Where to Find Off Plan House Purchase

ariaane

Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first property at some point in late 2021. 
For cost saving and due to general preference of a blank canvass home reasons I am seeking off plan properties in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area ideally. 
Can I get any suggestions for websites / developers that have such properties. 
Also, I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?
Thank you in advance

davidmcn

ariaane said:

I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?

Leaseholds are not (yet) banned, and service charges will often apply to freehold properties.

DCFC79

ariaane said:

Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first property at some point in late 2021. 
For cost saving and due to general preference of a blank canvass home reasons I am seeking off plan properties in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area ideally. 
Can I get any suggestions for websites / developers that have such properties. 
Also, I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?
Thank you in advance

You might find a maintencance fee will be payable every year but this is explained to you by the developers or sales agents.

Go the websites for the developers and look for developments in your area, this is pretty much what I did.
Do you live in the area ?

You seen anything up locally saying x development is here etc ?

ariaane

davidmcn said:

ariaane said:

I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?

Leaseholds are not (yet) banned, and service charges will often apply to freehold properties.

Thanks for that info, my understanding is freeholds won't include any additional charges. Are the charges you're referring to one off charges or continual yearly charges?...

ariaane

DCFC79 said:

ariaane said:

Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first property at some point in late 2021. 
For cost saving and due to general preference of a blank canvass home reasons I am seeking off plan properties in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area ideally. 
Can I get any suggestions for websites / developers that have such properties. 
Also, I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?
Thank you in advance

You might find a maintencance fee will be payable every year but this is explained to you by the developers or sales agents.

Go the websites for the developers and look for developments in your area, this is pretty much what I did.
Do you live in the area ?

You seen anything up locally saying x development is here etc ?

Ok, so it's just a case of looking on developer websites directly and looking for their new developments and asking them about fees. 
I don't currently live in the West Midlands but I have done several years ago and so no the West Midlands somewhat well. I occasionally drop by there too every couple of months or so too. 

davidmcn

ariaane said:

davidmcn said:

ariaane said:

I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?

Leaseholds are not (yet) banned, and service charges will often apply to freehold properties.

Thanks for that info, my understanding is freeholds won't include any additional charges. Are the charges you're referring to one off charges or continual yearly charges?...

Note the cutting you've pasted says nothing about when the proposed changes will actually come into effect.

Your understanding is wrong. Service charges can be one off or regular, more likely to be regular. It simply depends on what the estate comprises and what common costs are likely to arise - at the end of the day, you'll be paying for any communal facilities from which you benefit such as private roads, areas of landscaping etc.

ariaane

davidmcn said:

ariaane said:

davidmcn said:

ariaane said:

I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?

Leaseholds are not (yet) banned, and service charges will often apply to freehold properties.

Thanks for that info, my understanding is freeholds won't include any additional charges. Are the charges you're referring to one off charges or continual yearly charges?...

Note the cutting you've pasted says nothing about when the proposed changes will actually come into effect.

Your understanding is wrong. Service charges can be one off or regular, more likely to be regular. It simply depends on what the estate comprises and what common costs are likely to arise - at the end of the day, you'll be paying for any communal facilities from which you benefit such as private roads, areas of landscaping etc.

Valid point, there is no 'from effect date' on the snippet...
Ok, I will be making enquiries directly as to what the service charges are to the developers directly in that case. 

DCFC79

ariaane said:

DCFC79 said:

ariaane said:

Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first property at some point in late 2021. 
For cost saving and due to general preference of a blank canvass home reasons I am seeking off plan properties in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area ideally. 
Can I get any suggestions for websites / developers that have such properties. 
Also, I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?
Thank you in advance

You might find a maintencance fee will be payable every year but this is explained to you by the developers or sales agents.

Go the websites for the developers and look for developments in your area, this is pretty much what I did.
Do you live in the area ?

You seen anything up locally saying x development is here etc ?

