New builds or older properties

Older properties, new builds that I’ve seen generally seem to have smaller rooms/gardens.

I have been in both types. A 1750 cottage. A detached family house built in the 50s and a new build three times, townhouse, eco house and the lovely house to which I downsized. It is like comparing chalk and cheese, cannot be done. The reasons I chose my new build detached house

small development of good quality houses by a traditional old school builder. Only 11 houses

Very well insulated

2 year snagging (I only had 1 snag) and another 8 years builder guarantee

Easy maintenance

very low energy cost

built to better standards these days ie wheelchair access etc

my age was a reason too, nearly 72

Builders still on site and they built me a greatly extended future proofed patio

The builder did any improvements that I asked for before I completed

Depends on personal circumstances trendynanie. The home I now have is perfect for me, a widow. Garden is a perfect size too. The family home was on 1/3 acre and was perfect for that time in our lives when 5 of us lived there for 32 years

Only ever lived in older properties as an adult. I was brought up in a new build post war council house, and I always wanted something more substantial and characterful.

I would now consider a new build, because these old houses always need something doing and are really hard to heat.

Older properties all the way! Since we married we have lived in a couple of new houses but then a Geirgian house, an Edwaddian semi and a converted board school. Yes, older properties always need things doing (our roof for one) to them but, as dh says - it's the price you pay for living in a house you love!

Lived in both. Currently in an older property, but as I age, I'd like somewhere with less maintenance. I'm sick of old-house dust, constant repairs. My next home will be new and spic and span.

Older.....we/I moved into new build 20 yrs ago(gulp wheres the time gone)
Its freezing/cold had 3 boilers in the 20 yrs.

Open plan hence the heat goes upstairs, has high pitched eve (cant get up to paint as need scaffolding)

We rushed into it as our lovely 3 bed semi sold so quick, didn't have the money to maintain it.

This house has cost money to maintain, paint etc. if you have the money then I would go for older any day.

Old for now!
We have a lovely relatively new build that we let. Its so easy to maintain, warm, stylish and central but with great river views and walks.
I’m typing this wearing 4 layers in a draughty but characterful Victorian house!!

We moved in January to a new build. Our previous house, where we lived for 25 years, was Georgian and had a huge garden. It was a money pit in terms of maintenance and also cost a fortune to heat. I loved the house and garden and we certainly left it in a better condition than when we bought it. But towards the end I could not wait to leave. It was time for someone else to take it on. I love my new house just as much.

Old every time. They tend to have larger rooms and definitely have larger gardens. Love the traditional features old properties have, which give the property character, and to me are much more aesthetically pleasing than a new build.

I prefer older as I like large windows and gardens. I don't like a garden to be overlooked or to have close neighbours. Yes, there's loads of repairs and maintenance (and draughts) but they have character.

I can see the appeal of new builds, though, with good insulation and energy efficiency they must be a more practical choice.

We are house renovators, so obviously prefer older properties, although we have twice of necessity bought new houses.

With both new houses we spent literally years chasing the builder to get them to come back and deal with all the snagging list faults.

What I have seen of more recent new homes is that room size is small, plot size is also tiny. New building regulations mean window sizes are small, so light is poor. Councils will not take on the maintenance of estates so owners are paying estate maintenance fees they have no control over, there has been the recent leasehold property scandals and builders build down to a standard rather than up to one.

With old houses, 2 very early 20th century (1900, 1901) and our current house built in 1467/8, they are generally more substantially built. Once renovated, and all ours were run down and in need of renovation when bought them, they are been not any more expensive to run than newer houses and they do not look run down and scruffy so quickly. Nothing looks scruffier more quickly than a house built only 15 or 20 years ago.

I agree with Gagajo done the old house thing and renovation. My next house will be modern.

We moved from a 1930’s semi to a larger, fairly new detached and I miss the solidity of the semi - they were built to last. I do miss the big bay windows. You never had to think about whether it was safe to drill a hole in the wall! Our present house is lovely but it feels flimsy by comparison. Having said that, it is extremely well insulated and our heating bills have tumbled.

