Swiss Timber House - Worth Buying

EvilScotsman12

Hi All,

First Timer Buyer here and looking for a bit of advise.

I've been looking for a good while now and found a house I really like. It done to a great spec and fits pretty much all the needs I have. However, it has been classified as a Non-Traditional construction house and this has thrown a big wrench in my plans.

Looking at the Home Report for the house, the main thing that is making it of Non-Traditional Construction is the walls are, and I quote from the home report, "The main walls are understood to be of non traditional Swedish Timber construction with timber frame clad in timber weather boarding". When I used to live up in Aberdeen, a lot of these types of houses were quite common and didn't have the Non-Traditional designation given to them. This has been the first time I've come across them being seen like this.

Having spoken to my Mortgage Advisor, I'm able to get a mortgage for the property from Santander and it's no worse than getting a mortgage for a property of similar value but of Standard Construction. Home Insurance is a little bit more but not difficult to obtain. From what I can see, the property was built in 1957 and quite a few of the other houses nearby to it are of the similar style (property is located in Polbeth, West Lothian).

What I'm really wonder here is, is it worth the risk? Being that I'm a First Timer Buyer and we have Brexit looming in the distance, would it be smart or dumb to go for a property like this, given it might be very difficult to sell in the future due to that Non-Traditional designation it has.

Any and all answers would be appreciated as I'm stuck with regards to either just let this property go and find another one or go for it as it fits my needs along with really liking it.

BlackBird75

Are their neighbouring houses of the same construction?

I would try and speak to as many of the neighbours about it as possible.

And if they turn out to be unhelpful or rude.....
....Well maybe that's another reason to look elsewhere...?

I know people who have bought and sold timber framed houses and it's never been an issue.

But it would make me a bit nervous. Just because it's something "non standard" and I'd be a bit cautious in case things changed in the future (beetles, dry rot etc) and all the mortgage lenders got nervous.

I remember when the house fire first brought the metal framed PRC type NSC houses to the attention of the mortgage lenders. They all got negative at once. It's very easy for them to all change their attitudes quickly. Especially when it's a small potential market and they've got little to lose by excluding it.

The mortgage market attitude is variable and slightly prone to cycles.

I also remember when they suddenly all started getting negative about high rise flats.

EvilScotsman12

A lot of the other houses around this one and a good majority of other share similar or exact build designs. From what I can tell, the area used to be a 50s council house development.

Not spoken to the neighbours yet, not the type unfortunately to go randomly knocking on people's doors and asking questions about the area. Probably should as I won't know otherwise.

Given the house has stood for over 60 years and was built when Wooden houses were done to a good standard, it doesn't hopefully carry the same sort of stigma that later wooden houses might of had. Given the seller has spent the last two years heavily refurbishing the house (as it has a new kitchen, bathroom and redecorated bedrooms), it speaks positive and negative signs to me.

AdrianC

Apart from anything else, you do know Sweden and Switzerland are two very different places, right?


They might not have been labelled "non-standard" back then, but they haven't changed, and nor has the standard construction. All that's happened is that somebody's decided that a label is needed to state the bleedin' obvious.



Non-standard is not the same as "defective". This is not defective. You might find a smaller pool of lenders, and when you come to sell, you might find a smaller pool of buyers. But you only need one lender, and you only need one buyer.

willington68

Just near where I live in Gateshead a construction company which is a subsiduary part of IKEA has knocked up a full estate of these "non-standard" construction timber-framed and wood boarding clad houses, it's obviously the way things are done in Sweden and some of the colder parts of Europe.
People are flocking to buy them as they look quirky and fashionable but are essentially just an updated version of the house you're interested in.


The last comment was absolutely correct, you only need one lender to approve it and one buyer if you want to eventually sell it. If it's what you fancy then go for it I would say, but obviously get a full building survey first whether your lender requires it or not to set your mind at rest.

BlackBird75

willington68 wrote: »

Just

The last comment was absolutely correct, you only need one lender to approve it and one buyer if you want to eventually sell it. If it's what you fancy then go for it I would say, but obviously get a full building survey first whether your lender requires it or not to set your mind at rest.

That's true, but what's acceptable to 90% of lenders today, may be acceptable to only 10% of lenders in a few years time. A survey can't really predict that.
If there are less lenders available, you will have less people able to buy (because those lenders will be able to charge more), which means your resale price could take a hit.

Obviously this probably won't happen, but it's something I would consider - along with everything else.