New Or Preloved? A Guide To Choosing Your First Home

When it comes to buying your very first home, the marketplace can be very confusing. Some older houses are priced higher than new-builds. And some new-builds have integrated appliances when an older house may not even have a fitted kitchen. You may feel that your budget limits your choices. But one of the things you may not have considered fully is whether you choose a home that others have lived in before or one that is still being built.

Decor shouldn’t come into your purchase decision. But most of us have been swayed by a stylish home, furnished to perfection. You have to remember that none of the furniture is likely to be left behind. And that beautiful decor? It might be quite scuffed up or not match your own furniture styles when you move in. It’s quite common to decorate as soon as you buy a place.

A new home, however, will be immaculate because nobody is moving out before you move in. What you see in the display homes could be exactly what you get. Your sales agent can highlight which color schemes, flooring, tiling and fitted furniture you could get. This may raise the cost of the home, but it certainly saves you having to do it all as soon as you move in.

Standards and regulations have changed over the years. An older home may be much-loved, but that doesn’t mean it is as energy efficient as a brand new house built to more demanding modern standards. Of course, there is little to stop you upgrading the property you end up buying. You might add extra insulation or install new windows and doors. Perhaps you’ll even get some solar panels? Some people do all of these things to newly built properties too. It all depends on your preferred specification.

Building your own home from your own plan is a huge project to take on that could take years to complete. But it means you might get the house of your dreams, exactly the way you want it. For some people, that’s worth all the extra stress and hassle of self-building. Of course, you might find an older property that is ripe for development, conversion or renovation. If the bare bones of what you want are already there, why go through self-building?

Another benefit of buying an older property is all the period features and character that you could inherit. All the teething problems of the property are likely to have been fixed. And you may find the current owners have added a few modern improvements already. Some people are charmed by period architectural design and features. They simply don’t find all that they love in newer properties. Before you make up your mind about a new home, why not take a look at several different styles?

Can you really afford to be fussy as a first-time buyer? Yes, because the house you fall in love with will be the house you care for the most and make your home. After all, the look and feel of a place could take priority over its size, price, or even location. What will you choose?