What should I offer? (New build)

[Strangestthings]

We’ve just accepted an offer on our house from a first time buyer and we are looking at buying a new build. Can anyone one who has experience with new builds offer any advice on what offer I should make? The property we’re interested in is due to be released in a few weeks and they’ve told me I’m the only one on the list currently (there are two plots available). I think I’m in a good position having only one person in the chain. I was thinking of offering the asking price of £405 but requesting they pay our stamp duty and give us upgraded kitchen, flooring, wardrobes. Or is there a different tactic I should take?
Thanks.

Whenever I have bought a new build you pay the price - there isn't any negotiation on that like there is with a 'pre owned' house. What you CAN negotiate on is things like stamp duty, carpets, upgrades, turf etc.

As Blobby said, when we bought a new build we were told the price was the price. I'm guessing because they don't want to devalue the other houses when people do their research on sold prices.

They did agree to cover stamp duty and upgrade a few bits we liked - counter tops, flooring and bits in the kitchen.

One thing to watch though is when we went to get our mortgage our lender basically said because the developers were paying our stamp duty they'd lower the value of the house to reflect that (basically implying it was overpriced hence the developer covering the cost of the SD).

Ok thanks, sounds like I’m on the right lines then in terms of asking for extras instead of money off asking price

Unless the development is almost finished. We offered and paid £400k for a house on for £445k but there was only 2 left on the development.
Otherwise go for as many incentives as you can get- SDLT, legal fees, flooring, kitchen upgrades etc

As others have said best off trying for incentives, by all means try to get money off the price first but they are usually reluctant to do this (particularly if still selling and building) as it impacts others on the development.

We got about £25k in extras, half of which we got as cash back on completion, the other half was for flooring and kitchen upgrades. House was £360k.

As @BrowncoatWaffles says it can impact borrowing, mortgage companies don't like too many incentives, we had to get special dispensation for the additional cash back which we were allowed due to the SDT holiday (we basically negotiated SD but then the holiday came in and our developer agreed to give us the cash instead) thankfully the mortgage company allowed it as it was all settled before the holiday came in and I guess wasn't a sales tactic or manipulation of pricing. So just something else to be mindful of.