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Original poster

Need to make a decision ASAP new build plot! Help

115 replies

MakeADecision · 13/03/2023 16:36

We have been wanting to move house for years.

A new build has come up locally, the house price, size and frontage is perfect. In fact everything is apart from the fact that there will be numerous shared ownership properties directly behind the house.

I know new builds have smaller gardens and most now have a certain number of homes as affordable housing, that’s fair enough. What I am worried about is seeing into peoples bedrooms from the back of the house although the main bedroom will be at the front opposite a nice green area.

Garden will be 36 feet deep and the garden of the smaller properties will be 26 feet, therefore from back window to back window it’ll be around 62 feet. Is that a decent distance?

Ive also heard of house builders selling shared ownership properties to the council, I’m worried about nuisance neighbours but then I could have one next door?! Am I overthinking this?

It’s plot 12.

Need to make a decision ASAP new build plot! Help
OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
FiveShelties · 14/03/2023 07:46

I would be more worried about the shared drive to be honest - I would never ever again buy a house with a shared drive.

Original poster
MakeADecision · 14/03/2023 07:47

Sorry, where is this shared drive?

OP posts:
Baxdream · 14/03/2023 07:49

Is there not an older estate which isn't so overlooked? There were new builds near our house that cost more than our house. Our house is 1980s, my neighbours bathroom window overlooks us but that is it. We are a small close of detached houses. In fact our estate is maybe 200 houses and all are detached and privately owned.
I wouldn't buy a house so overlooked, not because of shared ownership but just because of the amount.
Also don't forget about when your children are older. Where will they park their cars?

okayah · 14/03/2023 07:50

MakeADecision · 14/03/2023 07:47

Sorry, where is this shared drive?

The shared drive UP to each house I think they mean (the cobbles but on picture)
Kids will turn into a scooter park (if anything like my kids lol)

QuillBill · 14/03/2023 07:53

I agree about the shared drive.

Not having sufficient parking is where things go wrong. If someone has a work van and two cars or an 18 year old with a car or grandparents coming over every Sunday then things get difficult.

Need to make a decision ASAP new build plot! Help
Treacletoots · 14/03/2023 07:53

Nearly all the people in the shared ownership houses on our new estate are lovely. But it only takes 1. We had a drug dealer move in and it took months before he was removed.

Fortunately we didn't buy the houses directly backing on to the shared housing, at a significant premium. Like someone pointed out upthread, that's a whole lot of people you've got to deal with, whereas likely other plots (more expensive no doubt) away from the SH area will only have one or 2 close neighbours to deal with.

It's your call, but I wouldn't. Plot is everything.

Original poster
MakeADecision · 14/03/2023 07:54

Baxdream - really difficult to move into this area, they will also part exchange our property which is a biggie as I’m worried ours won’t sell, which actually has got a shared driveway leading to the back! We live in a lovely 1905 house with nothing on the back. Sounds amazing but at the front is a very very busy road where both our cars in recent years have been swiped, one was written off and one took 6 months for repair. The idea of a double garage and off street parking is so enticing!

OP posts:
Original poster
MakeADecision · 14/03/2023 07:59

It’s not a shared drive, but a road. See pic from the developers website, Phase 2 would be some of the shared ownership properties.

I have noticed in newer estates cars strewn around the roadsides though, however the ones on our row all have allocated spaces.

Thats a good point re what if our kids get cars - they are only 7 and 4 now, but I guess if I can’t really afford to buy a house with 4 allocated parking spaces, there’s actually space opposite the house that I guess I could pave.

OP posts:
savoycabbage · 14/03/2023 08:00

I would also never buy a house with a shared drive. People can go absolutely nuts about cars. My main priority is parking now after living in two new build streets with parking problems when I was younger.

One turned into an absolute unspeakable nightmare and the other wasn't much fun either.

I think it's really important to be able to park your own vehicles on your own land and that there be ordinary parking on the street so that the neighbour who is militant about parking doesn't fly out of their house when the postman is delivering a parcel to your house.

In that house, where are your friends going to park when they visit? And where is the supermarket delivery van going to stop and unload?

Probably on that shared drive and that's what leads to people falling out with each other.

Original poster
MakeADecision · 14/03/2023 08:00

Plot 12

Need to make a decision ASAP new build plot! Help
OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 14/03/2023 08:03

We bought a lovely new build house and our Solicitor warned us that there was some shared ownership houses on the estate too.
We had no problem with this at all
After 2 years of hell we managed to part ex our house to a large developer and move. We lost money on it but we’re glad to get out.
People who accuse you of snobbery etc should give it a try

BaroldFromEastenders · 14/03/2023 08:26

Muddays · 14/03/2023 04:14

You really must not rush into this. Especially if you have kids. You're not overthinking at all, it's a big decision that will either change your life for better or worse. There are several red flags here. You need some trustworthy advice and this forum isn't it. I'd recommend contacting Citizens Advice Bureau for help with who to contact re housing advice.

I beg your pardon? You want CAB to help the op decide if she should buy this house?