We live in a 60 year old flat. So it's not new but not old either. What is good is that it's very roomy with large windows and a sunny outlook over a garden and school grounds to hills. There are lots of rooms plus great storage in the flat as well as our own store room downstairs and a garage.
Our previous house had been a 70s one. Not very well built and with zero storage which we hadn't noticed until trying to find a place for the hoover and ironing board!

Reading all you posts, I don’t think I’m ready for a new build.

I’ll put up with the enormous oil bills, the temperamental Aga, every winter the rain seeming to find a new way in, a weekly gardener, far too much to clean. But I can come home, light the fires, and feel cosy and safe.

I do have neighbors, but I always think that if I lived in a new build. I’d have to confirm more, Oh it’s tempting, but not yet!

I love old houses ......... to look at ! they have better proportions better sized rooms and a decent garden ..... but , after battling leaks draughts , mice and smoking chimneys I am now in a new build and I love it .
I hardly have the heating on , it stays warm and dry due to the high levels of insulation , we have big windows/ glass doors to the back so plenty of light

I’m in a new build apartment, built in a very modern style, and I love it. Great views from my huge windows and balcony, warm underfloor heating, great insulation so no noise from neighbours, and I feel completely secure. I have a slight leak from one window, but that will be dealt with at no cost or bother to me. My partner and my children all have old houses, ranging from a Georgian townhouse to a 1950s semi, and I love to visit, but am happy to go home to my apartment.

I've always mostly lived in Edwardian terraces and now in a 30s semi. I did plan to move somewhere modern this time but felt claustrophic, especially upstairs, as they were so small.

I read somewhere that if you are the first person to buy a new build home it immediately loses value - just as it does when you buy a new car. Some people have been unable to sell their new build home even for a third of the price they paid, after a few months. Of course this won't always happen - but its worth thinking about.

Older houses - anything older than the 1970s boxes that have absolutely no warmth or character whatsoever!

Living where I do, there are a number of new estates being built, and there is no way I would voluntarily go and live in a new built house on any of them.
The plots are small, they are crammed in, there is little or no parking, the pavements (where there are any) are too close to the front windows of the house, the rooms are oddly-proportioned, there is no storage space.....I would worry that as they are being b built so quickly ther=y are not being built properly.

I prefer to live in an older property, thank you!
We have just had our own house (1950's) expended by 4 metres across the back, which gives us a kitchen with space for a table and two chairs (there is only the two of us), a nice large and airy sitting room, a downstairs shower room. The garage, being too narrow for any modern car, we have converted into a dining room. The insulation has been upgraded in the roof and on the external walls, and we have had new windows and doors and a new central heating system. It feels so much warmer!

We are now in a house built in 1970. It was an individual house and well built and thought out. After living most of our lives in old houses this has been a revelation. It is so easy and cheap to keep warm and the excellent double glazing keeps it quiet. It doesn't have the kerb appeal of our older houses but suits us fine for now.

I love old houses and my preference would be old and in the middle of no where. However I must be sensible we have our house up for sale and now we are looking for some amenities a bus route would be good and somewhere easy to maintain and keep clean, somewhere to sit out but not have to labour in.

I have lived in an old 1876 Chapel. Beautiful but very expensive to run.
Tiny walled garden at the back
20k to replace the roof

A modern new build 2 bed 2 bath apartment. Cheap to run. Easy to keep clean. Bedrooms far to small.
Leasehold so maintenance fees monthly however grounds were kept immaculate, inner halls cleaned weekly to great standard and generally good standards all round

Recently moved to 1970s 3 bed detached bungalow
Good room sizes. Large windows bring in the light and reasonable cost to heat
Decent plot size and mature private gardens
Have had to spend 35k initially to update the property but worth every penny

Overall old is preferred over a newbuild, prefer to buy in a mature residential area