General Best place to live in Oxfordshire?

[Essexyellows]

Don`t buy new. No character, small rooms and only built to last the length of a mortgage.

Bloor Homes is rated "Excellent" with 4.5 / 5 on Trustpilot

Do you agree with Bloor Homes's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 3,980 customers have already said.

uk.trustpilot.com

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Don`t buy new. No character, small rooms and only built to last the length of a mortgage.

Bloor Homes is rated "Excellent" with 4.5 / 5 on Trustpilot

Do you agree with Bloor Homes's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 3,980 customers have already said.

uk.trustpilot.com

Is this relating to any specific developments? Been to see a few Bloor homes recently and I have to say, all of the rooms were big and the quality of the new homes looked really good. Strange.

 

[Essexyellows]

Is this relating to any specific developments? Been to see a few Bloor homes recently and I have to say, all of the rooms were big and the quality of the new homes looked really good. Strange.

Show houses............ read the reviews about "tagging lists".
You only need to look at the build quality these days, bare minimum to reach whichever standard the builder has signed up to.
Better off finding a decent sized 1950`s house and bringing it up to speck, especially at that kind of money!
Just my humble.

 

[LeftSideBoy]

Show houses............ read the reviews about "tagging lists".
You only need to look at the build quality these days, bare minimum to reach whichever standard the builder has signed up to.
Better off finding a decent sized 1950`s house and bringing it up to speck, especially at that kind of money!
Just my humble.

I think the unfortunate thing in this day and age is the need for high-volume (of anything) and for that to be done quickly. We have been looking at 3 bed detached houses at just shy of £355k (listed price) which I think is reasonable, given the location. The main reason for buying new is the 'help to buy' incentive. Once we are on the ladder and settled, I think we'll revert back to an older style of property. Food for thought, most definitely.

 

[Manorlounger]

Don`t buy new. No character, small rooms and only built to last the length of a mortgage.

Bloor Homes is rated "Excellent" with 4.5 / 5 on Trustpilot

Do you agree with Bloor Homes's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 3,980 customers have already said.

uk.trustpilot.com

Having looked around several Bloor Homes properties, I am less inclined to believe the bad reviews on "Trust Pilot". The properties we looked at were well designed and space was well utilised. The show home furnishings were designed to give a superficial gloss but, that's to be expected, they are trying to sell the properties.
I have had experience of other builders and, frankly, a "snagging" list is to be expected wherever you go.
On the other side, we have looked at older properties and they all, almost without fail, require a lot of work to bring them up to the standards of build that can be expected now. Insulation, electrical wiring and security are to the front of that list.
Each to their own but, we know which way we will be going.

 

[Marked Ox]

Having looked around several Bloor Homes properties, I am less inclined to believe the bad reviews on "Trust Pilot". The properties we looked at were well designed and space was well utilised. The show home furnishings were designed to give a superficial gloss but, that's to be expected, they are trying to sell the properties.
I have had experience of other builders and, frankly, a "snagging" list is to be expected wherever you go.
On the other side, we have looked at older properties and they all, almost without fail, require a lot of work to bring them up to the standards of build that can be expected now. Insulation, electrical wiring and security are to the front of that list.
Each to their own but, we know which way we will be going.

If you can, check the build regularly as it progresses. A friend saved themselves quite a bit of bother by spotting problems/potential problems early.

 

[Robie]

The junction that Bloor Homes, Long Hanborough are built on floods regularly. I can't speak for the land the houses are built on but I can't imagine the drainage is any better there. Consider also the gradient of the hill to the local pub, shop and chippy... if you are waiting for a footbridge to the train station (believe it when I see it) rather than being happy with the A4095 to the train station then I am presuming mobility is an issue. The train to Oxford and elsewhere is fantastic though.

 

[Manorlounger]

The junction that Bloor Homes, Long Hanborough are built on floods regularly. I can't speak for the land the houses are built on but I can't imagine the drainage is any better there. Consider also the gradient of the hill to the local pub, shop and chippy... if you are waiting for a footbridge to the train station (believe it when I see it) rather than being happy with the A4095 to the train station then I am presuming mobility is an issue. The train to Oxford and elsewhere is fantastic though.

They have built the whole estate on a slope with catchment/drainage areas. This was explained to us at the time of our visit. The footbridge is planned but no, we don't know 100% when it would be constructed. Mobility is not an issue but if you can walk over a footbridge onto the platform, why drive a car to the station?
Flood plain etc is just one of many factors on our list to check before committing. Fortunately, we are cash buyers with no requirement to sell our existing property before moving. The plan is to buy first (and pay the stamp duty ) and then sell once we are happy with the new place. (stamp duty can be reclaimed up to 3 years after buying a "second property")
We are reckoning on taking most of 2020 to search, find and purchase. No rush, no sudden purchase (unless it's really, really good) and we can afford to haggle and walk away with patience on our side.