Ok, so it's just a case of looking on developer websites directly and looking for their new developments and asking them about fees. 
I don't currently live in the West Midlands but I have done several years ago and so no the West Midlands somewhat well. I occasionally drop by there too every couple of months or so too. 

Taylor wimpey have 9 developments in the Waewickshire area, other developers will have sites too but be careful when you come to choose which developer as you could be put off by one.

eddddy

ariaane said:

Ok, I will be making enquiries directly as to what the service charges are to the developers directly in that case. 

The charge won't be expressed as an amount in pounds. It will be a percentage of the total cost of maintaining communal areas (e.g. maybe roads, car parking areas, green spaces, children's play areas etc.) - so it's likely to go up and down, depending on what work needs doing.

The developer might give you an idea of the amount in pounds for the first year - but that's likely to be cheap, as there will be very little maintenance and repairs to do in the first year.

ariaane

eddddy said:

ariaane said:

Ok, I will be making enquiries directly as to what the service charges are to the developers directly in that case. 

The charge won't be expressed as an amount in pounds. It will be a percentage of the total cost of maintaining communal areas (e.g. maybe roads, car parking areas, green spaces, children's play areas etc.) - so it's likely to go up and down, depending on what work needs doing.

The developer might give you an idea of the amount in pounds for the first year - but that's likely to be cheap, as there will be very little maintenance and repairs to do in the first year.

Thank you for the extra information. 
I've been renting for years and I'm strongly put off by having to pay another party (other than a mortgage provider) just to live in a home...  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5972926/service-charges-on-new-build-developments/p2
I haven't ruled out completely purchasing an old home but I know I can get more bang for my buck from an offplan property 

ariaane

DCFC79 said:

ariaane said:

DCFC79 said:

ariaane said:

Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first property at some point in late 2021. 
For cost saving and due to general preference of a blank canvass home reasons I am seeking off plan properties in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area ideally. 
Can I get any suggestions for websites / developers that have such properties. 
Also, I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?
Thank you in advance

You might find a maintencance fee will be payable every year but this is explained to you by the developers or sales agents.

Go the websites for the developers and look for developments in your area, this is pretty much what I did.
Do you live in the area ?

You seen anything up locally saying x development is here etc ?

Ok, so it's just a case of looking on developer websites directly and looking for their new developments and asking them about fees. 
I don't currently live in the West Midlands but I have done several years ago and so no the West Midlands somewhat well. I occasionally drop by there too every couple of months or so too. 

Taylor wimpey have 9 developments in the Waewickshire area, other developers will have sites too but be careful when you come to choose which developer as you could be put off by one.

DCFC79 said:

ariaane said:

DCFC79 said:

ariaane said:

Hi all,
I am looking to buy my first property at some point in late 2021. 
For cost saving and due to general preference of a blank canvass home reasons I am seeking off plan properties in the Warwickshire / West Midlands area ideally. 
Can I get any suggestions for websites / developers that have such properties. 
Also, I only want to buy a freehold property and my understanding that for new built properties leaseholds are banned. So am I save to conclude that any offplan house I purchase in future will not have me bound to ground rent and service charge fees?
Thank you in advance

You might find a maintencance fee will be payable every year but this is explained to you by the developers or sales agents.

Go the websites for the developers and look for developments in your area, this is pretty much what I did.
Do you live in the area ?

You seen anything up locally saying x development is here etc ?

Ok, so it's just a case of looking on developer websites directly and looking for their new developments and asking them about fees. 
I don't currently live in the West Midlands but I have done several years ago and so no the West Midlands somewhat well. I occasionally drop by there too every couple of months or so too. 

Taylor wimpey have 9 developments in the Waewickshire area, other developers will have sites too but be careful when you come to choose which developer as you could be put off by one.

Thank you for the tip. I had taken a look at Taylor Wimpey a few weeks ago but they seem to have a bit of bad press. Are you with them by any chance?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AQCRbnUCeI&ab_channel=NationalLeaseholdCampaign%23LeaseholdScandal%23NLC