Opinions on moving

[TulipsfromAmsterdam]

We currently live in a Victorian semi which we do like but it is starting to need lots of maintenance such as a new roof, windows and repointing. All expensive things and as we live on a main road without a garden we are starting to consider a move.
We would probably go for a new build with everything already done to save the mess and hassle of getting work carried out though it's such a big change. We would have a garden and live away from the main road which has its benefits.
Has anyone made such a move and not regretted it?

I haven’t but I’ve lived in two old properties and do sometimes yearn a new build as they look so pristine and low maintenance so know how you feel. I know new builds get slated but an old property can be tough and never ending to do list…. An expensive to do list! We’re in London so new build house not an option really x

We moved from a Victorian terrace (without garden) to a 1950s semi with a garden. So although it’s not a new build it feels decidedly modern!!!
it is so nice not having all the upkeep of an old house - we are surrounded by Edwardian terraces and much as they look lovely, the time and money required for upkeep makes me love my “modern” house!

I sold my 100+ year old property for a sort of new house (20 years old). There is still stuff to do but it’s a lot less stuff and the walls are straight, the floor is straight, everything is a standard size - so all those jobs are easier and sometimes cheaper. New builds often have a lot of snagging so it wouldn’t be without jobs.

If you want to move for a garden too, I would look at non new builds as they might not have the biggest gardens or they might be a strange shape. Depending on the builder, with new builds you often have to pay for your flooring to be done and your garden will just be freshly sown grass seed. So if it’s bad weather it might not establish well and you’d need to redo the seed. You’ll also need to do the landscaping of the garden if you want to sit out in it.

I love old house and there are some really beautiful ones near us that I was listing after today but the maintenance of them is a lot. If I won the lottery, I’d definitely move back to an old house. Otherwise I’m probably going to stay in something with modern measurements.

Having renovated an older house with small children, after Bodgit and Scarper trashed it, we have chosen new(er) ones since then.

We don’t have the energy now to do anything other than maintenance.

This is how I feel we’ve had a full renovation downstairs in our old property…. And it still feels like an old property 😂

Have owned 1930's, 50's & 70's houses and now a NB, I have to say that the NB is the best.
Yes there are compromises and it can often be like comparing apples with pears but generally the NB wins.
In our mid-50's with (early) retirement looming, we made the conscious decision to go for the NB to make life easier.

The garden in the NB is similar in size to the 30's & 70's houses (there is no comparison to the 50's house as that garden was 300ft long!).
Insulation is better in the NB and it has the highest ceilings of them all. Layout is better (despite doing building work at all three of our previous houses) and the fact that everything is new will (hopefully🤞) mean less maintenance.
The layout of the development means that unlike any of our previous houses, we now overlook a wide landscaped area of grass (with lots of new trees).
With driveway parking for 3-cars and a garage, parking is the same as our 50's house while more than our 30's house but less than the 70's.

Of course you need to research your builder but unless you really love an older, character property then it may well be worth considering a NB.

My issue with new builds is they seem to be crammed so close together. There’s lots of houses in between Victorian and new builds. Most of the houses I’ve lived in have been 10-30 years’ old, some estate, some non-estate, some lovely, some not so lovely.

My advice is to Rightmove search on location, price and number of bedrooms and then look at everything you like the look of with an open mind, regardless of age.