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New Homes 2016: trends and developments

By Mark Goodeve-Docker

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Wardian London development

From quaint family townhouses to impressive apartment blocks and build-to-rent schemes, new build homes have come a long way from the unimaginative standardised blocks they are often perceived to be.

So what’s been new in 2016? Our New Homes & Investments Director Mark Goodeve-Docker gives an overview of this year’s trends in the new homes market.

Open-plan vs closed off layouts

An open-plan layout continues to be favoured by developers this year, providing a more efficient use of space. A kitchen is a sociable place in a home where family and friends enjoy a meal together; so is a living room, so combining the two areas makes perfect sense and maximises the available space.

New homes for families

Local councils encourage builders to account for family units within new developments when granting planning permission with a view to creating a more diverse demographic within a building. Hence, there are now many more three bedroom plus suites within new developments and communal areas are also developed with the needs of families in mind.

High-standard, high-quality, sustainable

Mark Goodeve-Docker, New Homes & Investments Director

The standard of construction and the quality of finish in new homes increases continuously as developers are keen to go above and beyond to eradicate the myths of the past, such as poor sound-proofing, thin walls and soulless, standardised accommodation. 2016 was no exception; a lot of thought was also put into decreasing the running costs of the apartments for buyers. The developments being built are exceptionally well insulated and in 2016 we saw plenty of environmentally-friendly initiatives taking place, such as the use of energy-saving lights, eco-friendly paints and solar roofs.

Green spaces within new developments are also on the increase, with the majority of new builds allocating space to winter gardens, roof terraces, green communal areas and beautifully designed communal gardens. The thinking behind this trend is both concern for the environment and accommodating the residents’ need of being able to find the serenity and peace that nature provides, without having to leave their home.

Return of micro units

The availability of high-quality affordable homes remains limited, and to address this need developers are re-introducing mirco units in office conversions. The space within these units is reduced by taking out non-essential areas such as corridors, with rooms being placed adjacent to one another.

New homes for tenants

With more build-to-rent developments coming through, high-quality new build housing is becoming available to tenants as well. Accommodating the ever-increasing demand for new rental homes of high standard, build-to-rent developments are designed with tenants’ needs in mind and incorporate all the benefits of a new build home. These include multiple highly-developed communal areas and facilities, convenient locations and high quality of construction, providing a sustainable long-term option as a rental home.

One of the biggest shifts in the new homes sector this year has been the availability of the Help to Buy scheme, allowing many aspiring buyers to get onto the property ladder. We expect that the demand for the scheme, which is in effect until 2020, will only gather momentum in the coming years.

To browse through the available new homes on our books, take a look at our New Homes page. For more advice on investing in a home in a new build development, call our expert New Homes team on 020 7973 2020.

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