Why do people hate new builds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once you've lived in newer construction, you are less willing to live in an old house. But if all you've ever lived in is old constrution, you think it's fine and settle for it.

+1

That, and the "I see dead people" factor.

Worked the opposite for me. Grew up in Historical homes. Bought a new home as an adult, I thought it was going to be something it wasn't. Now Im selling it to buy an 1800's stone farmhouse with a stone barn and slave quarters. I like new construction within and an old foundation and design.

Slave quarters how charming

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Once you've lived in newer construction, you are less willing to live in an old house. But if all you've ever lived in is old constrution, you think it's fine and settle for it.

+1

That, and the "I see dead people" factor.

Worked the opposite for me. Grew up in Historical homes. Bought a new home as an adult, I thought it was going to be something it wasn't. Now Im selling it to buy an 1800's stone farmhouse with a stone barn and slave quarters. I like new construction within and an old foundation and design.

You seriously want a house with slave quarters? Yikes.

We bought a rowhouse in DC from a couple who had photos mounted on the walls of the woman giving birth. That was traumatic enough. Knowing that prior owners had slave quarters would be even worse.

I think I will say special thanks to our new construction when I turn in tonight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pp- well is sounds to me that you are doing good construction. There is definitely good construction out there. Certainly you could open up an old home and find a shit show of old wiring and turn of the century newspapers as insulation.
My point is that it really does come down to taste.
I could have bought a huge, new house a little further out. Commuting isn't an issue for us. I prefer something that's been around and seen some stuff.
If I had had over a million I would have looked to renovate closer in, not find new construction close in.
It's ok to prefer new things, but many people don't like the soullessness of new homes.

Soullessness is an intangible. To some people, a house is soulless if no one has lived there before. This cannot be mitigated until a couple of generations come and go. To others, any house located in a neighborhood they see as undesirable or lacking in substance or too remote, is soulless. It cannot be defined in architectural, or quality-of-construction terms. What's soulless to one person is a welcome blank slate to build memories to another. What's charming and full of character to one person is suffocating to another.

Intangible maybe... But it's pretty universally understood that when a home has soul - it's been around awhile. Yes, some people like blank slates. They aren't the people buying and loving old brick ramblers, colonials, and cape cods. The people walking into their brand spanking new house aren't swept away by the feeling of history. Yes these two sides value exactly what the other side loathes. Its not jealousy, just different tastes.

soul, charm, cozy etc... these are all made up terms realtors have used to make you believe that the uneven wall or crookedness of old homes is appealing. You drank the koolaide. What history? Most homes have no history unless you are talking about the 1 or 2 out of 1000s that maybe a world leader or founding father lived in.

History? Our home was one of the first built in our little neighborhood - it's strong and sturdy and the envy of all our friends (well not the couple that live in new TH's - because it is not their jam) . One of the families who lived in it in the 60's/70's drives by every other spring or so and we chat. They've shared stories of what the hood was like. We didn't use a realtor, and the sellers agent didn't have to lay it on thick. We knew we had found the one the moment we walked through the door. It's ok to not understand that perspective- but you don't need to belittle it.

We have a home with a similar history. Tons of great stories from people who grew up in the home and long-time neighbors.

I've also done research on the home and the original owner has an interesting story.

And for the record I DO like walls with a little character.

Our home prior to this one was new construction and I did like many things about it, but I never loved it like I love this old home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an architect and I just want to clarify a few things:

- the new builds people on here are talking about are in most cases extremely well constructed and energy efficient. The giant behemoth often uses less energy than much smaller '40's house.

- the ugliness is often not the architects fault. Often we will draw something proportionally correct only to have the developer change everything until it's a whitetrash monstrosity

- I personally believe neighbors should live and let live. Worry about your own house/yard and MYOB

+1

Good luck with that. The old home owners really hold a grudge. Of course, they would not admit it. No way would I ever move into a new house next to an old house, after what my friend went through. I ended up moving to a neighborhood with all new homes, because the old house owner next door to my friend was so bitter and conniving to her for no reason, other than the new house's mere existence. The old house owner couldn't take it any more and cracked.

In fact, the old house owner cut down more trees (PP mentioned new house owners cutting down trees?) than my friend did - my friend planted trees! Just one example. I am hoping my friend moves closer to me soon, when she can afford it.

As far as the energy use, it should be common sense that new houses are more efficient and advanced. But really, (architect PP) you, are banging your head against a wall trying to explain anything to those in a state of denial and paranoia over the new houses.

New houses are here to stay. Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You say it's a logic thing, but I'm not following. Are saying some people are making a choice based on emotions ( older homes) , and some folks are basing it on logic ( new build)?

No, I don't think people who choose older homes follow their emotions any more than people who prefer new choose logic. It's a preference, no more, no less. One is not any better or worse or another.

I find my sense of logic disturbed only when "soulless" is taken to mean unattractive or lacking in construction quality, and then it turns out it simply means "not old enough". Aesthetics or construction quality can be debated as they are somewhat objective standards. The soul defined as age is not related to either.

It is not preference. It is ABILITY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always love this debate on DCUM, from people in a city with no fashion sense who look like cookie cutter office dwellers in neutral uniforms, bad haircuts, and no makeup. But yet you are all arbiters of architectural "taste" and "aesthetics.". Give me a break.

^^Agreed. New construction and flips are tasteless and lack character in the DC area. I actually believe that the green designs and asthetic coming out of the Pacific Northwest will be the next big design wave (like arts and crafts or MCM). It's so functional, beautiful and conducive to living in this century.

Examples??

