Whether buying your first home, or upsizing for your growing family, house hunting is possibly one of the most exciting yet stressful times.
New build homes are a popular choice, especially for first-time buyers and young families, with new build developments popping up everywhere. However, there are a few things to consider before committing to one.
What are you getting for your money?
When buying a new build home, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting for your money.
If buying off-plan, you may get a say in some aspects of the interior.
For example, if your kitchen is fitted before you get the keys, do you get a say in the materials? What about the colour scheme? Are any appliances included?
Before signing anything, make sure to find out whether you can have a say in these things, and whether they will affect the cost.
If you’re purchasing a show home, it’s common to be able to purchase some of the show furniture with your home. This is great if you’re first-time buyers because your new home will be liveable straightaway.
Are there adequate local amenities?
New housing estates, especially large ones, can put pressure on the local infrastructure like schools and doctors.
So, understandably, a concern for new build buyers could be a lack of local amenities.
If you’re looking to buy a new build property, research the local area for:
- How many primary schools are there?
- Are there any dentists or GP surgeries nearby with new patient availability?
- Are the local access roads easily accessible?
- How far away is the local supermarket?
- Is there any greenery nearby?
- Maybe even a playground?
If there’s a lack of local amenities, are there any plans to create new services? For example, new builds are popular in areas where supermarkets are building new stores.
Does the house come with a new home warranty?
This is an important question.
Although not mandatory, many new builds now come with a 10-year new home warranty.
Because most mortgage providers require structural warranties on new build properties, many developers take out this warranty to make their property more inviting to potential buyers. Though, ultimately, this warranty protects you, the buyer, and your investment.
A new home warranty protects you from costs due to construction issues that aren’t discovered until after you move in.
Typically, a new home warranty covers structural repairs caused by faults in the design, build or materials.
What’s the builder’s reputation?
We’ve all heard the horror stories. People moving into their new build home only to find a major problem, crooked walls, or uneven floors.
Simply doing your research could prevent this happening to you.
There are plenty of new home builders out there, each with their own varying levels of quality, aftersales service, and general customer service.
Look at their online reviews and survey outcomes. Make sure to look on social media too – you could speak to people who have bought from these firms previously to find out how quickly they deal with snags and other issues.
Hopefully these four points will help you when it comes to choosing your new build property. But remember, at the end of the day, everyone’s requirements for their new build home are different, so it’s important to do your own research and make a note of your musts and wants.
