The townhouse is lovely, modern, has a garden etc - everything DB/SIL want. I went to have a quick look the other day, seems quiet, near fairly nice streets. Excellent outstanding primary school just down the road and another one nearby and at least 2 good nurseries nearby. Good for SIL's commute when she returns to work next autumn. Me and DM/stepdad could/would help out with school drop offs and nursery ones too as we're nearby and DM would do 1 day a week at least childcare for the baby. DB once he gets a perm job they could sell this one or rent it out and buy a nicer house in a nicer street nearby.

The only issue is where the house is located. The house itself borders a super popular area which has gone up in price and estimation over the past few years (Crystal Palace/Upper Norwood if you must know!). So what would you do?! They're viewing it this Saturday.

Can't see the problem?

The only thing I'm wondering about and yes this is the snob in me, but suppose it's a bit rough?

Please tell me if I am being a snob though... and that would only be me and maybe DB thinking this. The streets around the area seem nice (I do know them a bit), going down the street there's a parade of shops with a fish and chip one and a small general store/off licence just across the road. Even a park nearby but wouldn't be my preferred one. In fact a friend bought a flat just down the road and she has a young toddler.

Quite a few houses on the estates nearby me are bought by private home owners.

Yeah you're being a snob. Not everyone who lives in council housing is "rough".

That's not what I'm being honestly!

I walked past an estate near where I live and one of the houses was boarded up with metal grilles. Obvs will probably be sold at auction.

I'd just be concerned if I had to look over my shoulder all the time. We are in SE London don't forget.

Sound's excellent. Especially with the schools and up snd coming area.

Its only natural to have doubts with something like this OP its a huge huge decision I dont think you are being a snob obviously you just want what is best for your family. One of biggest decisions of your life.

That's what I wanted to hear thanks! Me and DM where we both live is very near but in separate streets.

This part has always sort of been 'on the up' too, but have noticed in past 2-3 years definitely seems to be coming up and quickly too. Good on it. Great for the whole area.

Yes I'd buy it from this post

All new builds have buyers, shared ownership and housing association houses.
I moved into my new build 4 years ago, all my neighbours are lovely, it’s quiet, I don’t overlook anyone though which is why I chose that particular house.
low energy bills are good but public transport is still rubbish in my area. Apart from that it’s great

The houses opposite me are shared ownership, housing association etc and they're lovely, well kept houses with lovely people in them. There is a handful on our estate, I think there has to be so many 'affordable housing' options now with new builds but may be wrong.
Honestly we had more bother with nightmare neighbours when we lived in the 'posh' bit

Not for my family for DB's. But yes, I'm close to them. It would be so good if they were near us all!

Just what I wanted to hear. Will pass this info onto DB and SIL. Thanks.

My dh felt like you. Can’t say I ever even noticed the “poor people” dragging the tone of the neighbourhood down.

Of course you might move into a house with rough neighbours whose teenagers smash beer bottles all over the kiddies playground, smoke weed in the front garden and generally make you feel unsafe in your own home. I had neighbours like that once. On the other hand the neighbours might be perfectly lovely. It wouldn’t and hasn’t ever put me off buying a house because the risk of crappy neighbours isn’t confined to affordable or social housing. You sort of have to just accept the risk.

Oh no don't do it, definitely don't want to live near those sort of people 🙄🙄🙄
Honestly you sound like a bunch of snobs, the house isn't cheaper because it's for shared ownership and rentals on the same estate FGS

To be fair - most of the estate - which are the proper old style brick 1940s/50s council houses near where I live sort of - they're actually lovely. Nice gardens and little greens. I'd happily live in one myself if I wasn't in my house. They all seem nice people who live there and the areas are really well kept and they seem to have a pride taken in them, which is what everyone wants really.

Quite a few have been bought and then rented out which is good too.

Oh shut up. You are probably a nightmare neighbour but no one dare tell you.

Well this is the sort of comment which scares me.

I must admit there are some or were some council estates sort of locally where you definitely would not want to live. Bad, rough reputation and you always saw cars burned out etc. If I'm being a snob not wanting to live there then so be it. I think anyone who wants to buy looks in the street/area where they buy.

My DF (dad) ffs lived in a council house in Hammersmith back in the 1940s/50s with his DM/DF (nanny and grandad) and my DM lived in a rented flat with her DF so don't go calling me a snob because it's very much working class in my family on my dad's side at least!

Do you realise that MN is an open forum, with people from all over the country and indeed world using it? Poor people, rich people, single people, married people, young and old, able-bodied and disabled, lots of children and none? People who live in mansions, and people who live in the very estates and council housing you describe?

Why would you post this?

And, are you a snob or are you not a snob? And are you okay with being one if you are, or not? Because you've been all those things in these posts so far.

This really is in very poor taste, and incredibly rude.

I bought a new build house on an estate (I prefer to call it a development 😂) for almost £1m in 2019. Not all new build estates are 'council estates', nor are all council estates 'rough'. As pp said, all new developments have to have a certain proportion for social housing and shared ownership as part of planning regulations. You should look at the development plans to see where these are if you're concerned about potential issues with neighbours. On our development there is one street of purely social housing and it is fairly obvious which it is (from the bikes strewn in front gardens, choice/extent of Christmas/Halloween decorations and the kids playing outside with no supervision - this does not apply to all residents of course but is a noticeable difference to the rest of the development). There are certain other properties dotted around that are let via social housing providers to those with disabilities and you wouldn't know which those are. We did check the plans before we chose our plot to check who our neighbours would be. The developers told us that only 'low risk' tenants would be given the nice new social housing so you're unlikely to get disruptive tenants. From what you've posted, the property sounds ideal for your brother's family. Newbuilds are often on smaller plots so that may be why it is comparatively cheaper than some older properties in the area.

You know exactly what I mean. I’m not going to explain away or apologise.

New developments have to have a %age of affordable housing. It’s very normal and I’ve never had any issues.

Of course I know new build estates are not solely council/shared ownership etc and understand there has to be certain of the latter in new builds. However on some of the local council estates the local council were putting new builds on any spare green space, then selling them off, under a backhander scheme through the local council. Now the council have stopped buying up green spaces due to too much protest by local residents.

I don’t know exactly what this is, it’s probably a new development on an existing council estate and classed as new but with affordable housing too. I don’t know all the housing for sale in the area.

Sometimes they get round it by building community facilities eg. shops or gym. But yeah I think it’s been planning requirement for a while (but don’t quote me!) as my first flat was about 15 years old and there was a block of affordable ones next to mine.

Nope I wouldn’t. We could’ve bought a 4 bed detached new build with larger garden and garage, but have settled for a 3 bed terrace with a smaller garden and no garage on a private road of 1950s builds. New builds are cheaper for a reason - because the shine comes off them quickly, the estates are cramped and overlooked and yes often quite rough. There’s a reason so many of them are up for sale after a year or two. Plus living in a never ending building site would depress me.