new builds near social housing

[purplewool]

Hi
I am considering a new build which is quite nice, however it is near a cluster of social rent and shared ownership houses (not next door but a few houses down). I personally do not have any issues with this, but I am concerned if this will affect the resale value of the house? Is this a significant factor? I believe all new developments are meant to have a certain number of affordable houses, I just happen to be close to these on the development. The particular house type I like is not available anywhere else on the development.

As you say all new builds must include some social housing. Usually the houses owned by HAs are dotted around the estate.

Tbh I'd be happy as social landlords are way way better regulated than independent ones who could privately let out any house on the Estate they own.

Social Housing tenants can also remain in their homes for life, providing they pay their rent and don't cause any ASB . Therefore you are likely to get to know your neighbours over their and their kids lifetimes rather than the more transient homeowner market where people may only stay 5 years or so.

If you don't have an issue then buy it... you only know which ones are social because you have the site map. The person you sell to is unlikely to ever find out which houses are social

I went to look at some new builds with social housing round the corner. I know I'll get slated for this but you could tell exactly which ones were social housing by the the state of them and the rubbish in the gardens and the old cars jacked up on the pavements outside. A social observation.

I should clarify, not all of them, but enough to notice the difference.

Be careful! I'm in a new build estate with social housing scattered throughout. Some are fine, no issues at all but a few tennants are a bloody nightmare. Police called frequently etc. Obviously, people can be a pain regardless of socio-economic status but there is definitely a correlation between that and causing issues on my estate...

To balance that out, one family who owned their £300k house were also a bit of an issue in that they let their kid run riot throughout the estate so it's not all about income.

I wouldn’t.

This is why DP and I own a grade two listed town house - older properties in expensive locations rarely have social renters and it’s just not worth the risk!

We do have students on one side (on of the negatives of these types of home) however, the uni here is prestigious, competitive and difficult so we’ve yet to have a rowdy or difficult group. The rent is V high so usually they’re studious kids from wealthy families who are stressed out and studying constantly!

As you say All new builds will have HA houses dotted round the estate. If it’s not something your happy about don’t buy it. We live in a very mixed estate (we are some of the HA tenants in shared ownership) I’ve never witnessed any antisocial behaviour or trouble. Tulips makes a good point that if you have nice neighbours they are more likely to stay if they are HA tenants. You can have nightmare neighbours anywhere. I don’t believe you are more likely to have them if just because they are in social housing.

I live in social housing on a new build estate.

The only reason I know which ones are owned by the HA is thay they have a certain type of door. The rules of allocation mean thay the majority of the houses go to working families. We have nurses and TAs and a police officer and bookkeepers etc.

There's no clapped out cars or rubbish around, no kids running riot though they do all play out (including the kids in the owned houses).

Police have never been called.

I wouldn't. You can tell as the spec is often different. Friends life is a misery after awful families moved in - kids half naked running in front of cars, rudeness, balls kicked at windows, foul mouthed parents.

I know any householder can be a nightmare but you are upping the probability moving next to social housing.

Disclaimer- this was over 10 years ago
When me and DH bought our first house together it was on a nice little estate and when we completed the solicitor mentioned there was Social Housing there. We weren’t sure exactly what that was at the time to be honest but solicitor said it was part ownership to help lower paid workers buy their own houses, no problem with that
Except they didn’t sell so the builder leased them to The Council who used them to home quite a few “problem families “. Most were fine but in general it was a bloody nightmare. I could list loads of incidents but suffice to say we regretted buying the house pretty quickly, despite it being a lovely house.
We tried to sell it 2 years later and eventually part exchanged with a big builder to where we are now for just less than we paid for it after 3 years ( despite spending extra on a nice kitchen, bathroom, garden etc )
That’s just my experience, some people might have no issues at all but I would never buy near social housing again

I would always steer clear of buying near social housing, these days you never know who you might get and it will affect the resale value.