And now here are the disadvantages of newly built homes:

Taste

If looked at technically and logically buying a newly built property has few disadvantages.

However, for most people buying a home is neither a solely technical or logical process and if new builds do not fit your taste, and you feel strongly about this, it may prove difficult for you to be happy buying a brand new property.

Bit of a squeeze?

Some new properties can feel a little bit like they have been squeezed together to make room for as many houses as possible to fit onto the piece of land that the developer had to work with.

Communal parking is often another space saving solution that can feel impersonal, less secure and can even leave you stuck for a parking space at your own home.
Garden

In addition to the space issue and the likelihood that the size of your garden may not match that of your house, the quality of your new lawn may also leave something to be desired.

The lawn will more than likely look great initially but brand new gardens are sometimes made up of compacted sub-soil covered with poorly laid turf which can lead to weak roots and serious drainage problems. So, be careful not to be fooled and never be afraid to enquire about the laying of new lawns.

Other things to be wary of when buying new include:

Misleading show homes

Show homes are of course useful in that they are far better than any plans, artistic impressions, specification details, or measurements, for visualising what your property will really be like.

However, beautifully presented show homes can be very cleverly arranged to give you a heightened perception of what your home will be like if you purchase from that particular developer.

You would obviously expect them to use professional interior designers and landscapers to show you what their properties can be like at their full potential. But, it is the less obvious little tricks that can lead you to believe you are in a property that is better than it actually is.

These tricks include:

• An extensive use of lighting to give off the impression of ample natural light
• The use of small furniture to give you a warped perception of room size
• The removal of doors to increase the feeling of space and flow
• The inclusion of numerous mirrors and pieces of glass furniture to give the impression of extra space
• Expensive light fittings not included in the specification
• Under furnished bedrooms, with a lack of storage, giving off a false impression of space and size
• Small cars parked in the garage to prevent it from looking like a tight squeeze
• Professionally landscaped gardens that do not resemble the basic offerings of the standard properties at all

Rushed completion and possible ‘snags’

You only have to look away for a second and a developer has thrown up a whole estate and because of the speedy nature of the completion of these projects there are always going to be inconsistencies with the standards.

You should be especially careful with regard to these small problems and defects if you are looking to get a few extras thrown into your deal and buying at the end of the developers financial year.

This can be a great time to land those extras but conversely it is also a time where the builders are more likely to rush and cut corners in a desperate bid to finish.

Once the builders have moved onto a new development it can be hard to get them back to fix anything and so you may be landed with the stress of waiting and chasing people up from day one, or even have to put up with a delay to your move.

Avoiding the snags…

A good way to find out more about the management, and nature, of the development is to visit the site to see if you can get an impression of the attitude of the builders and also to ask any current occupiers of the completed properties on the development how they have been treated and if they have had any problems.

It is also highly advisable to enlist the services of an independent snagging service such as New Build Inspections (http://www.newbuildinspections.com), who have featured on BBC, ITV, and Channel 4, to come and assess your property for defects before you finalise the contracts.

And ALWAYS check your warranty!

The best piece of advice then if you are considering the purchase of a brand new property is to proceed with caution, take nothing for granted, and do your research!