Homebuilder says 'it's best to buy new'

“The NHBC report is absolutely clear – it pays to buy new,” said Ross Clarkson, regional sales manager for Bellway Yorkshire which is currently selling the remaining few properties on its Scalebor Grange development on Scalebor Park Close.

And looking at the report, it certainly appears that this confidence is not misplaced. It states that because “new homes are built to a much higher specification they use significantly less energy than older homes”

“On average, this relates to a £1,400 saving per year on a four-bedroom detached home, £900 on a three-bedroom semi-detached and £400 on a one bedroom flat,” continued Ross.

“These energy savings alone should be enough to sway people to buy new, but when you also take into account the fact that new homes produce far fewer carbon dioxide emissions than old homes due to the incredibly high environmental standards they are built to, then there really can’t be any argument.”

Of course, the argument against new homes has often drawn attention to the comparative quality of the build between the two property types, but this element of the debate has also been concluded as a result of the ever-improving quality of new build homes.

The NHBC states that:

• 92 per cent of new home buyers do not report any problems with their home after moving in

• 94 per cent of new buyers would buy a new home again

• While, 65 per cent of new homes are bought by buyers who have not previously bought new

“Newly built homes are clearly far more popular than ever before, and it’s easy to see why,” added Ross, “The quality of the build and design is far better than it’s ever been, while schemes like the Government’s Help-to-Buy programme mean they are far more affordable than ever before.

“I would urge people to buy whilst the Help-to-Buy scheme is available and interest rates are low.”