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Original poster

Big house on new-build estate or smaller house in town?

38 replies

MegBusset · 15/08/2010 18:47

House on new-build estate a couple of miles out of town is big and vgc, estate is 'nice' but soulless, no shops/pub/anything apart from Sainsbos, so would have to drive everywhere

Period house in town has one bed less, needs a lot of work, but full of character and in a lovely area with local shops etc and walking distance to city centre

New-build is 30k less meaning more money to enjoy life with the kids

Both are walking distance to excellent primary and secondary schools

WWY choose??

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Fayrazzled · 15/08/2010 18:48

The smaller character property in town- every time. I'd hate to live on a bland estate where I had to drive to every amenity.

Fayrazzled · 15/08/2010 18:49

I'd also imagine the period property in town will hold its value/be a better investment than property on estate in the longer run.

LynetteScavo · 15/08/2010 18:50

Have have lived in both types.

I was happier in an older house in town (although I have been known to weep in the middle of building/decorating work.

maize · 15/08/2010 18:51

I will be alone in this but I would chose the big new build. I dislike my own older more central house and can't wait to move to the burbs!

zandy · 15/08/2010 18:52

When my children were toddlers/young school age, new build house on new estate full of similar, was excellent choice.

Town house now we're older and don't need on the doorstep friends for kiddies.

Original poster
MegBusset · 15/08/2010 18:57

Hmm very interesting point there. Our DC are 3 and 1 and our main reason for moving is the schools. The estate has its own primary school/preschool (secondary is in next village) and it's packed with young families. Town house in a more mixed but still v family-friendly area.

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thisismyname · 15/08/2010 19:01

I would go with new build too.

maize · 15/08/2010 19:04

What is parking like with the town house? That would be a consideration for me as well.

NomDePlume · 15/08/2010 19:34

the smaller older one unless you absolutely NEED the extra space in the new build.

mintyfresh · 15/08/2010 19:44

I'm with Zandy - new build estate in the sticks would be (is) my choice with young kids due to safety, parking and hopefully needing less work.

As soon as the kids grow up DH and I are off back to the city for a life again!!

HerHonesty · 15/08/2010 19:45

smaller one. you wont regret it. will increase in value too more than new build if you change your mind

Original poster
MegBusset · 15/08/2010 20:24

Smaller one has off-street parking -- v rare in that area hence the extra £££!

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pcworld · 16/08/2010 07:07

We were in your position very recently and chose the smaller victorian semi in town. We LOVE it - and being able to walk everywhere was a key requirement - had we opted for a bigger new-build, I would have ended up in the car constantly.

CaveMum · 16/08/2010 07:27

I've known so many people that have had problems with newly built houses that I'd never buy one myself.

MiL bought a new build in 2004: great big cracks in the wall around the stair well, constant problems with the central heating and boiler, blockages in water waste pipes causing flooding in the kitchen.

New build "executive estate" (prices STARTING from £550,000) in our town built last year: several families have had to move out because of subsidence.

Work colleague moved into new (1yr old) house 2 weeks ago - last week the lights blew and she's been told she needs a new circuit board.

Personally I find that newly built homes lack the space of olderhouses. The rooms are often smaller and the gardens non-existent.
Plus you pay a premium fir a new house.

A new estate is being built in our town, you can buy a five bed house from £380,000.
In a nearby village, lovely place with good schools and facilities, there is a five bed house (built 150yrs ago and extended in the 1980s) with a HALF ACRE garden on the Market for £275,000. I know which I would rather buy!

Older houses every time for me!

mousymouse · 16/08/2010 07:51

new build if of good quality. you then have a much more economic structure - better insulation proper double glazing windows. so i theory the bigger new build should be cheaper to run and heat. but we all know that big devolopers often cut costs...
is the public transport ok? I hate to be somewhere where I am totally reliant on a car.

noddyholder · 16/08/2010 08:58

The old house no question.

cybilliberty · 16/08/2010 09:09

Hey nodders! I was just thinkning about you yesterday

Original poster
MegBusset · 16/08/2010 10:40

The new-build is substantially cheaper, as well as bigger than the older house. Re: public transport, there are buses into town and proposals for a rail halt.

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expatinscotland · 16/08/2010 10:43

New build. Cheaper to run, IME, better set up for families - kitchen usually bigger, mod cons in place, plenty of sockets to run things, garden.

Good parking.

Probably more kids around.

We rented a period house for 2 years and I'm so glad we didn't own it - it cost a bomb to maintain.

noddyholder · 16/08/2010 11:47

helloooo cyb!

upahill · 16/08/2010 11:50

Defintly without question the older house.

Original poster
MegBusset · 16/08/2010 11:52

My main concern about the new-build is whether we could end up with a house that was impossible to sell. There's another development planned right next to this one which I fear could devalue it over time, although it would bring additional benefits such as the rail halt.

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Original poster
MegBusset · 16/08/2010 11:58

Also, we have just found out the old house has old thatched insulation in the roof which is starting to look like a costly nightmare in terms of making fire safe, insurance etc...

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BrittanyBeers · 16/08/2010 12:01

Would there be lots of noise in the evening in the town house?
People coming home from pub etc?

Gosh that's a tricky one.
Is there space to extend the older property?
What size are the gardens?
Might you have more DCs?

30k is a lot of money.

With small children, I'd probably choose the big one tbh, although it'd go against my very fibre.
Safer when the children are older.
Probably has a kitchen/diner, downstairs cloakroom and phone points in every room etc.

Original poster
MegBusset · 16/08/2010 12:03

I have already warned DH that in the new-build there'd be an empty room waiting to be filled Wink

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