"It's a shame you can't get a new build"

[itscominghomeee]

I am mid-twenties and single. I have worked hard to save up a deposit to buy a house and now have enough of a deposit, and a not-huge-but-reasonable salary in my first managerial post, to make offers on houses. None of my similarly aged friends are at the stage of buying a house yet. I am looking at typical first time buyer houses: terraces or even some semi-detached, but my mum and her sister have commented a couple of times that it's a shame that I can't buy a new build.

I went yesterday to see a house with my mum and the current owner has refurbished downstairs and put a new kitchen in and installed a downstairs toilet within the last two years. Upstairs is in good condition too, but my mum said afterwards, "from downstairs you almost think it's new, but when you go upstairs you remember that it's a very old house".

My mum also told me yesterday that her sister had said to her again recently, "couldn't itscominghomeee get a new build? There are lots of new builds being built in that area".

AIBU to feel upset by these comments? Of course a new build would be lovely, but it's unrealistic for the vast majority of people in my age bracket and stage of career, especially those who are single. The comments feel like they're undermining my hard work saving up and like my mum/aunt are saying that the houses I can afford aren't good enough.

I hate new builds. Give me something that's been standing for at least 100 years! As long as the electrics/heating/windows are good, I'm there.

New builds are awful quality these days, you’re better off not buying one tbh. Ignore the comments.

Ask if they have the money to lend you so you can buy a NB?

Christ, I couldn't bear a new build. No character at all.

Omg newbuilds are typically crap!

The build quality is often poorer and they tend to have a tiny footprint and small garden

I wouldn't touch one with a bargepole

Definitely go for an older house.

You are the person buying the house: you are going to live there, so what your DM and DA think is supremely irrelevant. If you buy an older house, you will almost certainly get more house for your money, and a bigger garden, too.

Trust me, you do NOT want a new build. A very hard lesson learnt here. It's not the fact that they can be soulless, it's because they are usually built very quickly and poorly, as we are discovering. At least old houses were built to last by people who knew what they were doing!

Buy old, tried and tested. New builds are awful, full of mould, and often built of paper.

New builds are made of cardboard. Why on earth would anyone want one!!!

No, this wouldn't bother me, and no, I wouldn't live in a new build.

Older houses are solidly built. I would sack off your mum and view alone. Tell her once you've made an offer.

Do they live in new builds or older houses that have more character and years of happy memories.

Good grief. I've brought up both up my two children in an end of terrace. Absolutely nothing wrong with them, and far more character than a new build.

I think you need to look at the economic facts and not what looks shiny and bright on the outside. Are the houses you are looking at going to require significant financial investment like rewiring? Are they in a desirable location? Those sorts of things matter.

In regards to new builds, not all are created equal. Some have shoddy workmanship, some are small, depending on where it faces they can be hot houses in the summer heat (an increasing consideration!), whereas an ex council property can be spacious, cool and of sturdy construction.

Ultimately its you paying the mortgage so do what is right for you- my parents grew up in a much different economic climate and comments like that probably reflect more on the fact that it was easier for them whereas housing has gone up a lot more relative to wages.

Ps op. I had similar when buying a london flat.

My DM had the idea that my modest london salary was a fortune (it would have bought a 4 bed detached house in her much poorer part of the country). She was openly unimpressed with the two bed victorian conversion flats we could afford.

I ignored her. We then sold the 2 bed london victorian flat for nearly double 4 years later & bought a lovely detached suburban house. Also not a new build!!

My Mum is the same! Thinks new builds are the best although she has never lived in one. She has a huge kitchen, garden, long drive, garage and isn't overlooked in a 1950s house but thinks the new builds with no storage, no parking and no garden are something special!

As long as you're happy with the house who cares? I would recommend getting a paid survey done if it's an older house, but it's simply not true that new builds are inherently better. They're often jam packed onto estates (which often have inadequate parking and are unfinished) and made with cheap materials to maximise profits whilst costing more. Our first home was a new build and it was awful, getting repairs even though it was down to shoddy workmanship and it was under warranty was such a battle.

I think they are being a bit odd. Most people I know would prefer what you are looking for rather than a new build, which I tend to think of (perhaps wrongly) as having small windows, poor built in storage and tiny gardens.
I loved my last house (between the wars) and current (1950s) and liked the fact that the road is made up of different house types and isn't on a new estate.

I wouldn't buy a new build with someone else's money. Tell her you'd rather buy a better house than a new build.

I don't understand why this comment would upset you

It's not a comment to undermine someone.

You're reading too much into it

Of course a new build would be lovely
Would it? I've always used the exclude new builds filter on Rightmove when I've been searching.

The fact that that filters exists as a way to exclude new builds but there isn't a way of searching for only new builds does suggest it's much more common to not want one than think of them as something to aspire to.

There’s nothing wrong with a new build – people need housing, but it’s fairly widely accepted that they aren’t as high quality as older houses. Brand new ones will be priced as a premium for their ‘newness’ but will quickly depreciate.

I’m assuming your family don’t know much about property if they think a new build is the better quality option.

Guessing your mum and her sister haven’t had to deal with the never ending snagging list of a new build and all the other issues that start to emerge 12 months down the line ! Most think all you do is move into a beautiful new build home no decorating or anything else that needs doing.

Be proud of what you have achieved to be able to afford your first home. Take your time to find what feels right for you and don’t get disheartened by your lovely mum and her sister. You are buying your home not theirs !

Would never buy a new build on an estate. Would only buy one if it was a one off from a self builder type thing

Our solicitor has warned us off a new build of any type as he estimates that 90% of the people he's sorted conveyancing for in the last 20 years who've bought a new build have had problems of some sort, ranging from the legal to the build quality (even with the HSBC or equivalent schemes).