Thursday 23 March
BUY BRAND NEW TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY
The New Homes Marketing Board (NHMB) has launched a brand new leaflet today as part of New Homes Week to demonstrate the substantial benefits of buying a new build property.
A spokesperson for the NHMB explains: There are so many myths about buying a new home but the reality is that it can save you time, money and stress in both the short and long term.
In research carried out by NOP last year for Halifax it seems that the simplest things can put us off an older property from peeling paint (23%) and smoke stained walls (37%) to more serious but common problems such as mould (51%).
With a new home what you get is a blank canvas unlived in by anyone else, a place you can really stamp your own mark upon without having to spend hours getting the place up to a decent standard.
The stress and pace of modern life also means that many people spend far less quality time at home with family and friends than they'd like to. So, increasingly, property owners want a home that's low-maintenance, easy and inexpensive to run.
Since everything in a newly built home is brand-new, there'll be no home improvement costs, no need to redecorate, rewire, replace the kitchen or bathroom, install a second bathroom, re-insulate, install a new boiler or central heating, replace windows, doors or guttering. Indeed, not having to upgrade an older property could save you up to £22,000* - which is enough to buy a new car plus a family holiday - and still have money left over to treat yourself!
Many older homes don't match up to today's way of life, with around 17% of available space going unused. New properties benefit from being built to suit modern lifestyles, backed up by research and customer feedback on how we want to live and how we use our living space. A good example is the introduction of a more social kitchen allowing space to both cook and entertain guests or keep an eye on the kids rather than a traditional separate dining room.
Another advantage of a newly built home is that it will be constructed with modern building products whilst benefiting from good sound and heat insulation, leading to lower fuel costs. In fact, all new homes built from April 2006 onwards will use 40% less energy than the equivalent home built prior to 1992**. Based on current figures, the yearly fuel bill in an average UK home amounts to £800, whereas a new build home's fuel bill cost is around £300 - a saving of an impressive £500 a year***!
In the long term, buying a newly built property can often prove to be a sound investment. The resale value of a new home is often greater than an old home that may be in need of repair or refurbishment so when you sell, you'll be in a better financial position, giving you more buying power when you're looking for your next brand-new property!
* New Homes Marketing Board Buying a new home can save you money leaflet March 2005
** Yvette Cooper, ODPM press release 2005/0191 13 September 2005
*** Richard McPhail, National Energy Foundation. Figures quoted relate to space heating, water heating, lights and appliances, November 2005
New Homes vs. Old
“They don’t build them like they used to” – sick of hearing this phrase? So are we.
This is the day to showcase exactly why we don’t build homes like we used to, not only highlighting the governments directives on new homes but also all the advantages that come with them – sustainability, energy efficiency, 10 year warranty etc.
We’ll be showcasing some of the best new homes across the country and exploding the myth that new homes have no character.
How can I get involved?
- Got an award winning development? This is the day to flag up exactly why your new homes are so popular
- Conduct a regional survey into your purchasers favourite room and look at how you are designing homes in line with this to suit modern lifestyles
- What are your new homes doing to help the environment? This could focus on everything from roof and cavity wall insulation and to double glazing and is a great opportunity for suppliers to get involved in the week
- Have you got any purchasers whose DIY disasters at an older property have forced them to buy new build?
- Produce a case study on older purchasers who have downsized to a new home because it offers lower maintenance and/or better security
- Are you future proofing your homes or including anything new for 2006? This could be as simple as including wiring for high speed internet or getting really high tech with programmable lighting, music etc.
- Focus on the 10 year warranty and flag up exactly what it covers and what this could potentially save purchasers compared to the cost of repairing an older property
- Why do purchasers choose new homes? Conduct a vox pop of what your purchasers love about new homes
- Do your own thermal camera test and invite local journalists / schools to see exactly how your energy saving measures works
- Focus on sound proofing and use simple analogies rather than technical data to show exactly hoe effective this can be, particularly in apartments.
- Life long living. New homes are designed to last, how are your house designs being tailored to meet the needs of purchasers who are elderly or disabled?
If you have a press release to upload visit the media zone
