Modern housing estates

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Jobbo
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Jobbo »

Absolutely right!

Every now and again I see a nicely done new build estate, which tends to be smaller in size but still often built by one of the big house-builders, where the values rocket after they're all sold. But often new-build houses drop in value for a few years after first sale because the developer is building more in exactly the same design and people just buy the brand new ones with part-ex offers and a choice of tile colours for the bathroom.
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Swervin_Mervin
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Swervin_Mervin »

V8Granite wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 8:08 am The problem with a lot of new houses is that given a little bit of momentum, you can run to all the rooms in the house without using the doors.

As much as I moan about drilling into stone filled concrete walls and how a spirit level was just a way of checking your whiskey, it’s nice being in a solid house. Ours is a 1952 ex council semi.

Dave!
Don't kid yourself that older = better. Many of the houses built from the 30s onwards in the mass housebuilding phase were built very shoddily and arguably far worse compared to any modern build. We moved from a Westbury new build mews that was new in 2002 into our current 1930s built semi. The new build was incredibly solid compared to the current place. Far better insulated in terms of sound as well - by a very, very big margin. However, not all new builds were like that at the time, it largely came down to which housebuilder you looked at.

The reason new estates feel cramped is simply down to the required densities which aren't set by developers at all but are laid down in local and national planning policy. The only way you can overcome that as a developer is by building blocks of apartments, then allowing you to space out the houses a little more. But again the ability to do that is affected by local planning considerations. There are still plenty of sites that come forward where lower densitiies are sought by planners, and that has a significant impact on the feel of a place - Woodford Aerodrome site up here is a good example of that, but then you'd be paying a premium for it as well.
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GG.
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by GG. »

Jobbo wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 10:40 am Absolutely right!

Every now and again I see a nicely done new build estate, which tends to be smaller in size but still often built by one of the big house-builders, where the values rocket after they're all sold. But often new-build houses drop in value for a few years after first sale because the developer is building more in exactly the same design and people just buy the brand new ones with part-ex offers and a choice of tile colours for the bathroom.
Presumably the expiry of the NHBC warranty also has some mild depressive effect on prices after the initial 10 years?
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Swervin_Mervin
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Swervin_Mervin »

GG. wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 11:14 am
Jobbo wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 10:40 am Absolutely right!

Every now and again I see a nicely done new build estate, which tends to be smaller in size but still often built by one of the big house-builders, where the values rocket after they're all sold. But often new-build houses drop in value for a few years after first sale because the developer is building more in exactly the same design and people just buy the brand new ones with part-ex offers and a choice of tile colours for the bathroom.
Presumably the expiry of the NHBC warranty also has some mild depressive effect on prices after the initial 10 years?
No.
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GG.
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by GG. »

Why's that - just because the warranty is of limited use? Or because people don't consider/account for it in valuations or assume losses from defects would be covered by buildings insurance (which I would think a questionable assumption)?
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Jobbo
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Jobbo »

I don't think people value the warranty much - it's only to be expected that the property stands up for a long period and the warranty is your protection from issues with the build. After 10 years it's got a reasonable history of standing up satisfactorily.
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Gavin
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Gavin »

We bought a new build in a new estate. It does have a drive/spaces for two cars at the front and the back is a crappy square. The drainage is awful and if I even did buy new or have one built, my snagging list would be exhaustive as I felt bad about flagging things. Ooops.

Reason we bought new was when we first bought it was around 2004/5 and there had been a surge in values and the naked greed we met when trying to buy somewhere really scunnered us for the whole process so a fixed price with no "seller" so to speak appealed.

Having moved from a 2 bedroom flat from the late 1800s or early 1900s meant thinner walls but smaller energy bills due to advances in insulation.

I don't think we would buy another new build in a "same as my neighbour" estate, although ours has 4 or 5 designs and sizes and reasonable green spaces and landscaping but at the time it made sense but for 3 bedroom it is 2 large bedrooms and a boxroom in reality.
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Swervin_Mervin
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Swervin_Mervin »

Jobbo wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 11:41 am I don't think people value the warranty much - it's only to be expected that the property stands up for a long period and the warranty is your protection from issues with the build. After 10 years it's got a reasonable history of standing up satisfactorily.
That and a lot of people are completely unaware of it in the 1st place :lol: We weren't ever asked about it when selling our last place (the 10yrs had just expired).
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GG.
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by GG. »

I've driven past this development a few times - seems like it has been well done: https://www.blenheimestate.com/homes/

I could almost envisage myself buying something like that (though I expect they aren't exactly bargain basement and I'd probably always want more land around it).

