Barratt Homes - Swallow Fields - anyone bought?

alice_kate_2

Hiya

Just wondered if anyone had bought or is hoping to buy at this development?

We have reserved a plot which I am so pleased about as the waiting list is quite big!

A

Guest101

Perhaps you can help me, and please don't take this the wrong way.


To me, new builds are little boxes, in faux communities, with very few local amenities. What's the appeal?

MrJB

Guest101 wrote: »

Perhaps you can help me, and please don't take this the wrong way.


To me, new builds are little boxes, in faux communities, with very few local amenities. What's the appeal?

For many, the appeal can be 1) a new home which has been unlived in before 2) usually relatively cheap to run complying with latest build regs and having latest boilers 3) 10 year NHBC warranty has the perception of being worth something. For many it's incentives like Help to buy which enable people to secure greater mortgages than they may otherwise be able to, or mortgages at much more advantageous rates. The perception is that it gives certainty that there wont be any large expenses for a considerable period.

There are all sorts of reasons for buying a new home, for many it simply suits their needs! Others wouldn't dream of living in a new house - my dad for example lives in a Victorian property with a huge amount of land, whilst it's incredibly nice to have the land, I really could not be bothered with the upkeep.

RainbowLily

I'm looking for a new build because
1). I like the thought of being the first owner
2). We have very busy work lives and wouldn't have time to renovate - with the new build, everything is done to our taste (we are trying to buy off plan)

Hope that helps!

LittleMax

Guest101 wrote: »

Perhaps you can help me, and please don't take this the wrong way.


To me, new builds are little boxes, in faux communities, with very few local amenities. What's the appeal?

what is a faux community? Just because it is a new community doesn't make it false. Even the oldest hamlet was a new community at one time. If anything it can be easier to help to form a new community than being the new comer in a well established community.

As for amenities, I have an every 10 minutes bus service into town - as it is a requirement of the planning and new shops, community centre and play area just around the corner. Far better amenities than I had on the estate I have just moved from where had a bigger 1970 box.

We had renovated the 1970 box, and so appeal of a new build for us was having a period of not having to do any building work, whilst we take stock and look for our next project.

csgohan4

Your all forgetting the often poor quality of the major new build developers, Taylor Wimpey, persimmon to name a few.


New like a car comes at a cost and your home will be worth less as soon as you open the door for the first year at least.


Renovating can be done in stages and you might be able to do some yourself, like painting, DIY all of which you will need to learn as home owners.

franklee

csgohan4 wrote: »

Your all forgetting the often poor quality of the major new build developers, Taylor Wimpey, persimmon to name a few.

How old does a house have to be before it's not tarred with that brush, would 20 years old still be considered to have "new build" shoddy workmanship?

How would today's build be viewed in 20 or 40 years time?

If anything I think 60's/70's architecture is the one that hasn't stood the test of time as far as kerb appeal goes. Bigger rooms though.

alice_kate_2

csgohan4 wrote: »

Your all forgetting the often poor quality of the major new build developers, Taylor Wimpey, persimmon to name a few.


New like a car comes at a cost and your home will be worth less as soon as you open the door for the first year at least.


Renovating can be done in stages and you might be able to do some yourself, like painting, DIY all of which you will need to learn as home owners.

I appreciate this can happen - but not always the case. We've made £40,000 on our new build in 18 months.

We're going for another new build as we had a good experience and in the area we live we are getting a lot more house for money than second hand.

Dan83

franklee wrote: »

If anything I think 60's/70's architecture is the one that hasn't stood the test of time as far as kerb appeal goes. Bigger rooms though.

I live in a 3 bed mid terrace house, built around 1967. Kerb appeal is terrible, pebble dashed walls!

The best thing I think about new housing estates is, street are normally made up of a few different type of house, so most house's look different, where as older house's, every house is the same, OK some one might have a bay window or a portch but they all look kinda the same

Guest101

LittleMax wrote: »

what is a faux community? Just because it is a new community doesn't make it false. Even the oldest hamlet was a new community at one time. If anything it can be easier to help to form a new community than being the new comer in a well established community.

As for amenities, I have an every 10 minutes bus service into town - as it is a requirement of the planning and new shops, community centre and play area just around the corner. Far better amenities than I had on the estate I have just moved from where had a bigger 1970 box.

We had renovated the 1970 box, and so appeal of a new build for us was having a period of not having to do any building work, whilst we take stock and look for our next project.

Every wine was new one year, but not valuable until many years later

I'm glad you like it, but I don't think it's for me

LittleMax

Guest101 wrote: »

Every wine was new one year, but not valuable until many years later

I'm glad you like it, but I don't think it's for me

It was right for us at the time - partly because we bought in 2012 when the market was low so developers had to price competitively, and we had a relocation package which covered the additional expenses such as carpets, tv aerial, telephone line.

I certainly wouldn't pay the premium some people pay for a new build.

I have been surprised how many people move on after just 1-2 years. If I did want another new build house I would look at one a couple of years old, complete with fixtures and fittings rather than the more expensive empty shell being sold round the corner by the developer.