British home-buyers  love “period features” and “character properties”.  Estate agents will take pains to point out original features in Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian homes like feature fireplaces and crown moulding.  With 4.5 million Victorian and Edwardian properties in the UK  and 150,000 of those period homes being  bought and sold this year, its obvious that second-hand homes are de rigueur. 

The rest of the 21 million existing homes in the UK owe their existence to property booms during the medieval, Georgian, Elizabethan and the far more recent decades of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. 

So with older homes being the preference of so many, why do 100,000-plus people a year choose to buy a new home?

1.  The untouched aspect - Research shows that many buyers love a home that’s untouched by other people’s designs, lifestyle or dirt.

2.  More deals and easier negotiation - Many buyers  feel that new homes builders are more willing to negotiate on the sale price with more deals such as stamp duty paid on offer as well.  

3.  Energy efficiency – With rising utility costs and greater concern for the environment amongst home buyers, the green credentials of newer homes are beginning to make new homes more appealing.  The use of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for all properties ensures that a property’s energy efficiency is as easy to understand as the energy efficiency information that you might see when buying a clothes dryer.  To see how an EPC can save you money and save the environment, click here.  In particular, with last winters’ very cold temperatures many people might reconsider their drafty period properties and be contemplating the comfort and economy of the completely insulated walls of a new build.

4.  No need to renovate – Many home-buyers feel that they have to replace kitchens and bathrooms after moving in – a process which is both costly and inconvenient. 

5.  Many homes have extra features – The benefit of newly built homes is that they have been built with a modern lifestyle in mind.  Even  a “mod con” as simple as a place to park your car can add tremendous value to a home and make it far more convenient to live in.  Victorian homes would not have had car parking places, unless you count a hitching post. See just how much value certain improvements to a property can make here.

With September being New Homes Month, pause to consider the allure of the newly built.  Whether you decide that an older home is still where your heart lies, or whether you decide that the fresh newly built home is for you, Northfields can help.  See all the properties Northfields has for sale by clicking here.  To make sure that you never miss out on a property, old or new, register your details with us today on 0208 840 6666 or register online by clicking here.