ETA - biggest one is a 5 bed double garage with 2500 sq ft for £1.2m. So yes, not exactly bargain basement!
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ZedLeg
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by ZedLeg »

I especially don't understand buying on a new development when you have that kind of budget.

I'm sure 1.2 mil will only get you a shared bed in a cupboard in that London but you'd get a really nice house up here for that.
An absolute unit
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GG.
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by GG. »

Well yes. Even if you wanted a newbuild, buying on an estate doesn't seem to make any sense.

This is round the corner from there for the same price https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/ ... &id=media0 4,500 sq ft rather than 2,500.

That said, if I ever go for a viewing at a house with a stupid oversized clock and something banal written in the kitchen like that one ("dance like noone is watching") I would feel compelled to burn it down on the way out. :lol:
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duncs500
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by duncs500 »

Our new build is way better in terms of noise insulation than our old house, the quality of everything is really good, and they've been really responsive with snagging (even after the one year snagging finished they fixed something).

They are a smallish local developer though.

I couldn't be happier with it TBH, and given how much of a PITA moving is, have no plans to for the foreseeable future.
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Rich B
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Rich B »

There's other things apart from most sqft, best insulation and biggest driveways to consider. Not everyone wants to live a 10 minute drive from other people.

I grew up on what was then a nearly new estate. One aspect that was great was everyone buying those new houses was at a similar point in life (rather than old people who'd lived in the houses for 60 years), so most had kids the same age, etc... There was local parks to walk to and play in, local school, shops, etc... we knew everyone.

this could obviously be a negative too if you weren't in that demographic or didn't want too many neighbour interactions, but it's one thing I see from mates who've bought new houses, is they know far more of their neighbours because they all moved in at the same time and are similar ages.
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GG.
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by GG. »

I would imagine for most people the positive interactions they get living in close proximity to others is vastly outweighed by the annoyances of living cheek by jowl with your neighbours...

Maybe I'm just a misanthrope but I have absolutely no interest in chatting over the garden fence! You've surely about a 1 in 10 chance (at the very best) of living next to people with whom you become mates, no?

Speed of getting to nearest shops and amenities is another matter of course and in all likelihood there's a trade off somewhere in the middle.
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Rich B
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Rich B »

GG. wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 4:22 pm I would imagine for most people the positive interactions they get living in close proximity to others is vastly outweighed by the annoyances of living cheek by jowl with your neighbours...

Maybe I'm just a misanthrope but I have absolutely no interest in chatting over the garden fence! You've surely about a 1 in 10 chance (at the very best) of living next to people with whom become mates, no?
In old houses, yep I'd agree. But if you've all moved in at the same time and you're all 25-35ish buying your first property on a help to buy scheme, from what I've seen - those odds are turned upside down.

I don't really like new houses, but I can definitely see some appeals.
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Foz
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Foz »

i want an old house with modern u values :lol:
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by integrale_evo »

The thing which annoys me about new build estates is that they leave all the roads in a temporary state, presumably while they’re still building other bits and regularly got heavy and dirty vehicles driving in and out, so you have a nice shiny new house on a shit bit of road.

Then by the time they finish the estate and do the road properly the pavements and other communal bits are starting to look worn and scruffy with weeds growing through. It never all looks new at once. ( yeah I get that’s probably never anointed anyone else ever :lol: )
Cheers, Harry
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mik
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by mik »

Rich B wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 4:28 pm
GG. wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 4:22 pm You've surely about a 1 in 10 chance (at the very best) of living next to people with whom become mates, no?
Ibuying your first property on a help to buy scheme, from what I've seen - those odds are turned upside down.
OL U! L :?:
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Rich B
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Rich B »

:lol:
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Swervin_Mervin
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Re: Modern housing estates

Post by Swervin_Mervin »

integrale_evo wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 5:58 pm The thing which annoys me about new build estates is that they leave all the roads in a temporary state, presumably while they’re still building other bits and regularly got heavy and dirty vehicles driving in and out, so you have a nice shiny new house on a shit bit of road.

Then by the time they finish the estate and do the road properly the pavements and other communal bits are starting to look worn and scruffy with weeds growing through. It never all looks new at once. ( yeah I get that’s probably never anointed anyone else ever :lol: )
They'll usually leave the wearing courses off both carriageway and footways. Any other defects should also be picked up before the works are signed off by highways. These things don't always go that smoothly though. :lol:
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