Which plot?

[Brightskiesahead]

Hi,

I am divorcing shortly and will be buying a new build close to where I live now. I have 2 primary age DC. My budget is tight and these are my options but which house would you choose:

Both houses are the same 3 bed design.

House 1 - west facing garden, detached, 2 parking spaces and single garage. Close to busy road and adjacent to a lot of social/affordable housing. Overlooked on front.

House 2 - east facing garden. Semi-detached. 2 parking spaces but no garage. Down a no through road and a short walk to park. Not overlooked at front or back. Smaller garden.

Thoughts?!

Detached without a doubt.

I'd say neither but I don't like new builds. I'd wait for a 2nd hand new build to come up (maybe on your current estate). You should get much better value for money, especially with lots if new new builds being built.

Update from the developer is that the detached plot is next to a disabled social housing house and the the other 5 on the row are all social housing. The other semi detached plot isn't ready for 2 years (despite them advertising it?!).

There is another detached property which is next to shared ownership but opposite a social housing block of flats!

Such a hard choice!!

The house is perfect, just not what's around it...

I would go for which ever has the better aspect of garden and further from any main roads, less overlooked. I would possibly lean more towards the shared ownership side, just because there isn't a landlord in the equation in so much as dealing with any issues, the occupants are 100% responsible for maintanence. But your neighbours could be anyone, bought or rented, so I'd be prioritizing the first bits.

I've seen your other thread, and if it's plot 16 and plot 74 your considering (based on info here and in the other thread) then I would consider the following:

16:

• only one real neighbour in the HA, no one else is close enough to bother you
• Quieter road, only access for the houses along it, not part of a loop to other houses and flats
• 2 side by side parking bays - god send if you have multiple cars
• Side of neighbours house means privacy but, garden will be in shadow for a good chunk of the year, and some dark shadow all year since neighbour is directly south.
• Visitor bay would annoy me, entitled neighbour may try to use it 24/7 and it may cause issues for accessing one of your parking spaces if people aren't respectful.

Plot 74.

• Busier road on site, main access on one side and more flats + houses on other. Plus proposed link road between developments could mean even more traffic.
• Flats, I'd need to know mix of supported housing.
• Garden still fairly private, less shade as privacy is from garage
• Parking isn't as good as plot 16 as the spaces are stacked.

I would pick 16, though I would use the social housing as leverage to get some good incentives.