When only new will do

Thu, Mar 2nd 2006, 11:00

The practical benefits of a brand new home over an older, second-hand property are well documented – easy maintenance, contemporary fixtures and fittings, greater energy efficiency to name a few – but what of the psychological advantages?

In the run up to New Homes Week 2006 (March 20-26th), award winning housebuilder Redrow has enlisted the help of Dr Chris Spencer, a professor of environmental psychology at Sheffield University, for an insight into why for some people nothing but a brand new home will do.

Just what is it that makes some of us crave a kitchen that no-one else has cooked in; a bathroom that no-one else has used; and a blank canvas rather than someone else’s choice of colours or décor?

Indeed, award winning Redrow’s own research via its website has revealed that a third of all new home purchasers choose a new home over old because they specifically want a ‘blank canvas’.

According to Dr Spencer, psychological and anthropological literature indicates several factors that combine here, including houses as an expression of individuality and identity; putting one’s own stamp onto a project; the psychological value of personalisation and ‘clutter’; and preferences for new, ie. a positive choice for ‘cleanliness’ and ‘purity’.

Dr Spencer says the importance of our home environment cannot be under-estimated - our houses are an expression of our individuality and our identity.

“The question ‘who am I?’ can be answered at a series of levels: nationality, ethnicity, belief, group, profession and place. But ‘where am I most ‘me’?’ is often answered at the level of house and home, as would be a series of related questions about safety, happiness, fulfilment and restoration,” he states.

“There is now well-established literature which shows that personal identity and place attachment are closely related; and that stability in the former is often predicted by the strength of the latter: rootedness.”

He goes on to say: “Pet owners will be familiar with the behaviour of a dog or cat settling into a new place – exploration followed by a physical shaping of the place to their own body. Not dissimilarly, humans moving to a new setting show an urge to personalise as one of their first activities; getting familiar furniture and pictures placed; going about familiar routines; you only have to watch new students coming into their new halls of residence at the beginning of a freshers’ terms to appreciate this.

“This might be why when forced to live in a place we can’t personalise, such as an anonymous hotel room, we find it hard to settle.”

When it comes to craving a kitchen or bathroom that no-one else has used, Dr Spencer says that putting one’s own stamp onto a place may go further, as some anthropologists have suggested “Signs of others’ previous occupation may indicate dangers of contamination. Or at a lower level, other people’s tastes in décor can embarrass or remind the new owner of another’s continuing presence. To illustrate such ideas on the ‘risks’ of using others’ possessions for personal activities, think of the smart hotel’s efforts to manifestly sterilise the loo in your room with paper covers,” adds Dr Spencer.

Of course, there are lots of good practical reasons for choosing new over second hand. Brand new homes are inherently safer and more secure that older properties, as developers use fire resistant materials and fit circuit breakers and smoke alarms as standard. Also the modern locks fitted to new homes often mean lower insurance premiums.

New homes are, on average, four times more energy efficient that older buildings which means lower running costs and reduced pollution from greenhouse gases; while water efficient fittings in new homes are designed to minimise domestic water consumption.

And the comprehensive 10-year Buildmark warranty offered by the National House Building Council provides peace of mind for customers about the quality of their new home.

Developer Redrow – recently voted Housebuilder of the Year by national consumer property magazine Your New Home – builds more than 4,300 new homes annually in England, Scotland and Wales. These include everything from affordable new homes for first time buyers to contemporary city centre apartments and stunning penthouses, elegant town houses, detached family homes and large and luxurious detached houses.

To find your own ‘blank canvas’ wherever and however you want to live, make one call to 0845 676 0500.