There are many advantages of buying a newly built home. Apart from its 'newness' - no one will have lived there before and everything will be unused - there are many other reasons to buy new. We show you the advantages of buying a brand-new home.
This article covers:
· A simple transaction
· Peace of mind
· Green credentials
· Less effort
· Design for life
· Make your mark
· Planning changes
· Building for the community
· New facilities
A simple transaction
If you are a first-time buyer buying a new home, it means there will be no chain. The transaction will be between yourself and the homebuilder. If you have a property to sell, many housebuilders will offer you a property part exchange.
Of course, anyone buying from a housebuilder will avoid a chain in front of them. Unlike buying in an open market where a bidding war for one property is common, buying a brand-new home involves fixed house prices. The price for a property will only change if you ask for any specific building requirements or choose to upgrade features inside the house.
Although brand-new homes are sold at a slight premium, you will save money as your mortgage lender will not require you to have a survey conducted. However, lenders will not release mortgage funds until a satisfactory final inspection has been carried out and the buyer's conveyancer has been assured that a full, new-home warranty will be in place on or before legal completion.
Peace of mind
Most brand-new homes are covered by either a National House-Building Council (NHBC), Zurich or Premier Guarantee warranty. This provides cover against construction defects for a specified time, usually 10 years. If you need a mortgage to buy a new home, the lender may insist the builder has this type of cover before it lends you the money. If you sell your brand-new home less than 10 years after you purchased it, the cover will pass on to the new owner.
Green credentials
If you want to be good to the environment as well as save money, a brand-new home is the perfect choice for you. Since the Rio and Kyoto Earth Summits, all new and newly converted homes submitted for Building Control approval must be built to a high, energy-efficient standard. Their efficiency is measured using the government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The SAP scale runs from one to 120, with 120 being the best score. Most new homes achieve a rating of between 75 and 100.
The national average for all homes is only 43, with older homes underperforming. Having a good SAP rating means your new home will be more energy efficient, leading to lower heating bills and less damage to the environment. All housebuilders and developers must display the SAP ratings for its homes - make sure you ask to see the ratings if they are not openly visible.
Energy efficiency in new homes is also measured by The National Home Energy Rating (NHER). This is a more detailed estimate of a home's annual fuel bills. Unlike SAP, the NHER rating takes into account all the energy costs associated with running a home, such as lighting and appliances. NHER is expressed on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the best.
Less effort
As well as being energy efficient, brand-new homes are low maintenance. You won't have to worry about rewiring, plumbing issues or structural problems - only light maintenance is needed to keep them in shape. If you haven't got the time, budget or inclination for DIY tasks, you might want to consider a brand-new home.
Design for life
A new home doesn't necessarily mean four brick walls and a traditional interior layout. Developers and housebuilders are embracing modern building methods and materials. This can result in stunning contemporary homes full of glass, steel and timber. The demand for open-plan living has allowed architects and designers to be more adventurous when it comes to layout, with an increase in double-height ceilings, mezzanine levels and full-height windows.
Make your mark
Of course, a brand-new home is also a blank canvas. In most cases the housebuilder or developer will leave the interior very neutral, with smooth plastered walls and ceilings. You can move in and paint straight away, although you should wait until the 'drying out' period has passed before you wallpaper - ask your builder when this should be. A brand new home is a chance to make your creative mark, and you won't have to remove the former occupant's wallpaper and floor coverings.
Planning changes
The way in which new-build developments have been built has changed dramatically since the introduction of Planning Policy Guidance Note No 3 (PPG3). This planning guideline influences a number of design and layout issues faced by housebuilders.
As a result, new developments are much more community-friendly. Housebuilders are guided towards building more sympathetic homes that blend in with the existing vernacular, as well as minimising the use of energy, water and other resources.
Building for the community
PPG3 also indicates that housebuilders should create more 'urban greenspace' and also provide more affordable properties to meet local needs. Local and government planning departments have also steered housebuilders towards a more secure pedestrian-friendly environment.
Housebuilders try to avoid creating dark alleys and unwelcoming street areas that might attract crime and make residents feel unsafe. Careful planting and path layouts also ensure that burglars are deterred from breaking into homes.
Traffic-calming measures, including speed humps and road-narrowing schemes, ensure drivers stick to a safe speed and 20-miles-per-hour speed limits are sometimes imposed. Garages are often located to the rear of the properties to create a better street scene free of cars and the creation of driveways is kept to a minimum to discourage vehicle use.
New facilities
If you buy a brand-new home on a large development or in a brand-new village, you are likely to enjoy a crop of community facilities and amenities. Housebuilders are building new schools, health centres, churches, doctors' surgeries and playgrounds to cater for the influx of new residents. In the past, housebuilders have worked with the local council to provide new bus routes and also to preserve and create nature reserves.