BUYING a new house is probably the biggest purchase most of us will ever make.

Whether you are a first-time buyer, looking to move up the property ladder or perhaps downsizing, there are so many decisions to make, such as the choice between a new-build or a property in need of updating.

Industry body NHBC, the leading standard-setter and warranty provider of new homes, carried out a survey of more than 1,000 new-home owners. The findings showed that design was the thing they loved most about their brand new property, followed by location, size and space.

NHBC says there are several key benefits to buying new:

- A new-build home is ready to move into and offers a blank canvas and a neutral interior that you can put your stamp on. There are no costly repairs or renovations needed, and no DIY or decor disasters to undo.

- Property chains are minimised because there is no threat of the vendor changing their mind about moving and none of the stress of a long chain. As you will be at the end of the selling chain, you can focus your efforts on packing up and moving out.

- Higher levels of insulation and more efficient heating systems mean that new homes cost less to run. Improved energy efficiency leads to reduced carbon emissions and lower heating bills.

- Eighty per cent of new homes are covered by NHBC’s ten-year Buildmark warranty and insurance, which protects 1.6 million homes across the UK. You can check the builder is registered with NHBC at www.nhbc.co.uk and ask for a copy of the policy document when you reserve your home.

- Some house builders operate their own buyer incentive schemes such as part exchange on an old house, payment of stamp duty, help with removal costs and part-funded deposits. Many developers also offer properties off plan, meaning homeowners reserving before the house is built can choose their desired plot and personalise the house to their individual needs.

Meanwhile, the Government-backed Help to Buy scheme is offering a much-needed helping hand to first-time buyers looking to get on the housing ladder, as well as existing homeowners hoping to upsize to a new property.

To be eligible for Help to Buy, you must have saved a deposit of at least five per cent, and the home you hope to buy must be worth £600,000 or less, as well as being your main residence and not a second home. You must also agree to take out a repayment mortgage.

The Help to Buy equity loan scheme lets people borrow up to 20 per cent of the value of a new-build home. Buyers with a five per cent deposit can then take out a mortgage for the remaining 75 per cent of the property's value. For example:

- open market price of new home - £200,000

- buyer's 75 per cent mortgage - £150,000

- buyer's five per cent deposit - £10,000

- Help to Buy 20 per cent equity loan - £40,000.

The equity loan is interest-free for the first five years and after that there is a monthly admin fee, which starts at 1.75 per cent of the loan and then rises every year at the rate of the Retail Prices Index plus 1 per cent.

The loan has to be fully repaid either after 25 years, when your mortgage term ends or when you sell the home – whichever happens first. You will repay the market value of the loan at the time, rather than the amount of cash you originally borrowed.

Meanwhile, Help to Buy Isas have been designed to help would-be first-time buyers saving up for a mortgage deposit. If you save using a Help to Buy Isa, the government will give you a 25 per cent bonus when you buy your first home.

You can make an initial deposit of up to £1,000 when you open the Isa and then save up to £200 each month.

To get the maximum government bonus of £3,000, you’ll need to save £12,000, which will take around four-and-a-half years if you pay in the maximum amount each month.

Anyone aged 16 or over who has never bought a property can open a Help to Buy Isa. If you’re saving to buy a home with someone else, you can each open an account and earn a combined bonus of up to £6,000.

Story Homes is among the developers building locally who have signed up to the Help to Buy scheme. The company says its new-build homes at Greengate Meadow, Kendal, and Ash Tree Park, Kendal, offer a host of advantages compared to older, second-hand homes.

Sales manager Clare Wilson told the Gazette: "One of the things customers love most is having their very own blank canvas. With a Story Home they have the opportunity to tailor their home just how they want it, such as selecting their high specification kitchen (depending on build stage)."

Meanwhile, research from the NHBC Foundation and Zero Carbon Hub has shown that living in a new-build home could result in savings of around 55 per cent on gas and electricity – that’s over £1,300 a year for a four-bedroom detached house.