Compare two houses for sale

[Mintyy]

Come and have a look at

house 1

and

house 2

What do you think?

[schmee]

Obviously house 2 is substantially nicer - it's lovely. It's been "done" but I think is probably a better property anyway. The first house looks like it has been extended oddly to the side. I don't know if you could get more space by extending out the back but it doesn't look like you could go up.

Without knowing the area, the price differential sounds about right.

Is the area on the way up?

Are you thinking about buying or is one yours to sell?

[Mintyy]

I thought the price differential was rather a lot tbh. I think house 2 is a really good price for the area ... but such a lot of work!

I am looking to buy.

[Mintyy]

Sorry, I mean house 1 is a really good price for the area. D'oh.

[OneStepCloser]

Hmm nearly £200,000 difference, not sure you'd need that much to get the first house up to an amazing standard. The first house house seems to have a bigger garden as well

[LaurieFairyCake]

I prefer the originality of the first house, nicer features.

The second house has been very well done IMO - building work is insanely expensive in that area and I think it probably would cost a lot to get that sort of 'look', not to mention the loft conversion and big kitchen side extension

If I had the money I surprise myself by going for house 2, even though I like the bigger garden and original features of the first house more.

But that's because I've recently done building work and I hate it.

[AgathaF]

House 1 has lots of potential, both in terms of doing up for yourself and for adding value. A lot of the work to be done looks cosmetic so wouldn't need to be done all at once. I much prefer the garden and the fact that it isn't really overlooked.

House 2 is nicer inside although your paying a lot extra for that. Has an extra bedroom if you need it and looks a little nicer from the front. I don't like the garden though, or the houses overlooking the garden to one side. Plus, you're paying a lot of money for someone else's taste in decor.

On balance I'd go for number 1 as long as it is in good structural condition.

[schmee]

I bet the owners of the second house spent at least £150 k getting it to that standard, and I'm not sure you could achieve the same effect with the first house. I couldn't find a floor plan for it, but it looks narrower and with a lower roof.

[LondonGirl83]

I cant see the layout of the first house but it will cost you a lot of money to transform the first house into the second house if thats your question. Have you visited these? Is the loft in the first house been converted already?

[SomethingAboutNothing]

The first house has a lot of potential and you could make it into your ideal home rather than moving in to someone else's ideal home. Plus it is a lot cheaper than house 2, so hopefully there would be opportunity to make more profit on it long-term.

[LondonGirl83]

Agree with schmee. It will take at least 150k to get house 1 to look like house 2-- trust me, I've recently done a major refurb and extension in SE London and it cost me a lot more than that and we had no structural issues just wiring, plumbing, flooring, kitchen bathrooms, re-landscaping, ground floor extension and loft conversion. The first house might not need as much as ours did but it won't come in substatially under 150k if you need to convert the loft for an extra bedroom.

Given how much hard work is involved in doing up a place, I would say the price differential is more than fair. If anything, house 1 may be somewhat over priced

[Tigerblue]

House 1 looks like it could be really homely if you don't mind doing the work. Also, if you don't mind doing the work as and when you can choose your own kitchen/bathroom and put your own stamp on it.

House 2 is stylish but hasn't been done to my taste, so I wouldn't be willing to pay the extra. Like the lounge though.

Don't know either area. House 2 doesn't look to be in a busy setting, but are you the sort of people who'd notice traffic passing the front and side of property?

Have you seen both houses? If so, putting aside what we all say, which one do you see yourself living in in say five years time.

[wowfudge]

House 1 you could do up as you want it - there's little scope to add value to House 2, if that is a consideration for you. House 1 has a bigger garden, but House 2 has an extra bedroom.

If you could get House 1 for a decent price it would be worth it - if there is nothing structurally wrong, it needs new windows, bathroom and kitchen and decor updating.

Personally I hate the kitchen in House 1 - looks like an echoy space with not a great deal of storage.

[MrsJohnDeere]

First house has a much bigger and nicer garden.

Second house obviously much nicer inside.

I'd want know more about which rooms adjoined the neighbours and how good the sound-proofing was based on bitter experience of having lived in a semi with neighbours from hell

I'd be inclined towards house 1 if you were happy to do all the work that would be needed. Can't believe the vendors didn't even tidy the kitchen for the photos!

[pinkdelight]

House 1 is a bargain for the area right now. A three-bed semi around there sold for over £500k recently and wasn't that great inside. If you could get House 1 for under 500k you'd be doing well and it's not like it's unliveable. You could do it up over time. House 2 isn't overpriced, but it depends on your budget. If it would be a big stretch, go for House 1. It would be a better investment. Definitely look at both though and see what the situation is. fwiw I've found Pedder to be good whereas Gales can be hard to reach - and they haven't bothered with a floorplan either. It's an odd choice of an EA for a decent property, which adds to the slight suspicion that House 1 may be too good to be true price-wise.

[HaveToWearHeels]

I would go for house one, house two is nice but very unsympathetic to the style of the house. I hate the block paving too. House one looks nicer form the outside, has a beautiful garden and has lots of potential. I would like to see a floor plan though.

[newpup]

House 1 looks like a gem to me. It is lovely looking from the outside and the garden is fantastic! It just needs updating and renovating, hard work and expensive but I think it would be a nicer house in the end.

[OwlCapone]

I would say you could easily turn House 1 into something like House 2, although I think the rooms may be bigger in house 2. Both have 70ft rear gardens.

[OwlCapone]

Ignore me - house 1 has. 70ft garde, house 2 47. I had the same details up two!!

[OwlCapone]

Twice. I had them up twice.

I can speak English, honestly.

[HelpMeGetOutOfHere]

I would buy house 1 if I had the money to put in new bathroom and kitchen. I don't like house 2 its pretty soulless and would still need things doing to get it to my taste.

[hedgetrimmer]

i prefer the first one although it would need doing up a bit,i love the garden!

Have to say,i live in the south east,by the sea,and i thought it was expensive by me,but you dont get much for your money in London do you?For that much i would want a detatched house with a huge garden!(like the one i currently rent,but would love to own one like this when we buy)

[iseenodust]

House 1 would be my preference. You can do as much work as you like. A garage is a plus. The garden appears to be much less overlooked (maybe because of that tree but it's far enough away from the house).

[Bumpsadaisie]

Agree that the garden of house 1 is nicer and not overlooked. However the rooms all look small and poky esp compared to the rooms in house 2 (although of course there is no floor plan - which begs the qu why?!)

You might be able to rearrange all the rooms/knock walls down but then you are looking at substantial expense, not just cosmetic updating..

If house one had good layout and nicely proportioned rooms Id go for that, but it looks like it doesn't ...

[vickibee]

House 2 is too clinical for me, I would go for the doer upper and put my own ideas into it. You can add value to it whereas no 2 is prob at top of its pricce

[OwlCapone]

The layout of those types of 1930s semis are generally all the same really. I grew up in one and now live in one and both have the same basic layout.

Room measurements are on the full details link.