Should I Buy a New Build Home?

A new build home is exactly that, newly built. This means that it will be crafted with modern building techniques and materials, so it’s more energy efficient than an older property. In fact, on average living in a new build could save you over £3000 a year on household bills*. Specifically, your energy bills could be up to 60% cheaper in a new build than an older home. This is something that’s incredibly important considering the ongoing cost of living crisis.

So, are new builds worth it? We would say so, just on the energy efficiently alone, but there are plenty of other benefits of buying new.

If you buy an older property, you have to make do with the way it’s been designed. There may be a galley kitchen or reception rooms that are closed off and don’t offer the open plan living you want. You can fix it, but you’ll have to invest to do so.

A new build home is designed around you and the way you want to live. Rooms are big and spacious, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and open plan living is encouraged at every step. If you buy at an early stage of the build too you may be able to have a say in things like lighting and flooring as well as kitchen cupboards and worktops.

When you buy a new build, you’ll also be making an environmentally friendly choice. The Home Builders Federation reported that people living in a new build for a year-long period emitted 1.4 tonnes of carbon. For people in a comparative older property, carbon emissions were more than double at 3.6 tonnes*.

Simply by choosing where you live, you can help with the fight against climate change.

When you buy new, there won’t be loads of work that needs to be done when you move in. You don’t need to think about a new bathroom or kitchen or getting an extension for an en suite. Everything will be there for you when you buy, and it will all be new too. All you need to do is turn the key and start living your new life in your new home.

In fact, research from the Home Builders Federation found that to upgrade a three bedroom semi-detached house to the same specification as a new build would cost over £60,000*. Your new build home will also come with a 10-year NHBC warranty too, and a two-year warranty from Wain Homes.

One of the hardest and most stressful things about buying property is the chain. When buying an older property, you could have had an offer accepted on the home you want, but you have to wait for the seller to find somewhere themselves. Even if you’ve sold yours.

When you buy a new build, there is no chain above you as no one has owned the home before. That’s one huge stress that you don’t ever have to think about. Plus, with schemes like part-exchange you don’t even need to worry about selling your home first.

We’ve all heard horror stories about people being gazumped or sellers deciding to pull out at the last minute. Waiting to complete is again one of the biggest stressors of the whole home buying process. In fact, the sale cancellation rate for older properties can be as high as 20%.

Yet for new build homes, you’re not dealing with an individual seller as you’ll be buying direct from a developer, like Wain Homes. Developers are bound by the House Builders Code of Conduct which sets out stringent rules that must be adhered to. When you buy from a developer, you will also likely pay a reservation fee that means they can’t accept a higher offer on the property if you exchange within the agreed timeframes.

You’ll no doubt have a list of requirements for your dream home, whether a south facing garden or fantastic views. Often these can be difficult to find with older properties, but new builds are built with these requirements in mind, so there’s every chance you’ll find your wishes fulfilled.

Plus, if you register your interest early in a new residential development, you’ll have the pick of the properties.