So, you’ve taken the first steps and decided that a new build house would make the perfect home for you and your family… but what should you do next? Industry research reveals that when it comes to the property market revival, house price performance is being driven by the new-build sector.
There are significant benefits to investing in a new build property but before making such a major financial and emotional commitment, it’s vital to investigate your options in detail. Here are our essential top tips to consider before you take the plunge…
What to consider before buying a new build home
Knowing that you’ll be the first person to live in a newly-built, freshly decorated home with all-new appliances is a very attractive proposition. You’re free to put your own stamp on the property, deciding on the themes for each room and planning your interior design before you officially step foot through the door.
Take the time to browse a development’s online brochure before booking a visit to its show home or marketing suite. Seeing a property up close or speaking to a sales professional who knows the layout and location inside and out is the best way to imagine yourself living in the space. It will also give you a feel for the quality of build as well as the dimensions, light and ambience.
Depending on the housebuilder and the stage of the build, you could be given the option to choose certain elements of the interiors such as customising your kitchen with your choice of doors, handles, work surfaces and top-of-the-range appliances.
1. Do your research
It pays to get to know the developer of your future home. Check out their other developments and ask if you can speak to residents already living there to discover how the buying process worked for them.
It’s important to take a detailed look at the surrounding area, taking note of amenities such as schools, shops, healthcare facilities, transport links, proximity to towns and cities and leisure attractions. Also, think about how long you want to stay in the home and how your life might change – a good school may not be a priority now, but could it be in the future?
2. Finding the right mortgage
Carefully consider what you can afford to borrow to buy your dream home, speaking to a financial advisor before you sign on the dotted line. Once you’ve decided, you’ll pay a reservation fee to secure the property.
Many new build houses can be bought off-plan before they are built. This is a great way to secure the plot location and house type that suits you. If you choose this option, ensure that the anticipated completion date coincides with your mortgage expiry date (most mortgage offers on new build properties expire within six to 12 months).
You should also shop around for your own independent conveyancing solicitor to deal with the legal side of buying a new build home. They will help with searches and explain any relevant planning permissions and access to roads and sewers.
Why should I choose a new build home?
There are so many positives when you choose a new build property, not least the savings you can make on your heating bills. These are just some of the benefits:
1. Energy efficiency
Modern building techniques and standards mean that new build homes are much more energy efficient - most have increased insulation, double-glazed windows, and energy-efficient heating systems. Renewable energy generation features such as photovoltaic solar panels can boost a property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, reducing your carbon footprint and any relevant bills. According to the Home Builders’ Federation, buyers of a new build house will save on average around £2,600 a year in energy bills.
At Grace Homes, we set a high benchmark of achieving EPC A-ratings for energy usage and carbon emissions in our new build properties. All the other homes at our stunning locations are EPC A-rated, including photovoltaic solar panels on the roof, a hybrid inverter, state-of-the-art taps and shower fittings, underfloor heating and full fibre broadband.
2. Move in on your own timescale
As the first person through the door of your chosen new build, you can set your own moving in date, giving you the time to visualise how you will make the most of your new space and consider the type of furniture and fittings you will need.
To reserve a new build home with Grace Homes, you must be in a proceedable position to make a reservation, such as a house being sold subject to contract if the purchase is dependent on the sale of another property.
3. Developer warranties
To give you added peace of mind, most new builds have a 10-year developer’s warranty that acts like an insurance policy to cover potential structural defects in your new build. The Grace Homes team carries out rigorous checks throughout the build process and subscribes to the Consumer Code for Home Builders.
All our homes have a 10-year insurance-backed structural warranty or professional certificate. The warranty cover can be split into two distinctive time periods. Following completion, the first two years is called the Defects Insurance Period. During which time Grace Homes is responsible for putting right any defects in the home. The remaining eight years of the warranty is known as the Structural Insurance Period.
Why choose Grace Homes?
Choosing to buy a new build home will ultimately pay dividends through lower energy and maintenance costs - and not forgetting the potential for a strong resale price if you do decide to move on.
At Grace Homes, we use our trademark meticulous attention to detail to ensure each of our properties is completed to an extremely high standard, with an array of energy efficient features. Be inspired with a visit to one of our show homes – we’d be delighted to book you in.
Our small development of two, three and four-bedroom homes at Chestnut Edge in Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire, has great street appeal with a mix of red brick, render and stone and natural slate tile roofs. Each property features air source heat pumps, underfloor heating and high-level insulation. You can visit Chestnut Edge by appointment seven days a week.
At Windmill Meadow, in the highly sought-after East Northamptonshire village of Brigstock, the modern, energy-efficient properties feature stylish en-suite bedrooms and generous kitchen-family rooms with premium integrated appliances.?You can visit Windmill Meadow by appointment between Monday and Friday.
Just a mile from Melton Mowbray and situated down a private road, the Grade II-listed 18th century Sysonby Lodge has been thoughtfully renovated to provide stunning two and three-storey homes. Book an appointment to see these – or one of our new build properties within the parkland - at our show home and marketing suite which is open seven days a week.
For a chance to live within a collection of charming three, four and five-bedroom homes, look no further than our Hanwood Park development at Barton Seagrave, near Kettering. These stylish properties are part of a wider project in the area that will include schools, parkland, employment space, leisure facilities and sustainable transport links. Book to visit us on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
Our show homes are open on an appointment-only basis - please call 01536 740019 or click the ‘make an enquiry’ button on the page of the development you want to visit.