Stepping inside a well-appointed show home can be a hugely emotive experience. As you continue your search for the perfect place to live, a show home visit mixes anticipation and excitement and most of us drift off into imagining what life could be like if we move in.
But with so many emotions swirling around, often as part of a long search, it’s easy to come away with big feelings and a long list of details you wish you’d paid more attention to. By design, the best show homes are disarming. That’s why, before your visit, it’s so important to know what you’re looking for, how show homes are dressed and what they really tell you about a property.
Focusing on the fundamentals of a new build home
It’s understandable that, with stylish furniture and cosmetic details on show, we’re all easily distracted from the fundamentals that make a new build home great to live in.
In 2024, Zoopla conducted a landmark study of UK homebuyers with participants wearing eye-tracking devices during a show home or for sale property visit. In the study, homebuyers spent 54% of their time looking at furnishings and just 38% on structural features, floors and ceilings.
The best show homes give you a sense of what a lived-in home would look like, given sympathetic interior design and the perfect furniture. That’s a valuable tool to help you picture your lifestyle and make an informed decision. But it’s equally important to see past these details and consider how the home would work complete with your family, your taste, your furniture and your possessions.
How to view a new build home: room by room
The most crucial tip for your show home visit is to take your time, working gradually through each room and setting your own pace for the tour. Asking a few questions in each room is a great way to linger and really take in the space before you move on.
Start your show home visit before you step inside
Context has a significant impact on where we live and our quality of life. 89% of UK adults consider access to communal green spaces when choosing a home. So, before your house tour begins, spend a few moments taking in the surrounding area and wider new build development.
An in-progress development should give you a good sense of the finished look and layout, while site plans are a valuable resource to help you make a decision before construction is finished. You’re looking for ample space, high-quality exterior finishes and good landscaping, as well as the architecture of the building and the materials it uses.
Entrances, hallways and in-between spaces
It’s easy to focus your attention on the parts of the home with obvious lifestyle impact, like kitchens, bedrooms and living areas. However, the in-between spaces like entrances and hallways are worth your attention too.
Often, an entrance hallway will give you a sense of how one space flows into the next, an important aspect of making your home feel seamless and intuitive to live in. It’s also a good idea to consider storage options (or whether you’ll need to add storage) for muddy shoes and jackets.
Kitchens and bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are vital parts of our homes that only work when they successfully combine elegance and functionality.
A show home will give you a chance to explore the space and its fittings in pristine condition, but it’s important to consider the unique ways you like to use your space. For example, it may be especially important that your kitchen flows naturally into your garden for summer get-togethers.
Be sure to ask about the specification in these important spaces and how they compare to the specifications of other properties. At Brookworth Homes, all of our show homes reflect the actual specification across the development, so you always know what to expect.
Living areas and bedrooms
In most show homes (and most real homes), living areas and bedrooms are heavily furnished spaces. This can make it more challenging to get a sense of the actual room: its proportions and usable floor space without this carefully selected, sometimes undersized furniture.
A useful technique for a successful show home visit is to consider your own furniture requirements before you arrive. If you already know you’ll need two sofas with room for everyone and a queen size bed in the master bedroom, you can easily visualise these changes in person.
Gardens and outdoor space
The way a garden is oriented and presented tells you a great deal about the experience of maintaining and enjoying it. Whether you’re looking for sun drenched days in a south-facing garden or a gardener’s paradise that’s facing the east, each garden orientation has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Brookworth Homes: show homes that make choosing simple
Part of visiting a new build show home is about removing the distractions and focusing on the structural quality of the property. But well-designed show homes offer something that empty space can’t: a sense of how it feels to live in a home, with finishes you can see, touch and experience firsthand.
See the Brookworth Difference for yourself at our two show homes in Warwickshire and East Sussex:
Pippin Rise, a stunning four-bedroom show home at Braeburns, Welford-on-Avon
Our exciting new four-bed show home at Conqueror’s Gate, our new development in Battle
Explore our developments or get in touch with our experienced sales teams to arrange a visit.
