"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.

This, OP, is the general rule in my circle. New. builds are fine and I wouldn’t criticise anyone’s choices, but my British friends and relatives seem to regard them as a bit Hyacinth Bucket.

Your family are being rude, so I think you are well within your rights to hint at this with the famous Mumsnet tinkly laugh. I hope that will shut them up.

Absolutely this. I've lived in a new build, a house from the 1920s and our current forever home is a very ugly 1980s house. My absolute favourite was our new build but the location didn't work long term for us. All the new builds near me seem absolutely lovely and I know several families in my DCs school who love their new homes on one of the newer estates. OP I wouldn't be letting their comments bother me they mean well.

I would move into a new build if it was something on a grand design scale. But absolutely not one of many on a new estate.

OP well done on saving enough for a deposit. You are amazing! Definitely go for what you can afford and what you like. Don’t let people rain on your parade. I don’t like new builds but would never comment on somebody else’s choices in real life.

I have a 100 year old semi detached bungalow. It's rock solid. Made out engineering brick for every wall. Cannot fucking drill holes it in myself I'm not strong enough even with a hammer drill level solid 🤣. It's going nowhere.

I loved my first house. A two bed terrace. It was solid and spacious and cost little to heat. I unfortunately had a spinal injury and it couldn't be adapted to my needs so I had to sell it.

Congrats OP on being in a position to buy a lovely old house :)

I wouldn't live in a new build if you gave it to me. (Sent from the living room of my 125 year old Edwardian terrace).

They can be good financially for first time buyers with offers on deposits and I know people who have used a part exchange scheme which was a good thing for them, but there is nothing for me that says new builds are inherently better either for first time buyers or anyone. My first house was also an early 1900s terrace, it was cheaper than new builds I looked at and for more house.

I have a new build, the advantage for me is the low energy bills. But it's your money and you who's living there, buy the house you like! Your families opinions are just that, you can ignore them.

You'll just get all 100% negative answers on here about new builds, MNers hate them (as you can see by the answers you've had)

Pfft. Ignore them. Be proud of yourself.

I did similar to you. Worked 2 jobs, saved up a deposit. I was one of the first amongst my friends to buy anywhere. I looked at little terraced houses and ex-council stock. When I'd found a few I asked my Dad what he'd consider "an outhouse" to mean as there were a couple of variations and one particular RightMove ad wasn't clear. His ears pricked right up and he asked why I needed to know. He was absolutely horrified when I said I'd been looking at Ex-council and terraced because I'd end up living near "those kind of people". You know, people who can only afford ex-council or terraced. 🙄 I phoned my Mum upset and she said "Well I agree with him. You'd have to be very careful living near those kind of people". Just snotty, offensive and ignorant. When put in an offer on my very cute whitewashed terraced cottage it reached fever pitch, and they even resorted to offering me a cash bribe to not buy it, because they were so ashamed.

They eventually recovered and 8 years later they admire my money sense and even complimented the work I've had done on my house.

Don't let the option of idiots bring you down. Be proud. It's your house and not theirs.

I'm not a new build 'hater' myself - it's just that they're so overpriced for what you actually get.

My first home wasn’t a new new build, I think it was about 30 years old. It was very energy efficient which is a huge advantage

New builds are much cheaper than older houses around here.

Because they are crap and undesirable by comparison.

Your mum seems to have anchored onto new builds being good for some reason, but she seems to have got it a bit backwards.

New builds are awful quality. Give me a structure that's stood for decades and proved itself to be solid.

OP there are arguments for and against new builds. Your family (and possibly you?) seem to be firmly on the for side. But I don't think their comments are meant to be undermining your hard work.

Isn't it more likely they are proud of your hard work and just really, really want the best for you? So are wishing you could get what they (and you) think of as the best?

I'm not suggesting they're going about it the right way, but try not to take it to heart. Concentrate on what you want from a house for the money you can afford. Find the best balance of all those factors that you can. Then loudly proclaim how much you love it, and how you know it's going to be brilliant. If they continue to make similar comments say something like - "I'm not made of money yet, mum! But this is just the first step."

A new build is a huge strategic mistake for a FTB.

You should be looking further doer uppers in up and coming areas you can use as a jumping off point to move up the ladder in 3-5 years.

New builds sink in value and you can rarely add value.

YANBU to be upset as they are being a bit mean to you if you can’t afford one and want one.

however it’s also weird they think a new build is better than any other house. Some companies are very shoddy now, they devalue for first few years as generally a bit overpriced. Can have lots of snagging. You have to really do your research on companies. So a blanket statement suggesting they are better is pretty ill informed. Have a look at new build snagging accounts on insta- you’ll feel better.

congrats on looking for your first home- you’re doing amazingly.

I would never ever touch a new build. They’re so appallingly constructed.

New builds are such flimsy crap. Paper thin walls, cardboard roofs, cheapest possible plumbing. Zero storage. Tiny garden. Plastic bathrooms. Did I mention they were cheap crap?

I loved my little terraced house. I’m really not a new build person, I prefer character. I think new builds are generally really over priced for what they are - basically because people like your mum buy them!

The one you saw that was modernised downstairs, but not upstairs- how hard is it to repaint/carpet and even add a cheap new bathroom suite if need be. A lick of paint would work wonders and put your mark on it.

Older houses are generally better built, with higher ceilings and better proportioned rooms.

New builds are generally built to a cookie cutter style with small rooms, low ceilings, and cheap materials.

You really dont want a new build. They are more expensive and then sell for less than traditional/period homes once you need to sell them on

Usually poor quality, only the really high priced and 'luxury' ones are better quality and they're usually bespoke estates or closes or detached etc.

Poor road and parking, garages or spaces usually too small, roads then get clogged with cars half parking on the pavements. They tend to look grotty quite quickly.

They're nearly always in the wrong place too.

Do you actually want one?

Oh dear, your DM and DA sound like the lady I got talking to once who, when I said I lived in a house which was over 300 years old, said;

‘Oh, I couldn’t live in a second hand house’.

To be fair, a niece and her husband have bought two new builds but both ‘off plan’ so they were able to have input into layout, fixtures and fittings but buying off plan has a raft of cons too.

I'd advocate buying a property you feel comfortable in whether it's new or 'second-hand'.

I bought one older house and 4 new builds.

New builds still need maintenance esp if the snagging isnt properly sorted, but they are more energy efficient, so cheaper to run.

I've also seen loads of builders offering help with deposits or mortgage payments for 5 years. Some have blue light offers too.

My suggestion is to buy a house someone else wants, get what you want.

It does seem a bit of a strange attitude. All the time you're living in a new-build you're just wearing out the new kitchen and carpets while other newer developments go up nearby, which will then be more attractive to buyers when you come to sell. I know some people love them but it wouldn't be my choice. It's not even as if they're likely to be good quality, well-designed and problem or maintenance free, as various recent developer scandals have highlighted.

New builds tend to depreciate in value quickly, it's like buying a new car. My Dad worked in construction all his life and always said new builds were poor quality and not a particularly wise investment. I've noticed the ones close to where I live tend to be built from breeze blocks and the builders dump loads of rubble in the gardens, so if you want a nice lawn and maybe some flowers, you'd have to spend time and money sorting that.

Maybe they said it because they were thinking that new builds were affordable?
You hear a lot about ‘affordable housing’ but only realise it’s not affordable when you are house hunting.
Older houses are usually better built. But I would say that because I live in an old house 😂