 

[guyellow]

Having looked around several Bloor Homes properties, I am less inclined to believe the bad reviews on "Trust Pilot". The properties we looked at were well designed and space was well utilised. The show home furnishings were designed to give a superficial gloss but, that's to be expected, they are trying to sell the properties.
I have had experience of other builders and, frankly, a "snagging" list is to be expected wherever you go.
On the other side, we have looked at older properties and they all, almost without fail, require a lot of work to bring them up to the standards of build that can be expected now. Insulation, electrical wiring and security are to the front of that list.
Each to their own but, we know which way we will be going.

I never thought I would buy new, having always lived in older houses with character, but I love our new house. I will be glad to properly decorate and get some colour in the place once everything has settled. The layout is spacious and well-thought out. There are snagging issues but a handyman on site deals with them promptly (check how Bloor approach this).

 

[Robie]

I wasn't suggesting you drive to the train station but walk the short distance over the existing bridge.

 

[OX14]

Be careful buying a new house, alot are built with cheap materials and built too fast, not letting the foundation settle before building on is the main cause for cracks appearing. Alot of house builders won't let you have a survey done until completion. If you are buying new make sure it's detached unless you want to hear your next door neighbours every time they let a fart rip.

As for areas, I've lived in quite a few areas. Faringdon is a dive, Witney is lovely but the dreaded a40 let's it down, Wantage is nice but again the roads are useless to get to Oxford, Abingdon is a nice town with lots of character and only a short distance to the Ox. My choice if I was moving again would be a village between abingdon and Didcot.

 

[Manorlounger]

As for areas, I've lived in quite a few areas. Faringdon is a dive, Witney is lovely but the dreaded a40 let's it down, Wantage is nice but again the roads are useless to get to Oxford, Abingdon is a nice town with lots of character and only a short distance to the Ox. My choice if I was moving again would be a village between abingdon and Didcot.

We plan on visiting most places along the A34 corridor and potentially some on the Thames corridor (watching out for flooding!)
I'm fortunate in having visited most of Oxfordshire but all so long ago that memories are a bit vague!

 

[Oxt1]

Cumnor is a great village, 2 pubs, postoffice / shop, butchers. Close to the A34 and A420 plus easy commute into Oxford.

 

[bashamwonderland]

Overdevelopment in Long Hanborough / North Leigh / Witney is making traffic a nightmare after before 9am and after 3pm on weekdays and is removing the character of the villages, the pubs of which are already in trouble.

As someone else has suggested, Stonesfield, Charlbury or Chipping Norton might be better options.

 

[Yellow River]

Overdevelopment in Long Hanborough / North Leigh / Witney is making traffic a nightmare after before 9am and after 3pm on weekdays and is removing the character of the villages, the pubs of which are already in trouble.

As someone else has suggested, Stonesfield, Charlbury or Chipping Norton might be better options.

Tend to agree.

Interestingly Cala Homes have recently failed in their appeal against the refusal to allow planning permission of 60 plus house in Stonesfield. One of the primary reasons given was the fact that Stonesfield is in the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty.

Going to be plenty of new builds in Chippy in the future if that’s your preference.

 

[Sir Winston]

Faringdon. Bolster the A420 - West Oxon Border Control ?

?

 

[Cass63]

You only have to see how quickly these estates go up to see how feeble the houses are, a mate of mine lives in a new house in Bicester, the next door neighbour may as well live with them you can hear everything, oh and don’t try hanging anything on a wall or you could find you are living with them.
Wheatley’s great, 3 pubs (well till one went up in flames) butcher, bakery, post office, cheapest petrol in oxford and great bus service and a 10 minute drive to the blackbird for a pre game pint or two.

 

[ljs]

Wheatley’s great, 3 pubs (well till one went up in flames) butcher, bakery, post office, cheapest petrol in oxford and great bus service and a 10 minute drive to the blackbird for a pre game pint or two.

Was even better back in the day. RIP The Sandpiper, The White Hart and The Railway.

 

[Cass63]

True, at least they are rebuilding the Kings arms, normally if a pub burns down its re erected as a block of flats, or apartments as they like to call them, I suppose it means they can stick 50k on the price.

 

[Manorlounger]

True, at least they are rebuilding the Kings arms, normally if a pub burns down its re erected as a block of flats, or apartments as they like to call them, I suppose it means they can stick 50k on the price.

Used to drink in the Bat & Ball, Cuddesdon, not a million miles away. Which pub in Wheatley was it that Jamie Cullum used to play in?