BUYING NEW
cases you will find a whole host of extras are included with your new home. Few developers these days hand you a property with splintery floorboards and bare concrete; instead, you are likely to find carpets, tiles and hard flooring provided to make you comfortable from day one. It’s standard to find an oven, hob and extractor, and you could find that your home comes with dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge and freezer as well, saving you all the expense of having to buy these when you first move in. 7 SECURITY AS A PRIORITY New homes also come with higher levels of security. Windows will have locks, and doors will all have up-to-date locking systems that meet the latest requirements from insurance companies, often bringing down the cost of your contents insurance. In apartment buildings you might even find CCTV, a security-conscious concierge or even a sophisticated keyless entry system. 8 SAFE AS HOUSES If you buy a secondhand home, especially an older one, you need to get an electrician to check that your wiring is safe, otherwise you could be at risk from faults and even fires. With a brand new home, you not only have the latest quality in wiring, but also
fire-resistant materials and smoke alarms to keep you and your family safe, as well as circuit breakers to protect you while you are cutting the grass. 9 MODERN LIVING Older homes reflect the way of life that was prominent at the time – for example, in a Victorian home you might have a series of small, dark rooms, including the “front parlour” that was only used for guests, the “morning room” that was more like a family room, and a dining room used for only an hour or so a day. Each room tended to have only one purpose, so families were separated by geography. Most new build homes have egalitarian, family friendly open-plan layouts with break-out areas, so multiple tasks from cooking to homework can take place in a sociable space, facilitating conversation
and creativity. Developers are also aware of the importance of having a home working space, so you are bound to find somewhere to put a desk. Some new builds also have shared spaces and services such as a gym or concierge, cinema room, bookable working areas or meeting spaces so even the smallest apartment can have great facilities (although there will be management charges to cover these extras). 10 BOOSTED BUYING POWER Finally, some Government schemes are only available on new builds, including First Homes, Rent to Buy, Discounted Sales and shared ownership (although shared ownership resales are available). 1 gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-performance- of-building-certificates-in-england-and-wales-july-to- september-2022/ 2 hbf.co.uk/documents/12662/Watt_Energy_Efficiency_New_ Homes_finalv2.pdf
nationalhomebuyingweek.co.uk | 9
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software