"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.

The only people I know that have bought a new build did so out of convenience not because it is what they wanted.
They are easy to reserve. 2k and the plot is yours, no bidding for offers over, and you are not in a chain.

Banks often approved mortgages quicker if it was a new build, as the house was not subject to the usual surveys etc like on a pre existing property. Generally people buy new builds out of desperation not because it is something to aspire to. Not sure why your family seem to think the other way around?

(Can't say the same about anything from Persimmon or Bellway). Anything built in the last 15 years is new build.

I prefer older builds. I'm moving into an Edwardian soon. I just think nobody is going to be looking at new builds in a hundred years time and admiring their period features and classic architecture.

Some are a bit weird, true. No you either!

The comments on this thread don't bode well for Angela Rayner's house building scheme - I guess it's fairly safe to assume they'll all be considered a pile of shite like the ones being slated endlessly on here.

Redrow have built these styles in my town, sold like hot cakes.

Now let's see the inside? Each one a carbon copy of the next. Like I said, nobody is going to be drinking in the period features in a hundred years time.

PLEASE! can people take from
this that MORE needs to be demanded re new build developers…. New builds are not entirely odious, that they are built new with a 40 year shelf life is. Ask for proper (long term) guarantees from the builders/developers then maybe you’d get a decent house. Sadly most most won’t…

Why on earth would you want a new build?! Cardboard walls, loads of issues, social housing on your doorstep, no garden, packed in so overlooked.

Such an ignorant and snobby comment about social housing.

Although still standing, the much desired by FTB period properties were once occupied by working classes, rented not owned by large families occupying such a small space. The same terrace houses are very packed in and overlooked, with tiny back yards, you can hear a neighbour stirring a cuppa, loads of issues such as damp, a roof that needs repair and windows that cost thousands to replace.

Sell like hotcakes around me too, even the permisson ones.

I would say though that as 10% of new builds have to be affordable housing aka social housing you do need to be careful where your house is, it’s quite sad but you can easily spot the social housing (for litter and fly tipping) where we are, feel sorry for those who bought a 350k 3 bed opposite. Doesn’t seem to impact the re sale value of the houses though

Me too my house was built in 1820 high ceilings bigger than it looks.

They are online if you want to view them, and not all old houses have wonderful features you can “drink in” many are you know, just old! with no fabulous features, many ‘old’ houses can be very bland indeed, old does not automatically mean character.

I disagree. Sorry 😔

A lot of new builds are cramped and over-priced. I wouldn't go for one.

No need to apologise you like what you like, but not all old houses look like they should be on a postcard either.

Who on earth wants a new build? Good lord. Is David Wilson your uncle or something?

This. Damp and stinky old carpets don’t mean character. It actually costs thousands to fully renovate a period property- particularly any that were previously renovated in the 1980s, 90s. You need alot of spare cash or access to funds to change the windows, repair or fully replace a roof, before you can start any decorating, plastering of old ‘character’ walls. If all the big jobs have been done, you often find the original character has been stripped in favour of an easy to maintain, modern interior, particularly with the kitchen and open plan dining, if there’s room for that..or an expensive new modern extension has been added on to a period property.

we haver never had a new build and have owned houses for 35 years.

Horrible houses

Houses aren’t cars.

I agree. There are lots of spectacular period properties but the endless roads of identical old terraces and semi-detached houses seen in so many UK towns and cities are awful.

New builds often shoddy. New owners discover all the mistakes, better buy one that have the problems already sorted. F her and her new build mentality.

Absolutely and often on very narrow roads that are really difficult to drive down because they are full of cars on both sides as they don’t have any off street parking, very depressing.

And it’s these very rows of period terrace houses, two up, two down style, that are an affordable option to FTBs. They come with lots of character but also problems that need £ applied to keep the house in good shape.

Your name is very apt. There are a lot of Hyacinth Buckets on this thread looking down their noses at new builds/people's homes.

You would think that everyone on Mumsnet lives in a 17th century country manor house 🙄

I live in a new build but its not a huge estate. I'm not overlooked at the back which I know a lot of people in new build estates are. There doesn't seem to have much privacy in some.

My old home was a Victorian terrace, riddled in damp and various other issues. Sky high bills. My bills here are so much cheaper. Also have a decent sized garden, not all new builds have small gardens. older houses may need renovating or rewiring but not always. There is pros and cons to both