Old or new build house??

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We currently own a beautiful (but small) cottage with shed loads of country charm on the edge of dartmoor. Many peoples idea of heaven. But.... Its a 2 bed and we've just had a baby and plan to have another soon so ideally need to move in.... Well....we have a 5 year plan to give us chance to save. The question is (need something to aspire to, to help us save) do we stick with old, period, characterful property (which we love) or go for a more modern property. Our cottage has a damp/mould issue.... We've spent thousands on damp proofing etc but I think its just that that's how these houses are (ie lack of ventilation etc) our 2 previous places also had these issues. New (er) build places are much much bigger for the money and don't have the huge money eating problems but severely lack character.

Has anyone gone from old to new and regretted it??

I've got my eye on a 70s fugly house. Big rooms, big windows, big garden.

Currently in a house built in 2006. Eleven years in and the plumbing leaks and the kitchens disintegrating. Tiny garden, no space to extend on plot. Didn't appreciate the lack of storage till we moved in. No hall space for costs and shoes, no loft because bedroom effectively in loft, airing cupboard fits about three towels in.

It is very warm though.

Had two old (circa 1850's) houses with awful damp issues and constant maintenance, had a 1920's house which I loved and was easy to maintain. Now got one built in 2010, we were the second owners, and I am so glad we got new. It was built to a fantastic standard, triple insulated and spacious, although we didn't see any other new builds to this standard.

I think 60/70/80s houses are probably the best bet. They seem pretty generous on size and seem 'built to last'.

Period properties look gorgeous but they're often small and aren't designed obviously with things like car parking or extra parking in mind.

We've looked at a few new builds recently as we're looking to move and honestly in general found them pretty disappointing in size compared to 60/70/80's houses, and whilst they look shiny and new when you move in, they've clearly been built in a rush and on the cheap, and they all seem so 'rammed in' to each estate with no breathing room or character.

Old with character for me.

I've lived in them all. Eighties build, new build, one about a hundred years old, and this one which is about 400 years old and listed. Old with character, unique and not the same as everyone else's wins it for me every time.

I couldn't do small rooms though with low ceilings. We are lucky this one is high ceilings and big rooms. Plenty we saw had plenty of character but low ceilings and I couldn't live with that.

I am on my second new build (in fact most of the estate is still being built). After the last one I couldn't look at an older house. My house has 2 bathrooms, 3 huge bedrooms a great living room with bay window and a breakfasting kitchen. Parking for 2 (3 at a push) cars, a nice sized garden and is brilliantly insulated (been a bit too hot sometimes). Neighbour has a new born and haven't heard a peep from it.

Within moving in we had a '1 month inspection' where they wrote up a snagging list and within the week the came in to do any touch ups. All we really had was some painting to be re-touched.

50s/60s/70s/80s is OK. New builds can be flimsy. Many new houses use joists made from OSB and batten "engineered joists", the thought is horrific to me just get one wet and see what happens. Having said that I've not heard of any problems occurring yet!

Old every time. Mine's around 1450, and we have had a fair bit of work to do but that was mainly replacing the 1970s bathrooms!

I'd have more faith in this house still being here in another 500 years than the 70s estate houses in the village.

We're buying a 1930s house and leaving a 1960s house. We would consider new but not new build box estate, it's not for us. Round here we can't afford a barn conversion or tiny new build development, which are the only ones we'd want so that rules new build out.

We looked at some 90s houses but to be honest the room sizes and plot size/layout didn't work either, although I'm sure some would.

Our 1960s house is fugly and the soundproofing between us and next door isn't the best but the rooms are all decent sizes, the windows are big etc. We've done a pretty good job renovating it, if I do say so myself, and everyone who comes inside makes approving noises, particularly about the size and spacious feeling (I think partly it's the contrast with the fugly exterior!). We would have definitely considered a 1960s detached.

One question which I keep pondering is if you buy new, what happens if you sell within 5 years or so? Assuming new build estate, not one off bespoke type place. If there much of a market for those houses? I'd have thought people would just go for brand new rather than 5 year old but I honestly have no idea.

I wouldn't say thanks for a new build. Poor quality, over priced, stingy on space and storage. Old all the way.
(I realise this is a zombie and the op probably moved ages ago)