AIBU to ask would you buy a new build home?

[velveteenwabbit]

DH and I are looking to buy our first home at the moment we are in a rented flat. We have a daughter and need more space. I have always said I don't like new builds for he following reasons:

Don't like the look from the outside
Think they could be difficult to sell as lots the same
I love character in a home
Low ceilings
A bit boxy

However - over the past couple of days I've been searching Rightmove and have been tempted by a development of Taylor Wimpet homes in the area we are looking in. It just looks so easy. The homes are more affordable (about 50k cheaper than something not a new build for the equivalent) and I like the idea of having a high spec kitchen/ bathroom and being able to move straight into something immaculate.

Am I just being lazy though? Has anyone bought one of these homes and what do you think of it?

No.
Too small, roads are always too narrow and there’s never enough parking.
No facilities nearby - shops, parks.
Near where I am a massive estate has been built and the houses are basically not in the catchment of any primary schools. There is one which the kids will end up in but it’s not that close and reputation isn’t the best.
The one I lived in had zero storage, poor qualiy fittings and was too small. Also poorly planned space. Tiny garden. Also it’s so boring that they all look identical!! Luckily we just rented it and have since bought an older house.

I bought a new build (flat, not house) last year. Obv it’s early days and I feel like I’m still holding my breath waiting for everything to break and the roof to fall in as soon as the warranty thingy period finishes, but so far I’ve been really happy. Nothing has gone wrong as yet, it’s so shiny and new, the kitchen and bathrooms are fab, and the rooms are all really generously sized. I moved out of an Edwardian and the ceilings here are only very very slightly lower. Very light and airy. Best of all, I can only hear my neighbours if I’m in the communal areas of the building or if my windows are open - the soundproofing really is dreamy. Downstairs and next door even insist they never hear my exuberant thumping running crawling small children! I think build quality must vary.

I could only afford to buy through shared ownership, so the majority of options available to me were new build. Due to the location I’m strongly expecting the value to hold/appreciate, but even if it doesn’t I’m not substantially worse off than if I’d kept renting a crappy flat which was too small and had other issues and ultimately was money down the drain every month...

If it had everything I wanted I would buy a new build. However usually one of the following would put me off:

• Price (usually more expensive per sq ft)
• Parking, all the houses have one space when in reality most households have more than one car.
• Being leasehold, so I'd have to pay ground rent and maintenance fees.
• The size of the rooms, quite often they will put mini furniture in the show homes to make it look bigger (4ft bed rather than a full double, and a tiny sofa).

Quality wise though I think Taylor Wimpy is meant to be quite good.

All things being equal I'd sooner have a new build. Everything clean and immaculate ready to put your own stamp on. Can you think of any other walk of life where second-hand is seen as preferable?

No, everyone I know that has has had massive problems. Saying that we did buy a plot and have one built. You get a lot more house for your money that way

Almost. We were all set to go on a new build whilst it was mud. A 3 storey townhouse in the village we liked. However the sale took ages, their solicitors took ages to return paperwork so we pulled out and bought where we are now. We don't regret it one bit. The gardens are tiny, rooms are boxy and the parking on the street is terrible. We have an older house which whilst small inside and no en suite and we have redone the kitchen and bathroom has a lovely big garden and decent parking.
It depends on the estate imo, they tend to be crammed in and overlooked so I don't think we would buy one.

Be very careful buying a new build now, the property developers now have managing agents who will take care of any park land, street lighting, road maintenance, it’s happening all over the uk
hoa.org.uk/2016/11/problems-facing-freeholders-new-developments/

We currently live on a new build site, its hilarious watching them knock bricks out and re do it again, so far seen it on 3 of the houses.

We live in a redrow house much prefer my mums house with a nice big garden, front garden and large drive. We want to move to an old house now.
The pro's are obviously that everything is brand new clean and fresh the cons are your living in a box with no land surrounded by people..

We are in a new build. It was perfect for us as we could do help to buy and purchase a 3 bed house that needed no work. We love that we are the only ones to live here and picked out our kitchen etc.

Some builders are better than others obviously so everyone's experiences will be different. Yes they don't have a lot of character but you make it your own. Depends what you really want from a home? Go view some and see how you feel

Our first house was 1910, full of character but needed central heating, new bathroom, new kitchen, new windows installed, redecorating. It was like living on a building site for 3 years, and an absolute money pit.
We’ve since bought new builds, they were a bit lacking in character but as trees and gardens matured and we added our own furniture and decor we are really happy. With a young family i’d choose new build every time.

We love our new build, we moved from a really old character property and it's great not worrying about what will go wrong next. Anything that needs replaced or repaired can be done easily, much better than having to look for specialist people. I've heard plenty of horror stories but never experienced them myself.

On our estate we householders have formed our own management company and we outsource the gardening etc ourselves and keep the costs down. We have a couple of meetings a year to decide on improvements or any expensive maintenance.

I think it’s terrible, we pay our council tax for these services but they’re adding an extra cost to the homeowner

No storage, no garden, no space.

Everything cut to the bone.

I hate the way houses are built now.

I'm renting a new build at the moment, it looks beautiful but the quality and workmanship is absolutely horrendous. I dread to think what they will be like in even 15 years. I have no practical skills whatsoever but even I am baffled at some of the issues that are being unearthed here and how the houses have been put together. We are currently in the process of buying an older house. The lettings agency have regretted letting them (they let a few) as they constantly have to send tradesmen around to sort things out that were done terribly in the first instance.

Unless it is a recognized company with lots of good feedback stay well away.

But I have to say the best thing about living on a new build estate is that all the kids play out together safely and get to have a nice old fashioned kind of childhood.

No. They always have plasterboard walls.

My other half is a joiner and currently on new build sites. He says they are thrown up so fast with the cheapest materials and are only guaranteed fir five years at the most!

Can you think of any other walk of life where second-hand is seen as preferable?

Bit facile to compare houses with clothes or cars.

I've had no problems with my(almost six year old new build) and no problems with the property management company either. I'd recommend them but research the company and site first if you can.

I'm in a Taylor wimpy new build and whilst there were a few snagging issues when we moved in I'm really happy with the quality. I've never heard the neighbours and they've said the same about us. Everything is nice and new, and I think as far character goes- put your own character in which is easy to do because you have a blank canvas to play with

I have a new build Redrow home (a Worcester house type) and I adore it.

We moved in last July and I still have to pinch myself when I get home each evening.

We are 40-something and had rented since we first got together in 2000. Most recent rental was a 200 year old cottage so it's quite different to a new build. We used HTB.

The redrow homes (Heritage) have lots of lovely features such as wide doors, high ceilings and larger skirting boards and are really sympathetic in their styling.

I say go for it!

The council maintains our roads though. The Factor/management company maintain the grounds.

Why should there be a management company on freehold, this should be covered by the council? I can’t believe people aren’t up in arms about this. Older properties don’t have to pay these costs, it’s covered by our council tax

Never off plan
I think I have to see it before I bought
Also - check land rents and admin fees ... so many of these new builds have many hidden costs - corporate fees and land charges