With so many different types of property for sale on the market today the choice can be head-spinning. There are various considerations that must be made when choosing a property, naturally taste is probably the biggest factor but sale price and maintenance costs should also be carefully considered.
Luckily in the UK we have a wealth of property for sale ranging from listed buildings, mock Tudor and art deco premises all the way up to modern builds. All have their own benefits and downsides, making the choice of which to move into difficult. Hopefully this article will help ease that choice.
Listed buildings are categorised in various grades, these types of property are considered to be of special interest and subsequently making any alterations to them may not be possible. If you manage to find a listed property for sale and wish to buy it, benefits include a home that is distinctive and full of character. The property may even be a piece of the nation's history, so your residence can be seen as working towards the heritage of the country.
There are downsides however; often buildings of considerable age can mean high maintenance costs that are unapparent at the time of sale. Sewers and foundations may also be susceptible to problems, while updating them with electrics and heating systems can be costly and time consuming.
During your hunt for a home you may well find many thatched properties for sale. This type of property offers the 'olde worlde' look and can be considered quintessentially English. The timeless qualities are combined with a close to nature feeling that only owning a thatched property can bring. Many have been critical of the maintenance costs for a thatched house but these have been overestimated.
An entire re-thatch will only need doing every fifty years with some materials, even using less hardy materials the lifespan is typically thirty years. The only problems are the amount of thatchers in operation and the time it can take to thatch a roof. Be sure when looking at thatched houses up for sale to find out when the property was last thatched.
A Georgian property is perfect for family living; the materials used in their construction are robust and hardwearing. Ample living space is provided in Georgian homes as they were once the homesteads of the wealthier members of society. Townhouses usually have high ceilings and large rooms. Basements are often commonplace and windows let in generous amounts of light.
On the other hand if you do see one of these properties for sale and decide to buy, heating costs should be considered as the large rooms and inefficient insulation make having a warm house expensive. Some maybe listed limiting ways in which you can alter the property and damp can be a problem. For an opulent lifestyle however, they are unrivalled.
Skipping forward to more modern times, the twenties and thirties saw frenetic building in a period blighted by the effects of war. Urban expansion exploded and the suburbs grew immensely as huge numbers of properties were constructed and put up for sale to the people who wanted to leave city centres. Some of the houses are fine examples of art deco design and hence residents tend to take care of these artistic premises.
Maintenance is a concern as using similar materials is vital to maintain the period look. Modernist properties have some of the largest problems with flat roofs and curved glass that are a nightmare to replace. Because of the speed of expansion, workmanship may not be of the highest quality either.
There are many new properties for sale that consist of flats and apartments that suit contemporary living. Space age kitchens and bathrooms as well as technological equipment make this type of property comfortable and usable. Unfortunately they are expensive and smaller than previous homes, whilst upgrading the technology can also be expensive. Added to this, a modern property can be soulless and unattached.
Ultimately however it is down to personal choice which type of property you would like to buy; there are other types for sale that are not included in this article and choosing the right one for you will lead to a happy home life and enjoyable living for years to come.