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bXpQVJwlsY

Eddie Murphy: Ice Cream Man

"You can't afoooooord it......"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You say it's a logic thing, but I'm not following. Are saying some people are making a choice based on emotions ( older homes) , and some folks are basing it on logic ( new build)?

No, I don't think people who choose older homes follow their emotions any more than people who prefer new choose logic. It's a preference, no more, no less. One is not any better or worse or another.

I find my sense of logic disturbed only when "soulless" is taken to mean unattractive or lacking in construction quality, and then it turns out it simply means "not old enough". Aesthetics or construction quality can be debated as they are somewhat objective standards. The soul defined as age is not related to either.

It is not preference. It is ABILITY.

People with tons of resources and money also renovate older homes. It's preference. Don't worry, you are still doing well at life. If having a new house was your idea of success, congrats! You did it! Some people have just as much wealth and success. They choose to renovate. It's ok. You're life choices are ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You say it's a logic thing, but I'm not following. Are saying some people are making a choice based on emotions ( older homes) , and some folks are basing it on logic ( new build)?

No, I don't think people who choose older homes follow their emotions any more than people who prefer new choose logic. It's a preference, no more, no less. One is not any better or worse or another.

I find my sense of logic disturbed only when "soulless" is taken to mean unattractive or lacking in construction quality, and then it turns out it simply means "not old enough". Aesthetics or construction quality can be debated as they are somewhat objective standards. The soul defined as age is not related to either.

It is not preference. It is ABILITY.

People with tons of resources and money also renovate older homes. It's preference. Don't worry, you are still doing well at life. If having a new house was your idea of success, congrats! You did it! Some people have just as much wealth and success. They choose to renovate. It's ok. You're life choices are ok.

Oh, don't worry honey. They have meds for people like you now. You might try it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You say it's a logic thing, but I'm not following. Are saying some people are making a choice based on emotions ( older homes) , and some folks are basing it on logic ( new build)?

No, I don't think people who choose older homes follow their emotions any more than people who prefer new choose logic. It's a preference, no more, no less. One is not any better or worse or another.

I find my sense of logic disturbed only when "soulless" is taken to mean unattractive or lacking in construction quality, and then it turns out it simply means "not old enough". Aesthetics or construction quality can be debated as they are somewhat objective standards. The soul defined as age is not related to either.

It is not preference. It is ABILITY.

People with tons of resources and money also renovate older homes. It's preference. Don't worry, you are still doing well at life. If having a new house was your idea of success, congrats! You did it! Some people have just as much wealth and success. They choose to renovate. It's ok. You're life choices are ok.

Ability to do what? Just curious.

I did say above, can't you see, that I live in an older home for which I have no real feelings. I have no dog in this fight. I was curious to see what the poster above meant by soul, and now we've figured it out, and we are both satisfied with how the argument went.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bXpQVJwlsY

Eddie Murphy: Ice Cream Man

"You can't afoooooord it......"

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because they creak when the wind blows.

I find most new houses cheaply made. The materials last 5 years and need to be replaced. Older stuff just seems to last longer. Of course there has always been shoddy construction. I think houses constructed during "booms" (DC in the 1940's) were not so well built. Houses built in the 1930s however, seem to be very well built - by craftsmen who took time and cared about their work.

Such as? I live in new construction that is eight years old and the only stuff that needed to be replaced after five years is builder grade stuff, like cheap appliances--which can fail in older homes too.

Please tell me which "materials" in my new home I should be replacing now.

You people are very emotional about all of this stuff. At some point, your cherished older homes were brand new and "soulless" as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an architect and I just want to clarify a few things:

- the new builds people on here are talking about are in most cases extremely well constructed and energy efficient. The giant behemoth often uses less energy than much smaller '40's house.

- the ugliness is often not the architects fault. Often we will draw something proportionally correct only to have the developer change everything until it's a whitetrash monstrosity

- I personally believe neighbors should live and let live. Worry about your own house/yard and MYOB

That's easy to say until the developer has cut down a 200 year old tree to cram two enormous homes where once there was one. Blocking neighbors sunlight and killing their gardens.

Then buy the lot next door and quit your bitching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because they creak when the wind blows.

I find most new houses cheaply made. The materials last 5 years and need to be replaced. Older stuff just seems to last longer. Of course there has always been shoddy construction. I think houses constructed during "booms" (DC in the 1940's) were not so well built. Houses built in the 1930s however, seem to be very well built - by craftsmen who took time and cared about their work.

Such as? I live in new construction that is eight years old and the only stuff that needed to be replaced after five years is builder grade stuff, like cheap appliances--which can fail in older homes too.

Please tell me which "materials" in my new home I should be replacing now.

You people are very emotional about all of this stuff. At some point, your cherished older homes were brand new and "soulless" as well.

Right! And when your home has survived 30, 40, 50 years from now we'll all say, " what a lovely old home. So charming!"
Now- it's a lovely new home. Just not as interesting to people who Cherish older homes. You don't have to feel bad about that.
We are not emotional about your new house. That is exactly the point.

[Anonymous]

I hate the new build next door to mine, since it completely doesn't fit the neighborhood (4x the size of every house here, on an 1/8th acre lot), isn't very attractive, was graded to funnel all rain water to MY yard and couldn't sell at list price so the project manager and her workmen moved in. It's not exactly my dream to live next to a bunch of random construction workers and their seven work vehicles in a neighborhood where the median house price is probably $900K.

I don't like giant, ugly, boxy new builds that aren't an actual architectural style. I don't mind many new builds. Some are quite nice. I'd buy new (in a recognizable architectural style, and not gigantic), if I could afford it in my chosen location.