To think people can be really snobby/rude about new build houses?

[TheSubtleKnifeAndFork]

Just that really... I know they're not to everyone's taste but since we bought ours we've had some really rude comments about it. One person even asked me outright (with a real sneer) "Why on earth would anyone ever buy a new build?"... We're happy with it, which I know is all that matters, but I'm a bit gobsmacked by some of the outright rudeness about our new home. For example I've never particularly fancied living in a bungalow, but I wouldn't say that to someone who lived in one, or was thinking of buying one!

Don't get me wrong, I love character properties too (our first home was an older house which we renovated) but equally I don't get why buying a new build is so frowned upon? Or is is just my circle of acquaintance where people seem to have an issue with them?

I agree with you 100% OP. Some people should actually think about what they are saying. We had all the comments as well about them being soulless and lacking in character etc etc when we bought our first home. Most people don't actually have much choice when buying a home as you are very restricted by budget and location. We are in our third home now and it's our forever home but it's a very ugly house built in 1983 but it ticks every box regarding location and our mortgage is the lowest it's ever been and we have wonderful neighbours so we are very happy here.

We tried so hard to stop them, so I guess the people must know but don't care

There is a housing shortage. People have to live somewhere. There must be more people wanting to live in your village than there was previously space for. What do you suggest they do instead?

Chocolatedeficitdisorder. I think the term you're looking for regarding your village is NIMBY.

I think they might be jealous. We're doing up a money-pit of a 1960s house and I'm jealous.

Our small huddle of 1960s new builds was built on what I believe was the village green and pond (long gone), opposite the shop and close to the bus stop. I don't think the established village has ever got over it even 50 years later.

New houses benefit from modern technology - double glazing, better insulation - they tend to be warmer and dryer but often smaller.

Older houses can be very stylish but colder and damper - but not always. Plus more maintenance worries.
You can't please everyone. Just say that you are happy with it. Once it was said to me 'I prefer older houses, they're more solid' as though my newer house was going to fall down tomorrow. Nonsense. We're all different and have different tastes. None is more valid than t'other.

The new homeowners are moving in, but I wonder if they know how much their estate has upset the rest of the quiet little village. We tried so hard to stop them, so I guess the people must know but don't care.

Im sorry to hear you fought against new development and lost, but this sounds a bit like you are blaming the new homeowners for the fact their estate spoils your view and I'm not sure that's fair. They just want somewhere to live. I would quite like to live in a village with character but I can't afford to buy in any of the ones round my way. I'm not going to carry on renting forever or leave the area in protest at the new build estates going up round me, I'm going to escape the rent trap and get on the property ladder. If new development spoils the area, the blame is squarely with those who granted planning permission.

New builds are not my cup of tea I find them a bit samey but it's not my house so I would never say anything to friends.

If it makes you feel better OP I live in a period cottage which I love but we get a lot of comments of I don't know how you live there (we live up a footpath no car access) you have to be crazy to take that place on (it's been a renovation type of house gutted back to brick work over the last 5 yrs) or my personal favourite was could you not afford a new build? 😂

Some people just feel the need to comment!

My dad loves them. He's gone from farmhouse to building himself (family trade), Victorian money pit, souless post-war and has bought 2 new-builds since.

He wanted to enjoy his retirement, not glance nervously at the roof or need re-wiring done.

I've got a new build myself. Everything is so clean, so cheap to run with mega-insulation, solar panels et al. I yearn for an old stone croft house... But not without the cash for SERIOUS modernization!

Tbh I was a bit of a 'new build snob' until we bought our first home. I would always be looking at older properties with character features whereas DP would be looking at new builds.
We bought a new(ish) build. Yes it has a smaller garden that I would like, not tiny, it has space for everything we need it for, but not the sort of garden you'd get with an older property. We are slightly overlooked but I'm not finding this as much of an issue as I thought I might. At the end of the day it was more affordable for us, but we can still make it our own. The previous owners had interesting taste in wallpaper and had left the garden a blank canvas. We spent this summer completely overhauling the garden and it now looks like a lovely cottage garden, and we're working through redecorating the rooms- us 20 somethings aren't all afraid of picking up a paintbrush and doing some work!

Until we bought the house we live in now I never imagined getting a new house. I always thought I would want on "with character". But whenever we viewed houses that looked mature and "characterful" there was always an issue with them

However, just when we were looking to move we saw this small new development with very traditional looking detached houses and it was within our budget. We were one of the first to buy and, 20 years on, have never regretted it.

There is something nice about having a house that has never belonged to anyone else. Oh and as for the comments about new houses having problems and being "thrown up" - not our experience at all.

In the last four years we have replaced the kitchen and the bathrooms, but that would probably be par for the course in a house of any age after this length of time.

We’ve been in ours almost 2 years. New build worked for us because neither of us are particularly practical. Also, we wouldn’t of been able to afford to buy without help to buy.

I love it, it’s a lovely, safe estate where the kids can play out. Any problems get reported to the developers who sort them out (when you buy an older property, you have to eithe like or lump problems you weren’t expecting).

Also, it’s a typical estate with 6ish different types of house. Everyone has really made them their own and you wouldn’t think someone was in the exact same house.

