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Original poster

Playing Chicken with New build Developer

14 replies

NewBuildNewbie · 16/08/2025 12:34

Hi, NC as wanting to stay anon.

We've recently sold our house and we're looking to buy a Redrow New Build.

In short, we met with them last week and the plot we want is due to be finished in December, however they have 2 houses of that style already built that aren't shifting (for various reasons) so they advised that if we were to stick with the plot we want which is currently unreleased, the most they could do is 5k off. We're not interested in the other plots. We left the meeting to have a think and advised them a few days later that we were still interested but asked if there was anything further they could do with the incentives. They asked what we would like and we asked for 50% off Land Transaction Tax (we're in Wales - LTT here is higher than England's stamp duty) and some house upgrades. All within 5% of the house value. They came back and asked how much the exact figure we had was and we told them and they they came back and said they could still only offer 5k. We've walked away for now.

Is it likely that there will be more incentives available once the house is released? The sales woman advised us that they'd want us to complete before December as that's their mid-year sales target but I'm a bit confused as to how this house is meant to be finished in December but isn't released yet? It's quite a good plot and garden size so we don't know whether to wait until it's released and see or whether to just go for it, but it is a bit of a stretch without some LTT help. It seems they're struggling to sell plots so we don't know whether they're likely to eventually come back to us.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or been able to secure incentives from an unreleased house off plan?

OP posts:
DrySherry · 16/08/2025 13:55

It's very likley that yes there will be further incentives available within the development quite soon. Several main streem media stories today about the housing market being akin to slow motion car crash at the moment. Developers are struggling to sell at the prices they want as are Joe public. The problem you have is that particular plot has appealed to you for particular reasons - and it will likley appeal to others for similar reasons. You really are playing Chicken.
I think it's likley you will have to overpay on your ideal price if you really want it and accept that it isn't worth what your paying. It rarely is worth what you pay with a new build anyway. If your planning on living there for a decade or more will that really matter if you can afford it ?

KievLoverTwo · 16/08/2025 14:08

From having listened to a few podcasts about how these developers operate, they'd rather give you a brand new car or kitchen than actual money off the house. So, when they present the % achieved to shareholders, they've achieved close to budget on house price. Don't ask me why it doesn't matter if they've given tens of thousands away elsewhere. Maybe that's hidden in some kind of obscured operating line that shareholders don't get to see? If I were you, I'd ask for freebies rather than money off: upgraded kitchen, flooring, landscaping, superior white goods, etc, up to the value of what you actually want off the asking price.

Original poster
NewBuildNewbie · 16/08/2025 14:21

Thanks both! We don't mind paying the asking price of the house, but the LTT is about 24k and then with (their ridiculously priced) fittings it would add another 19k which is just a bit of a stretch 😫 we'd be happy to get third party people to come and fit the house a little bit cheaper but it just means it would be a lot of additional hassle arranging workmen etc with 2 kids under 5.
It would definitely be our forever home so we might just have to suck it up but alternatively, I feel like surely not everyone there who bought off plan got no incentives?! I thought maybe they would try and meet us in the middle!

OP posts:
KievLoverTwo · 16/08/2025 14:54

NewBuildNewbie · 16/08/2025 14:21

Thanks both! We don't mind paying the asking price of the house, but the LTT is about 24k and then with (their ridiculously priced) fittings it would add another 19k which is just a bit of a stretch 😫 we'd be happy to get third party people to come and fit the house a little bit cheaper but it just means it would be a lot of additional hassle arranging workmen etc with 2 kids under 5.
It would definitely be our forever home so we might just have to suck it up but alternatively, I feel like surely not everyone there who bought off plan got no incentives?! I thought maybe they would try and meet us in the middle!

No, I doubt anyone who's bought off plan in the last two years hasn't had an incentive of some sort or the other. Try to find a FB group of people who have bought their homes and search through recents posts. Or, maybe there's a WhatsApp group.

Nourishinghandcream · 16/08/2025 15:15

Quite common for RR to hold completed plots back so they can show them as sold in a different financial quarters (other developers probably work in exactly the same way?).
The problem with this is that it gives you little scope for adding extras whereas when buying off-plan, everything is available.

There appears to be no logic when it comes to incentives.
We were surprisingly given several but only told about them AFTER we had reserved so they had no bearing on our decision.

Prior to reserving we were led to believe that the plot we were looking to reserve was a completely different one to that we actually bought. As it turns out our plot is far superior so we are pleased at how it panned out.
Strange thing is that others were misled in exactly the same way and the (less desirable) phantom plot was only released 3yrs later!

Bluevelvetsofa · 16/08/2025 17:52

December will be Q4, so, as has been said, they want to reach their quota. Sometimes houses are completed but not released. The market in many places is at a standstill. Keep communication open, but push them for incentives. Their add ons are ridiculously priced.

Advocodo · 16/08/2025 18:44

I think developers want give you a discount off the selling price cos it would affect the sale of other homes. People buy new houses like to know that they haven’t paid a higher price than anyone else.

Advocodo · 16/08/2025 18:50

I think they know what plots are the most popular plots so it’s unlikely you will get lots of incentives and money off too but you never know.

Original poster
NewBuildNewbie · 17/08/2025 08:21

I've joined a couple of Facebook groups for new builds and it seems most people (although not all) have managed to secure incentives up to 5% of the value of the house. It's tricky as the plots aren't really selling so it makes sense they would come back to us but maybe if they have 2 plots available of that house type, they may hold it back for the next quarter and try and sell it then. The market here is really quiet suddenly so I'm doubtful anything else will come up for us to buy before December.

@Nourishinghandcream I've also heard some people are given incentives after they've reserved to stop them pulling out in the cooling off period, but I'm nervous that if we reserve they might not offer it as they already 'have us' if that makes sense!

We may hold out till September/October and see if we hear anything..

OP posts:
LeastOfMyWorries · 20/08/2025 11:24

KievLoverTwo · 16/08/2025 14:08

From having listened to a few podcasts about how these developers operate, they'd rather give you a brand new car or kitchen than actual money off the house. So, when they present the % achieved to shareholders, they've achieved close to budget on house price. Don't ask me why it doesn't matter if they've given tens of thousands away elsewhere. Maybe that's hidden in some kind of obscured operating line that shareholders don't get to see? If I were you, I'd ask for freebies rather than money off: upgraded kitchen, flooring, landscaping, superior white goods, etc, up to the value of what you actually want off the asking price.

Because if they lower the actual sold price of the house, they are essentially devaluing the whole development and valuers of future plots will take this into account when valuing.

Original poster
NewBuildNewbie · 20/08/2025 15:27

@DrySherry still hoping they come back to us 😬

@LeastOfMyWorries we're happy to pay the asking price, it's actually reasonable for the area for a 4 bed, it's just the LTT and the fittings would set us back about 30-40k so we want them to cover part of it 😬

OP posts:
LeastOfMyWorries · 20/08/2025 15:52

NewBuildNewbie · 20/08/2025 15:27

@DrySherry still hoping they come back to us 😬

@LeastOfMyWorries we're happy to pay the asking price, it's actually reasonable for the area for a 4 bed, it's just the LTT and the fittings would set us back about 30-40k so we want them to cover part of it 😬

Fingers crossed they do!

Original poster
NewBuildNewbie · 22/08/2025 16:01

Update! They came back to us! They called this afternoon and asked us about house fittings and if we were still interested, we said we are but the numbers need to work so currently in negotiations..fingers crossed!

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