Why Should You Consider a New Build Property?

If you fancy a brand new home on a new build development, you may be prepared to relocate to a new area to get exactly what you’re looking for.

At Russell Homes, we know that no two house buyers are the same, and we believe our customer care reflects this. We’ve asked our sales team to share their wisdom and when it comes to the most common questions or the very best advice they would give to buyers considering a move to a new build development.

What should you consider when choosing your new home?

1. Commuting time It’s all well and good having a beautiful new home, but if your commute to work is pretty hellish five days a week, it’s not great for the work life balance. Housebuilders often have several different new build developments for buyers to choose from.

2. Proximity to amenities If having a friendly local pub or a supermarket nearby is important to you, be sure to suss out the area surrounding the new build development you’re researching. Google maps is great for this if you can’t get there in person, but nothing beats having a drive around, stopping for a coffee perhaps, and really getting a feel for the community.

3. Schools If you already have little ones, or plan to expand your family soon, school choices will be of huge importance. It’s worth checking how close they are to the development you’re looking into, are they walking distance or an easy drop-off, and also checking out how well they’ve done by looking up their most recent Ofsted report too (it’s usually on their website).

4. Proposed layout of the development It’s worth looking at the layout of the development to see if it offers any other benefits. Most new build developments will have some communal green spaces, and will be nicely landscaped. Some will also have a children’s play area or natural features like a stream or wildlife corridors which could be attractive to twitchers. Looking at the development layout will also let you make a decision about where you would prefer your house to be, overlooking the open space, near to the entrance, or at the end of a cul-de-sac for example.

5. Development rules If you like putting personal touches on your home, particularly the exterior, it’s worth checking out what a buyer would and would not have permission to change. Some elements of the external design on a new build development are restricted by planning regulations, such as extensions or use of different materials, while other things might fall under the developer’s own rules. Some don’t allow you to change the colours of your doors, fences or fascias, for example. Adding a patio or tarmacking a front garden to provide additional parking may also be ill advised if it changes the drainage potential around the house. If you’re thinking you might want to make some changes, talk to the sales advisor about your ideas as early as possible.

Why Consider a Russell Homes New Build Specifically

1. Personalisation Ever been on a house viewing and really not liked the bathroom suite or kitchen units? With a new build property everything is brand new and you are in charge. Smart kitchens and bathrooms come as standard in new build properties, and Russell Homes even offers buyers the chance to choose many elements of the finish themselves with the optional extras package Designed for You.

Not only will you be the first person to live in your home, the first to use the kitchen appliances and the bathrooms, you’ll also be the one to choose the final fixtures and fittings. These are usually the largest costs you incur when moving to a second hand home, so having them included gives you more cash for the fun things like furniture and wall art!

2. Our onsite customer teams Everyone purchasing a property on a Russell Homes new build development has access to our dedicated customer support team, who are here to answer all of your questions.

If you have any queries about your fencing or security systems, or maybe you want some advice based on what other purchasers have chosen for their properties, just ask. Our team is here to help you to create your perfect home.

3. Energy efficiency If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, a new build Russell Homes property is a great place to start, with better insulation and low energy fixtures fitted as standard.

Our new build developments have to adhere to much higher standards of energy efficiency than older houses were subject to. This is great news for both buyers and the environment because it means less energy is needed for heating and lighting, so the cost to run a new build home is much lower than an older property.

Just like any other property purchase, there are many factors to consider when purchasing a new build, but there’s no better time to start looking than today.

Take a look at what new build developments we have available.