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?

We self built ours 18 years ago, most peple think it's an old house because of the way we designed it. You get good and bad new builds just the same as you get some rotten old houses. Just different tastes.

OP I have experienced this too including when we moved to our current new build (the fourth we’ve had). I just smile politely when people go on about small rooms, low ceilings, tiny gardens etc...I love watching their faces when they walk into my new build and see the large rooms, high ceilings and big garden coupled with the modern benefits of under floor heating, snazzy kitchen etc.... There are good and bad in all types of houses.

I'm not a DIY fan so don't want to buy a place that needs a kitchen replacing

To be honest, most people who replace a kitchen don't diy it, they get someone in to do it. We replaced our kitchen, we wouldn't have considered diying it.

I've just bought a new build. I'd love a period property but I'm a single parent I can't afford it right now.
I've bought on a new estate half a mile from the dds school. It borders a national trust huge estate garden on 3 sides. At night it's silent except owls hooting. It's all families living here too so quiet due to that too.
It's large and flat. The kids whiz around in their bikes and scooters. There's no through traffic so it's very safe. Not even a corner shop up here :-).
There are big fenced in play areas and a cycle path that goes for miles to walk the dog. The ground keeping is very good and the whole estate is really geeen and well kept.
I didn't have many choices but I feel
Lucky to live here.

And my garden is massive.

I'd love a period property but I'm a single parent I can't afford it right now

Honestly. Period properties also have their drawbacks. I live in an old listed building and it costs a fortune to heat downstairs, upstairs, although it has the same windows, stays very warm I suspect as it's carpeted, not above a cellar, and heat rises. You pick your poison really.

You pick your poison? Weird.

How old is your period property, Bluntness100?

Ours is listed too. And pretty old.

It's seventeenth Century. Why is it weird? Few homes are perfect, you pick the best for you.

It's horses for courses, we took on a 1960's renovation and at times I prayed for a new ready done house. Happy with it now though.

Though I live in a town where there is a new estate being built and the new builds are £100k more than an older similar sized house, so I always believed the snobbery to be the other way.

Ooh snap,Bluntness100. I wonder if you live in my National Trust village.

The snobbery is DEFINITELY not about older properties. What a silly thing to say. Our property is literally unique. You cannot put a price on that.

What l mean is, people in new builds do not generally look down on people in older properties. Older properties, particularly those that are listed, are regarded as more desirable.

What l mean is, people in new builds do not generally look down on people in older properties. Older properties, particularly those that are listed, are regarded as more desirable.

It really depends. In London, new build flats carry a premium because they are more attractive to international types e.g. Chinese and Russians.

I've no doubt that in National Trust villages, 17th century carries the day.

I wouldn’t buy one simply because they are much more expensive and smaller than ex council houses of the same number of bedrooms. Also I think to buy one you’d need to be prepared to live there forever as it’s very difficult to get your money back on them.

@Bluntness100 my house is very toasty :-)
I grew up in a regency town house complete with a bell system and a meat store and a million other original features. It flooded, pipes froze and it was freezing and honestly it was gorgeous but fuck that until I find a builder to marry!

I’d also disagree that older properties are more desirable. Many of the listed cottages where I live take ages to sell as they are so impractical. They look lovely from the outside but if you’re tall, constantly stooping and banging your head on beams is not ideal.

I wouldn’t really regard Russian or Chinese oligarchs as arbiters of taste.

I grew up in a roomy Georgian house. Not all older properties are tiny.🙄

I feel that our house would (old, draughty) would be just perfect if we'd have sprung for double-glazed sash windows (extortionate) and new doors in our renovation. Other than this, the plumbing and electrics are the same as a new build.

Alas, there were far too many competing priorities., so I live in 3 jumpers and double-leggings through the winter, with the occasional hot water bottle. It's not really a big issue for me.

I think it's just personal preference. We've had two new builds now and I doubt we'd ever choose anything else. We don't have the time, skill or a bottomless pit of funds to do up an older house, nor do we want to. Our new build was perfect for us to move into and it suits us.

We had an 1890's cottage that was cute but have recently bought a 5 bed showhome including all the furniture and quite frankly it is stunning, totally love it 😍

I really don’t like them (I’ve lived in two plus one which was fairly new). The quality was very poor. The house in general was fairly soulless. I can understand why people buy them having owned them myself but I really dislike them. Currently living my best life in a very old property with no gas, draughty windows and only one bathroom with no shower. But I would never ask someone why they bought a new build like that. There are plenty of good reasons to buy them. They are much easier to own (currently renting my lovely old house but would hesitate to buy it).

You bought a showhouse complete with the showhouse furniture? Do some people actually do that sort of thing?

I think it's because many of us have looked at them and not likes them - before we went house shopping I thought I wanted a new build but they were really bad - tiny bedrooms insufficient for wardrobes, no space for separate tumble dryer and no space for an 8 seater table - we were looking at large 6 bed houses! I wouldn't be derogatory about someone's home but I really hated the ones built around here