I’ve just bought one, its an individual build in a tiny village-not an estate (not a self build but not built by a company like Persimmon IYSWIM). We love it! We’ve lived in ancient cottages, Victorian, 1970’s house etc. It’s all about Location, Location, Location for me not the age of the house.

I’d not like to live on an estate of identical houses myself as a bit too urban for me (I grew up on one). But I love our rural new build!

Fooferella, totally agree about the dodgy DIY in older homes!

I wouldn't buy one because the only person I know who has bought one is always complaining on FB about the problems with it and how it's too small - it's smaller than our 3 bed semi despite having 4 bedrooms and an extra reception room and it's so close to the detached house next door that they can hear their television - you couldn't get a push bike between the gap without a struggle.

I grew up in a Victorian house, all my relatives lived in period homes, and it was 'normal'. When I left home it was to live in modern flatshares and sometimes council blocks. It was hard getting used to much lower ceilings and smaller rooms.

When I married we lived in a 30s flat. Then we moved to a Georgian house with those lovely high ceilings and large rooms. It EATS money. Everything we have is spent on maintenance to stop the bloody place falling apart on us.

I WANT to live in a modern house, actually I'd rather have a bungalow. I want everything to work, instead of having to get a WiFi boosterso we can go online on each floor. I want windows that fit so no draughts. I want the electrics to be put in when the place was built so that it's not a mishmash of strangeness which has been put in piecemeal by different owners over years that no one can make sense of, no lead pipes, no ....... etc etc

Every house was a new build once. We live by a couple of thirties estates, one of which my dad lived in from new with my grandparents who lived there until they died. The other my MIL lived in with her family as children.

All those houses have been adapted, gardens grown, the landscape softened. It takes time and gradually these aren’t the new houses any more.

Some shoddy builds and unimaginative architecture have given new builds a bad name. Obviously there are some huge advantages although I wouldn’t choose one myself. At least I don’t think so.

I wouldn’t dream of saying so to a new owner, that’s beyond rude.

The new homeowners are moving in, but I wonder if they know how much their estate has upset the rest of the quiet little village. We tried so hard to stop them, so I guess the people must know but don't care.

Why would they even know? And why should they care about NIMBYs who didn't get their way? The housing shortage isn't helped by NIMBYs who want everything to stay the same forever. Glad the council saw sense and granted permission. Can't imagine viewing a house that ticked all the boxes and then thinking, 'Yeah, but I won't buy this because it spoilt the curmudgeons' view' or even looking into what happened before the developer got permission. Not my business or my concern, mine's finding the right home for the right price in the right location for me and mine.

People are weird.

I utterly hate them but about to exchange on a plot site because I want the convenience. I’ll move to my forever home one day, but the inbetween home may as well be low hassle.

i love my new built! It's hassle free and has been easy all along! It was also well within the price range of the older properties around of similar size. It is not tiny (i did see some ridiculously small 4 bedrooms house i have to say), it's just right for us, at the right price, in the right area. Insulation is fab. Yes some more character would be nice but it would come with other issues i don't want the hassle of currently with small children. Nothing is perfect really you just need to do what works for you.

DSs pokey new build is worth 360,000, I haven't heard anyone sneering.
People accept you buy what you can.

Each to their own, I suppose. Making comments about someone else's choice of house however is rude.

I don't really like new builds personally, the ones round here get no end of complaints, poor sound proofing, garages that don't actually fit a car in, tiny gardens, no storage etc etc.

I live in an Edwardian house, it's not big but I love the high ceilings, chimney breasts and cellar. It's not everyone's cup of tea, there's only street parking for one thing and it comes with all the problems of an old house. But it feels solid and I love the fact that people have lived and yes, even died here over the last 100 years. I love the history, and if I could afford to, I'd live somewhere even older and draughtier if they had even more lovely old features.

I'm very old and have lived in a huge assortment of different properties over the years. They all have pros and cons.

We moved into our current (then new build) home 19 years ago from a 200yr old cottage. Our house is light, spacious and airy. It's easy and cheap to maintain, clean and heat. What's not to like.

New builds vary in quality dramatically. The worst are poorly built with thin walls,
tiny rooms and absolutely no storage. I would never understand why someone would buy one of these when for the same money you can get a house that is solid, with big rooms, plenty of cupboards etc.

There are also lovely new builds that are great quality and you could actually swing a cat in the bedrooms!

Chocolatedeficitdisorder. I think the term you're looking for regarding your village is NIMBY.

Indeed, we are indeed NIMBYs, I don't dispute that.

The town is nearby with lots of services and many areas designated for new housing, yet for some reason ubiquitous housebuilder decided to build on the one field in the village that blocked the view downhill of half the existing village.

The new people are situated at the beginning of the village but I've seen no evidence of them in the village, I presume they're going to get into the cars and drive into the town for all they need. They bought a new-build house with a pretty view, while the rest of the villagers saw their homes lose value and now face a housing estate rather than their previous bucolic view.

Some people hate tiny countryside villages, some people love them, but these people haven't bought into the lifestyle, just the house.

They’d probably like to buy into the lifestyle, but are too busy working to pay for their house.