Questions To Ask When Buying A New Build House

Questions to ask when buying a new build house

New builds are becoming more and more popular as time goes on, in fact, the sales of new build homes rocketed over 25% in June according to land registry data. The younger generation is going for new builds more often, possibly due to their low maintenance costs and benefits for the environment. However, just the same as old buildings, new builds, unfortunately, have their problems too. It’s always best to prepare and consider what questions to ask when buying a new build so that your new home meets all your expectations. In this blog, we will give you some ideas about what questions to ask when buying a new build house, letting you know some frequently encountered problems that buyers face.

What do I get with my new build?

There might be additional building features that could be added to the cost of the house. For example, it might be your preference to have wooden floors or white tiles.

What does the new home warranty include?

In essence, a warranty is an insurance policy for newly built homes. The first part of the warranty covers any building defects which will usually cover you for 2 years. The second part of the warranty is for problems with the structure of the property which can be valid from 3-10 years. If you move house the warranty will cover the new buyers of the house.

Are you open to offers?

As for any property, you should be able to haggle for the best price. Most developers are open to offers as long as the price is reasonable. Before the haggling begins, you need to come prepared with knowledge of the house so you have grounds to haggle with. It might help to check with the land registry what other similar properties in the development or nearby developments are going for to understand how low they’re willing to go. Housebuilders are usually under a lot of pressure to meet their targets at the end of their work year. Depending on your situation, it’s worth finding out when their end of the year is as they’re more likely to be persuaded into selling the home at a cheaper price. When offering a price, you should consider what questions to ask when buying a new build house. If the new build does not reach certain popular requirements, you will have more ground to stand on.

Are there plans to extend the development?

If you moved into a home with a sea view and then a couple of years later all you can see are buildings. It’s always best to ask what the builder’s plans are for the area so you can manage your expectations.

When do you expect the property to be completed?

If you don’t know when your property will be ready to move into, you cant plan to move out. You could buy a house wanting to move in as soon as possible and then find out it’s months until you can settle down.

When will all access roads be completed?

This can be useful to know, especially if you can drive! If a developer sells the idea that access roads will be put in place, it can be frustrating when nothing gets done.

What are your customer care procedures?

Customer communication is extremely important in this field. When you buy a new top from amazon, you expect the packaging, the tracking of the parcel, the thank you email and the customer feedback email…why should buying a property be any different? In fact, because a property is the biggest purchase you’re likely to ever make, customer care should be of optimum quality. You shouldn’t have to think about what questions to ask when buying a new build house because ideally, they will have already given you all the information you need.

Are there any public open spaces near the development?

It is very important to check the area you’re considering moving into when purchasing a property. You could be interested in children’s parks and green areas or even skateparks if you’re a skateboard enthusiast! Whatever you’re interested in, it’s worth seeing if the area has it.

Can I arrange a snagging survey to make a list of the property defects?

Snagging surveys work wonders when it comes to moving into a new build. You can hire experts to come and check for defects of the home and liaise with the developers. This could drastically improve the quality of your new build home and give you peace of mind knowing you wont have to pay for any defects to be fixed in the future.

What changes can I make to the property?

Sometimes certain limitations get placed on your new build by the leaseholder or the freeholder. Most people want to make changes to their home to make it more personalised to them, so if you’re unaware, finding out there are limitations can be quite a surprise! You may not be able to replace the flooring, do any building work or even paint the walls. In addition to this, subletting your property may also be restricted and having pets could be prohibited.

We hope that our what questions to ask when buying a new build house blog has helped you in your exciting moving process! If you’re moving into a new build property and you’re not sure that the property will meet your expectations, get in touch with our snagging professionals today.