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Original poster

House dilemma

26 replies

lambo88 · 05/12/2020 19:32

So we finally sold our house and looking for our family home. We've been to see second hand houses and new builds. We would love to live in a village with good schools, a shop and a pub etc...we've been to look at some new builds but some arnt quite what we want...our dilemma is a better house in an ok area or a second hand house in a really good area?? Also help to buy for second time buyers ends soon and there's some houses available with everything we want not far from where we live now but there's just not much going on where they are?? Just have no idea what would be best Sad

OP posts:
PowerslidePanda · 05/12/2020 19:43

You seem to be suggesting that a new build is intrinsically better than a "second hand" house...? Confused If anything, I'd say it's the other way around. You pay a premium for a new build and will have to deal with all of the snags from building it - whereas a house that's been owned before, someone else has been through that instead. Plot size for new builds tends to be smaller too.

BluebellsGreenbells · 05/12/2020 19:45

I agree. New homes tend to be poorer quality, smaller dimensions and smaller plots.

You won’t get a new build in a small village unless they have built loads and not looked at the infrastructure

LadyCottingham · 05/12/2020 19:46

I've never heard of a house being called 'second hand'.

Anyway to answer your question, yes I do think it's better to buy a house in a better area.

Africa2go · 05/12/2020 19:50

I think the OP means new build is "new" and anything not new build is "second hand".

Location, location, location. Really good area every time.

PickAChew · 05/12/2020 19:50

You clearly don't much like houses that aren't new builds. The thing is, they don't stay new forever. They still need maintenance and, as you've noticed, their location isn't already great.

You can do a lot to improve even a very run down house but you can't improve the area a house is in.

PickAChew · 05/12/2020 19:51

Always, not already.

anniegun · 05/12/2020 19:53

Almost all new builds in the UK are very poor quality. Buy something that has proven quality over time. If you save a bit of money use that to bring the decor and fittings up to date if necessary

Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 19:53

@PowerslidePanda no I ment a new build we have seen is the show home that's available and all ready to go...our problem is we won't be able to afford a house that's got everything we want if it's in a better area so that's why we're wondering if we should go for a new build as help to buy will help us out

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 19:54

@LadyCottingham when i said second hand I ment already owned not brand new

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 19:56

@Africa2go yes that's what I ment...I'm more keen on a better location than home but my husband would rather have the new build that's in an ok place

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 19:59

@PickAChew I'm open to a project aswel but maybe tricky with having a little boy...we're really open minded on a new build or second hand house but help to buy would help us get the dream ready made home but something is telling me it's just not in the right location

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78percentLindt · 05/12/2020 20:00

Older house in preferance to a new build any day.
Also- a village with good schools? A village may have a primary school but unlikely to have a secondary. Our village school was closed about 6-7 years ago, it had 11 pupils at the time, and most of those lived in another village without a school. We also lost the village shop about 2 years ago, but we get a post office for 2 hours twice a week. The shop and part time post office in the next village closed at the beginning of the year, and I think the next nearest post office will close shortly. We do have a pub, and the smashing couple who run it work very hard to keep it going.
Rural life is lovely but may lack what you are wanting. Remember that as a parent you spend a lot of time ferrying kids around.

HeddaGarbled · 05/12/2020 20:17

Don’t let the ‘show home’ cosmetics lure you into buying a property that isn’t in the right location for you. The show home is the advertising for the rest of the estate and you need to look at it with your cynical head on.

BluebellsGreenbells · 05/12/2020 20:19

Stop calling them second hand homes. They are just homes.

pinkearedcow · 05/12/2020 20:20

The worst house in the best area is better than the best house in the worst area.

Mycircusmymonkey · 05/12/2020 20:33

There’s a reason they say Location Location Location!

UsernameN0Tavailable · 05/12/2020 20:35

'Second hand' homes isn't a thing, its jot like buying clothes from a charity shop! No one calls them second hand!

Older homes are preferable to new builds for a lot of reasons, they are generally better built, you don't have to live on a building site waiting for them to finish building houses before they build any amenities and they don't lose value immediately so you will have to wait years before they are worth what you've paid, especially important if you have a high ltv rate.

Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 20:36

@BluebellsGreenbells I'm just trying to explain the different homes we're looking at

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 20:37

@pinkearedcow thank u

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 20:38

@Mycircusmymonkey thank u

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 20:39

@UsernameN0Tavailable I'm just trying to explain the difference in homes we're looking at...I should of used the term 'older' but couldn't think of the best terminology to use

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Original poster
lambo88 · 05/12/2020 20:41

I don't no why everyone is being funny by me saying 'second hand home'...when writing this earlier I couldn't think how to explain...sorry if I've offended anyone I ment 'older'

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Lazypuppy · 05/12/2020 20:44

Its just houses...you don't need to say older/2nd hand. New build is the differentiating term.

I would never buy a new build, you pay a premium, like with a new car. Its all about location

propertyhell · 05/12/2020 22:12

All about location!! Agree with pp that 'second hand' homes are usually better.

wonkylegs · 05/12/2020 22:28

New build, build quality can be very variable, don't be swayed by a shiny show house. Check out the reputation of the builder, check out other developments they have completed and if there are any outstanding issues. Look at the buildings with a critical eye, look for wonky brickwork, look for internal snags, bits missing in completed houses.
Mass house builders can often cut corners and just because it technically passed building regs doesn't mean your house is built well. They don't have to meet the same inspections as an individual building a house and sometimes get away with some surprising stuff and also it's important that building regs are just a minimum standard for certain aspects of a build and doesn't say much about the overall quality of construction.
I have been watching a 'high quality premium' estate go up in my road and I've been shocked about the quality of the build, principally stuff that will be hidden away like insulation, drainage and foundations, that I would reject if I was inspecting one of my sites (working from home has enabled a view of the site I probably wouldn't get normally)
I cannot believe how crap they are for the eye watering price. The show house however opened this week and is very shiny.

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