housey house..

[EdgarAllenPimms]

now we are in the last few weeks in our current house (fingers crossed - contracts not exchanged yet)

we have been to see

this house

pros -

1. really coveted village location
   
2. good primary and secondary catchment
   
3. nice big house, adequate garden
   
4. just in our price range
   
5. doesn't need work
   
   cons -
   
   
6. layout - don't like the long kitchen - lots of wiggly bits in the 'utility' side
   
7. conservatory is piece of tat (flowery windows, one of which is broken)
   
8. parking (no ORP, block of flats diagonally across means shortage of immediate parking, narrow road - there is potential for ORP but you'd probs get blocked in unless you angled it to the corner.....which might look weird)
   
9. ex-council (so narrow road on way in)
   
10. this house sold for 248500 a year and a half ago, they want over stamp duty 3% threshold for it now...
    
11. this isn't a house we can add any value to.
    
    DH really loves it. I like it, though the houses over the road that back onto fields would be better..(none of those are on the market though!) ....having been looking a while i am holding onto the idea of finding something Perfect that i love. this feels a bit....
    
    do you think there would be any problems selling on this house? it has been on with another agent at £269950 and not sold...but that's probs just pricing..tell me what you think?

[SconeInSixtySeconds]

I think if your reservations make you feel slightly uneasy that you should listen to that voice.

The last house we bought was a 'short term 2 or 3 year house' and I didn't love it. We spent a lot of time/money doing it up and it was lovely, but I still didn't love it.

If you can wait then I would.

[EdgarAllenPimms]

DH thinks i am barking.

it is really large (in fact the ground floor is about the same size as our current house)

the sub 250 price bracket means getting the 3 bed not-new-build not-bungalow nice location detached house with ORP, large garden and field views....is pipe dream territory.

maybe i am too hopeful...

they have 4 more viewings the rest of the week..

[tricot39]

Good sized rooms. Potential project in replacing the conservatory with a kitchen/diner extension. If you like the location/neighbours then slightly odd ORP might be worth living with!

See the other 4 then decide!

[ivykaty44]

If you designed the frnt garden you could have a good size gravel drive with a large opening so that only the motor would be at an angle and not the drive itself. Pots out the front on gravel would look nice - sorry but the grass isn't up to much anyway.

If the house sold at same price and only 18 months ago - why do they want to move so quickly.....

[EdgarAllenPimms]

location great - arse end of very desired village - most houses around £800k mark...

i wondered about moving so fast, but noted in photos a single bed in the main bedroom, which was a double when we went round..so i'm thinking relationship breakdown,,

i took a long hard look at the neighbours house to see if they were twats causing the early move. no evidence of it.

wonders what a twats house looks like

[ivykaty44]

what does the estate agent say - have you asked the agent why they want to move and what they are likely to take for it?

[ecuse]

I think it looks lush, I'd buy it in a heartbeat (except my job is in London :) )
It's a tough one. On the one hand I want to say if you don't love it don't buy it. On the other hand, if you know what's generally available in your price bracket and you know you'll have to compromise somewhere I think you just have to decide whether the compromises for this house are your best bet. Location location location and all that.

I suppose the other option is to hold out for a fixer upper if you have any interest in that to allow you to get a potential dream house for a price you can afford. But depends if you want to and can afford to do work to it, how much would need to be done up front vs what you could wait and remortgage to do and all that jazz.

[oreocrumbs]

I think that is a really lovely house.

If you change the front garden as Ivykaty suggests that would provide parking.

I think there is value to be added in the future if you built an extension in place of the conservatory, a nice sun room or kitchen diner. But even without that I really like it.

I can see why your DH loves it.

[serin]

I think its gorgeous!

The area looks nice enough too BUT could you seriously give your address as the "Juggs" without laughing!!

[EdgarAllenPimms]

DH just thinks 'The JUggs' is appropriate..

he has suggested 'Little Feelof' as house name. perv.

[ivykaty44]

Laughing hat is a much better house name

[QueenOfPlaguegroup]

How much wiggle room is there in your budget?

If you could afford to create ORP and a kitchen/diner extension instead of the conservatory it would be lovely.

The current set-up would drive me bonkers as the dining room couldn't be much further away from the kitchen.

[EdgarAllenPimms]

well, we'd probably be able to that in due time, but up to £250k is pretty much it for now.

my kids are small enough for now that a little table in the wiggly bit of utility space might work... i looked at that dining room and thought 'we'd never eat in here' ...(or: bedroom 4 ..eeek.i'd have a guest room..)

DH has countered with some more ribaldry that doesn't really bear repeating

[ivykaty44]

The house has got potential - the utility space is mostly wasted by the look of the plan and could be better utilised.

The dinning room would work well as a snug or sitting room and turn the lounge into a family room with dinning off the kitchen.

[girlgonemild]

I think price is the issue. It looks lovely and I think your pros (catchments, size, garden) are bigger considerations than the cons. In the long term the utility and conservatory and maybe parking can all be changed and they all look pretty liveable for now.

I can't see anyone rushing to offer over £250 though in the circumstances - stamp duty and that previous sold price. Maybe just try your hand with an offer you are comfortable with under the stamp duty threshold and then if you got it for a price you were happy with great but if not don't push yourselves since there are those niggles and just decide it isn't the one for you...

[lilaloves]

I Love that house,and for that price too.Where I live you would be lucky to get a decent flat for that price.

[Lulabellarama]

I think it's really lovely. It all looks well finished and so spacious.
Go for it!

[lilaloves]

What else are you viewing(noisy)I Think it looks much nicer than the new builds in the same price bracket.

After looking through some of the other property in the same area I am in love with a lovely white cottage,but its 350,000.

[lilaloves]

Nosey not noisy

[newpup]

It looks like a nice house but I am of the heart over head when buying a house I am afraid. If it is a forever home you need to love it.
I am desperate to tell the owner that the lampshade in the lounge is upside down!

[EdgarAllenPimms]

i have been looking too long and passed up a few good other ones (whilst we waited to get sold)

yes, it is much nicer than the new builds in the same price bracket. more private, better area etc...

if it weren't for Stamp duty it would probably be on at £260K+ flat..

we ave viewed very little because i won't look at new build, or terrace, or some locations....

i just think if one of the ones over the road (that back onto fields) from it came up in a few months..I'd cry about missing the chance.

[Northernlurker]

If you back on to fields you run the risk of things changing and you ending up backing on to houses. It's unlikely but possible. I like that house. It is spacious and the back garden is great. Nobody is going to want to pay 250. I would start with a bit less than they got and then go up - stressing your quick move position. In fact - say that you'll offer this and complete in 6 weeks. It can be done.

[Northernlurker]

Sorry that should be 'nobody is going to want to pay ABOVE 250' - because of stamp duty

[EdgarAllenPimms]

I'd think it unlikely - Dhs point is if one of those did come up, it would probs be £275+ (none have sold recently) and therefore out of reach.

West Chilts i imagine is very hard to get PP for new builds in. we are going for a walk round this afternoon. i am being increasingly persuaded-


this is similar but needs much more work, (at least a heating system and kitchen - there is none!) and is already sold STC anyway

this would also need much work, including an extension to make it genuinely three beds (as kitchen is really too tiny)

i am also realising that my 'pipedream' house, even if it was near-derelict, would come to market as £300k +

[ogredownstairs]

I think it looks great, with room to add value further down the track with a kitchen extension and off street parking. Having said that I'd want to know why they were moving so soon, having clearly done quite a lot to it and not made any money on it... Can't help but wonder what the neighbours are like!