Want to sell my house to buy a new build

[Hometimeyet]

We moved into our current home during pandemic and had 2 DC since. Our house is 70s detached house, originally 3 bed but previous owners built extension with additional downstairs bedroom, toilet, additional living room and a utility. Insulation isn't the best and extension feels colder. There 's no radiator in utility.
We did lots of work on the house, replaced the old kitchen, got new kitchen of our taste, new driveway, patio, changed windows, radiators, decorated the whole house and put smart heating system etc. we have been here 4 years now and there are good primary schools around us as well as good shops, surgery and walking distance to my workplace along with DC nursery. It saves me time and money as no commute, but, still for some reason I keep dreaming about selling this house and moving to a new build house in a town which is 20 mins away on train.
It would mean lots of additional cost on stamp duty, moving cost, hassle of packing but it would be a new build house, hopefully warm and more insulation. Also, that town has grammar schools.
However my DC are very young still in nursery and I don't drive yet so travelling to work would be a juggle along with finding new nursery etc.
I just don't know what's the right thing to do!

Be EXTREMELY cautious about buying any new build house. Too many of them are very shoddily built.

One of the reasons is that I don't like the layout. I would prefer all bedrooms upstairs but I use the downstairs room as guest room/office and DC bedroom are upstairs as well as ours.

Being that close to work etc is invaluable, maybe you could reconsider when DC are a bit older and the secondary schools become an issue.

Would second the warning that new builds can be very poor quality. It's also quite hard to find one with any decent amount of outdoor space, or at least it is where I live.

Everyone loves to hate new builds but mine couldn’t be more perfect. I haven’t had a single problem.

It sounds like moving isn’t actually making life easier . It makes life harder ..

Do your due diligence!

It's certainly not a given that a new build will be better layout and warmer than your current house. Bear in mind also that even if it's warmer in winter there were so many complaints a couple of years ago about how swelteringly hot they are in summer.

It depends on who the developer is as well. Facebook have pages for buyers who are having problems with poor build quality and developers being very bad at fixing snagging issues etc. Che k to see which developers to avoid, there is a very big name that has the worst reputation for customer satisfaction.

You also need to check the terms of service charges, if there are any, and never use the developers own solicitor!

On the upside many developers are doing deals like paying your stamp duty because they don't want to reduce the selling price, but bear in mind this is probably only happening on developments where no wants to live sales are very slow.

I think I would regret moving away from a location that suits you so well and is so convenient.

I love my new build, having owned older houses I am so happy with it, it is really well insulated. They have a bad rep but it totally depends on the developer and the particular estate. Our estate is really nice and the houses aren't all on top of each other. We've had very few issues and those we have had have been sorted promptly. It's been so nice not to have work to do to the house

What is your ACTUAL reason for moving? What does “for some reason I keep dreaming about selling this house and moving to a new build house” mean? Why a new build? That’s a very specific want for someone that does not seem to have a clear reason to move.

Me two!!

Personally I would move before any of the children start school. Selling and buying houses is a slow process, I would try and learn to drive while it’s all going through.

@pinkpanther84 this is practically word for word what I was going to write.

Our house before this was very old and we had problem after problem. I also love the garden in my new build, we are not gardening people so a simple patio and just grass to mow is basically heaven for us!

If you dont like your house that's one thing, but it sounds an ideal location.

I'm not sure why you'd bin all the plusses to move one room upstairs.

Don't know where you are but not all grammars have catchments - the kids can do the 11+ and take the 20 minute train. Or things will be different in 10.years & you move.

Do what's easy while they're little. My feeling is don't add public transport into the mix when you're trying to navigate primary school.

I live in a new build and love it. The only problem was a defect in the kitchen flooring downstairs. I spoke to the developer and they replaced our entire downstairs flooring in the colour of our choice.

@dontforgetme exactly the same as us with our garden. We just don't have time for garden maintenance so all we wanted was a patio and some grass, with the odd pot for decoration!

My reason is cold house and layout.

We have so many new builds going up where I live but the variation in quality is enormous even within a village (one end is affordable, other end naice). I would personally avoid any of the big companies as they really are crap. Ones that look like they take care to build in keeping with the area, lovely stonewalling or similar, bit of landscaping etc would be what I would go for. I can see the attraction of new (clean materials, insulation, modern layout) compared with old (pokey, cold, poor breathability) but for me I like the garden/land/privacy aspects you get with older properties I wouldn't want to sacrifice.

Me three!

I love my new build (CALA). It is glorious.

Spacious, well laid out, high ceilings, loads of storage, warm and not draughty, lower energy bills, nice size garden, not too squashed up to the (lovely) neighbours.

MN hates a new build though, so expect a load of hate 😅

However OP, I’d consider location and schools first.

@pinkpanther84 definitely! Our old house backed onto a nature reserve so the garden was hard graft and like you say we just didn't have the time. Nor the patience! We have been in our house for 10 months and last summer was just glorious enjoying our new low maintenance garden

I have seen a 5 bed house which is new build by Persimmon. I don't know how they are as builder but it's 50k more than my current house but great layout and enough space for everyone.

Our current garden is easy maintenance and decent size for kids to run around. That's not a concern.

My only concern is the increased distance from work and added commute and train costs.

I’d focus on making your current house work for you.

There's a Persimmon estate behind my back fence. The brickwork on many of the houses is absolutely appalling.

Don't get me wrong - we lived in a new build 25 years ago. But you need to do much more due diligence these days.

The grass isn't always greener, the new house isn't necessarily better, commutes can really suck and unless there are health/access issues involved, learn to drive.

Right? They’re not all built the same. When I lived in my relatively new built in London I never had to put the heating on as the insulation was amazing (and I’m always cold so that says something). Never had any issues.