New build haggling

[SaveAHorseRideAHighlander]

AIBU to ask how much haggling I can do on a new build property at the moment? It's a new development in the middle of nowhere, first phase. I was hoping to ask if they would pay for our stamp duty, as it doesn't look like it will complete until October which means we won't benefit from any of the stamp duty holiday. There's also circa 4K of 'upgrades' we would like - is it at all possible that they would say yes to paying for both? Or one particular option over the other? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

If you are the first people in they might not feel they need to give you any 'extras'. Sometimes last in is best.

About half of the first phase has been sold off plan, there's a few of the one I'm interested in and they've been advertising them for a while. Does that make any difference?

Really depends on how desperate they are. You can try, but you may be told no.

Guess I'll have to do my best then! Rubbish at haggling, might have to get the OH to as he's much better!

You go in and you say exactly what you want. Don't be apologetic about it, just ask. Then you be prepared for them to say no.

I have no experience here as I'd never consider a new build but that's how I haggle.

If you go for a viewing and they ask for feedback that will be your opportunity to say what you’d be willing to offer and what you’d expect as a minimum in terms of incentives from them. Best of luck!!

Have you noticed how quickly they are going? Have a figure in mind of how much you want and be up front, we wanted flooring, kitchen upgrade, stamp duty and we were a couple K short so basically said could they do all that and give one other incentive such as solicitors to make up our shortfall. Basically all the incentives are one sum to them, they don't like to reduce the house price so if you say you'd like £15k they can play around with the incentives to get you what you need. We got all that and £3k towards "removals" but it arrives as cash, we wanted it for wardrobes as we were too far past that part of the build to ask for them.

It was the right time for us as it was just as lockdown was ending last year when the housing market was uncertain. They started flying off the shelves after the holiday so I suspect they weren't as flexible then, but notice it's stalling here now so I'm sure now would be a good time for a deal but will depend on your area!

Just be upfront, work out what you'd like and see if they can give it. It was quite easy for us as we could just say we need X to proceed, and meant it.

Oh and I'm rubbish at haggling but honestly they didn't make it at all difficult, they want the sale, they just did the whole "need to speak to the manager" schpiel for sign off but it was fine! Actually did the same with another builder, again said we'd like X what can you do, they get their calculator out and it's amazing what they'll do!!

Go for what you want. Better to ask than wonder what you could've got. Be firm. X

@person6743

Have you noticed how quickly they are going? Have a figure in mind of how much you want and be up front, we wanted flooring, kitchen upgrade, stamp duty and we were a couple K short so basically said could they do all that and give one other incentive such as solicitors to make up our shortfall. Basically all the incentives are one sum to them, they don't like to reduce the house price so if you say you'd like £15k they can play around with the incentives to get you what you need. We got all that and £3k towards "removals" but it arrives as cash, we wanted it for wardrobes as we were too far past that part of the build to ask for them.

It was the right time for us as it was just as lockdown was ending last year when the housing market was uncertain. They started flying off the shelves after the holiday so I suspect they weren't as flexible then, but notice it's stalling here now so I'm sure now would be a good time for a deal but will depend on your area!

Just be upfront, work out what you'd like and see if they can give it. It was quite easy for us as we could just say we need X to proceed, and meant it.

This is so helpful thank you. The move has come quicker than anticipated due to a number of things, therefore the upfront cost is the issue rather than the ongoing costs (as I'm sure it is for a lot of people), so we would be being truthful when we said we really needed them to cover stamp duty. We could buy an older house now with the 5% gov scheme, rather than the 10% required for new builds, but the house we've found ticks our boxes so much more in terms of location etc. They have said that future phases on the development will be more money, but assuming they want to sell all/most of the first phase first. New builds are a completely new ball game to me. Appreciate everyone's comments, thank you.

Oh also, this and a few other plots of the same type have been advertised for over 4 months now if that makes a difference.

We got stamp duty paid, £1000 showed thrown in snd £5k off the asking price. They offered 5k worth of upgrades instead but we said no we wanted the money off

@SaveAHorseRideAHighlander sounds like you're in a very similar situation as we were. We had very little up front money for various reasons and buying a new build without incentives can be very pricey depending on what comes as standard for your development, but that made it very easy for us tbh as we were able to say very honestly we love this house, we have the deposit and can afford it but need help with stamp duty, flooring etc. No game playing, no negotiation, just we need X, he said he would see what he could do, called back within 2 hours to say it was all approved (he actually asked for £1k more than we needed in case they tried to negotiate but we got it all)

And just to say it's all been a very positive experience. New builds get a bad rap but we've had excellent customer service with ours, we've been in about 8 months now and love it.

Let us know how you get on, if it's been advertised for a while and you're proceedable, you'll be in a great position!

Oh also, this and a few other plots of the same type have been advertised for over 4 months now if that makes a difference.

BIG difference, I'd go in with your dream wish list!

Ask for more than you want as a starting point and ask for a discount before you get anywhere near talking about SDLT and upgrades.

Developers tend to look at percentage discounts rather than raw figures and they'll have a % they can offer, a higher amount that they might offer and a "no thank you" amount! Obviously it depends where they are with the sale process, how proceedable you are etc. Let them know that you are serious and interested not only at the right amount.

You might get a smaller percentage discount than you ask for but once you've done all the haggling on that you can ask for the rest in incentives. As a PP has said, all they can say is no if they won't accept.

Good luck!

Hi Op, it will depend on a number of things including that particular development’s sales targets/deadlines, location, state of housing market, other sales etc.

I’d say you’re unlikely to get any money off or stamp duty contribution if the houses aren’t due to be completed until October. All the developments round here only offer incentives like that if the houses are nearing completion or finished.

However in your case if the houses have been sitting on the market you might have more luck - we’re SE and houses are flying out the door at the moment.

We reserved a new build that’s due to complete in October and we got free turf and flooring, but they point blank refused to throw in anything else. We wanted the house and there were only 5 plots left so went ahead anyway.

Good luck!

Have you checked when the developer's financial year end is? Some big developers are end of June and might accept lower offers to rush sales through to boost figures. DH did that with Taylor Wimpey several years ago and got 12% under asking (not bad for 2 bed flat selling for £120k at the time). This year two of my friends bought a furnished 4 bed show home from Kier Living for 20k less than the same unfurnished properties. It was the last of the first phase properties and they were about to sell Kier Living off. As well as the furniture, they left literally everything in there from the staging like the Molton Brown toiletries and the champagne in a bucket.

@SaveAHorseRideAHighlander

Oh also, this and a few other plots of the same type have been advertised for over 4 months now if that makes a difference.

Yes this will work in your favour

As others have said, it depends a lot on the development. We bought off plan and went in thinking that they would give away incentives to get us to sign, we got nothing but a cancellation form when we said we couldn't proceed! Went back with our tail between our legs a few days later . Our sales rep was a hard ass, and unflappable. Speaking to neighbours, a lot tried the same tactic and were unsuccessful.

When they were trying to start phase two we noticed the last couple of houses had incentives, think they needed them sold before they could start the next phase.

Just ask for everything, they can only say no!

You don't ask, you don't get!

So in the end they agreed to paying half the stamp duty, and flooring throughout the house. Which will help massively as our house savings aren't as big as we would have liked, but job relocation forces early house buying! She did say there is only so much money in the pot and that that was the maximum. Thanks everyone for the advice! Still not sure on the whole new build option but older houses in the area are 20% more money and less square footage!!!

Well done OP, not bad at all!

Great work OP, congratulations!