Baxdream · 14/03/2023 08:27

What other plots are available?

Original poster
MakeADecision · 14/03/2023 08:28

None at the moment, most have sold. This one had too but has come back on the market as somebody has pulled out.

OP posts:
PandasAreUseless · 14/03/2023 08:28

Something to consider that I don't think I've seen in the comments above -

As the shared ownership properties need a lower salary to buy them, they might be more likely to go to young couples, who could have a tenancy towards being more noisy.

Think karaoke parties until 3am, or screaming babies!

BaroldFromEastenders · 14/03/2023 08:35

I lived in an estate with houses all on top of each other like that. The shared ownership house owners were lovely. The nasty woman backing onto my garden who owned her house outright used to scream at her kids and dog in the mornings and after school, like clockwork. Her kids used to climb up their trampoline to wind up my dog. The alleyways will be big enough to get a bin down and that will be it. I would think if you aren’t worried about using your garden then you’ll be ok. Just put some of those slat blinds up and accept there will be parties and music going on in the summer

CanYouSayDicksickle · 14/03/2023 08:41

I bought a new build with council housing next door and I'd never do it again. Flame me all you want but that's the truth. Go onto any new development and you can tell straightaway which ones are the private properties and which aren't. We had children constantly loitering on our front garden and next to our house and smoking pot in the car park behind our house.

I also work in the building trade and have witnessed the behaviour of both type of tenants, and my colleagues received physical and verbal abuse from one type of tenant!

CanYouSayDicksickle · 14/03/2023 08:42

Rollercoaster1920 · 13/03/2023 18:05

Some things to think about (assuming the map is north aligned):

  • The alleyway to shared gardens. Might get overgrown, vermin, or have antisocial behaviour in. Is there a locked gate?
  • Although 2 story now, those houses will probably start getting loft extensions in the coming years. That will affect the privacy of your garden, especially if they are fitted with glass walls and Juliet balconies.
  • for privacy you will want screening trees at the back of the garden. They will block the sun to the rear neighbours' gardens so won't be popular. Could the builders put them in from new? Be prepared for neighbours to complain when they have grown enough to get privacy.
  • The plot has a north east garden so you'll not get evening sun near the house for a BBQ - just at the back right corner.
  • How would you feel about lots of kids playing on the green opposite? It seems the only open space. Skateboarding outside your house?

I'm being pessimistic - but worth considering!

This!!

These are the exact problems I encountered with the alleys and greens on my new build estate.

CanYouSayDicksickle · 14/03/2023 08:45

MakeADecision · 13/03/2023 22:49

Just having a quick browse of local newish Rightmove properties - all of these are in the region of £480K - £530K and all with multiple houses overlooking gardens. 😐

Yes that's what you get with new builds. Everybody all facing into each other's house

QuillBill · 14/03/2023 09:15

I still think it's a shared driveway based on looks alone but you would obviously need to find out for sure.

Muddays · 14/03/2023 09:17

@Paq & BaroldFromEastenders
I'm sorry to have caused such abnormal stress to you both for suggesting that the OP could be directed to a helpful housing advisor, etc, that the CAB is qualified to recommend if there are new housing concerns. May I also politely suggest that you both get out a bit more.

Piffpaffpoff · 14/03/2023 09:20

Too many things going on here that would cause me concern.

  • You're backing on to three or four gardens
  • The alley giving access to those gardens gives general access to the back of your garden to anyone
  • The green at the front (we have one and it drives me nuts)
  • The 'shared' driveway

The latter would be my biggest issue - too many round here have issues with the people nearest the road having more cars than spaces and causing access issues for those further in.

I could probably live with one of these issues but there are just too many on this plot for my liking. Sorry.

Paq · 14/03/2023 09:24

Muddays · 14/03/2023 09:17

@Paq & BaroldFromEastenders
I'm sorry to have caused such abnormal stress to you both for suggesting that the OP could be directed to a helpful housing advisor, etc, that the CAB is qualified to recommend if there are new housing concerns. May I also politely suggest that you both get out a bit more.

Currently enjoying a European mini break but thanks for your concern 🙂

MetalFences · 14/03/2023 09:33

May I also politely suggest that you both get out a bit more.

No, I don't think you can as it actually doesn't come across polite at all. And of course personal attacks are not allowed, even terrible ones.

I'd be astonished if that wasn't a shared drive as that seems to be the norm on new build estates now. Less Road for the council to have to adopt and maintain and it can be narrower than a road.

SOWK · 14/03/2023 09:33

We live in a new development with a similar mix of shared ownership, housing association and privately owned homes.
I wouldn’t say that the social housing residents are any more or less troublesome than the private owners. One house is definitely overcrowded with way too many cars but I think that happens anywhere regardless of ownership status.
one issue we did have is that a management company will be set up for the upkeep of the development. The way that our management company is set up is that each property has a vote; but the voting for the shared ownership and housing association properties is owned by the social housing company not the residents in the houses. So there has been a lot of resentment from the residents of these houses that they are not being represented fairly.

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