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Which house would you choose?

9 replies

CrapBag · 11/04/2014 21:49

It looks like our house may have sold so now we have a dilemma. Which house would you choose?

House 1:- next door to close relatives, I said years ago I'd love to buy this house one day. Lady approached us last year and we (verbally) agreed to it. Price is a bargain, we'd never ever get a house this size with a huge garden for this price. However,it needs completely doing up and the gardens are a mess as well. Lady is looking for somewhere to buy and I don't know how long this will take her as she has been looking for a while and hasn't found anything, but she did say before she would be looking to move at around this time. Will have the money and space to get at least a single storey extension on the side. 2 miles away from school.

House 2:- near kids primary school, when they have left they will not be going to the comp here so it's only a bonus to be closer to school whilst they are in primary. But its close to other activity that DH and DCs do and their friends. Me and DH really like the house,it is more expensive than house 1 but within our budget. Done up well, we'd just need to repaint walls and put carpets (a lot of wooden flooring which I don't like). Front and back gardens done nice and would only need a pond getting rid of. Vendor wants quick sale as they have somewhere to go and their previous sale has just fallen through.

I have no idea whether to wait for the first one or go for the second one!! WWYD?

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miramar · 11/04/2014 21:54

Did you post this recently? It's very familiar.

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HauntedNoddyCar · 11/04/2014 22:00

Second. #1 is no further forward than it was months ago.

A bird in the hand and all that.

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CrapBag · 11/04/2014 22:03

I think so, but then I hadn't actually viewed any other houses so it was house 1 or look around. I have looked at 13 other houses so far and there is only house 2 that we have liked and ours hadn't sold so it does seem an immediate decision we have to make.

I was also wary about house 1 because the lady's partner was selling his house too and I didn't see how he was going to sell his, we sell ours and she find somewhere all at the same time. I had basically given up on it, but it looks like we have a buyer and lady's partners house sold this week so it could actually work.

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enriquetheringbearinglizard · 12/04/2014 10:21

I'd want house1, but would need to speak to the vendor to be realistic about it all coming together like it needs to.
Could she and partner not move to rented? Are they looking to buy together?

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CrapBag · 12/04/2014 11:59

It is her and partner buying together and she won't go into rented. I have spoken about my concerns with it all coming together and she just says they are looking and will let us know when they find something.

I know she is genuine and definite on this, she has even told the neighbours the other side that we are buying it. I just don't like the uncertainty of how long she is going to take to find somewhere. I know her budget and areas she is looking at and the criteria and it is a tough one to fill for their budget and the more expensive areas they are looking which is why we are concerned. Frustrating for us though as it would be a great house for us for a ridiculously low price. But I am a worrier which doesn't help at all.

Would love some more views so I could see what others would do. Me and DH are both so torn so he is no help either Grin.

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enriquetheringbearinglizard · 12/04/2014 22:43

Well that sounds a bit too vague to me and as though she thinks you'll just wait on for however long it takes them.
I wouldn't be happy with that myself. I'd feel as though the only way I was likely to secure her house would be if I was willing to move into rented while she and her partner keep looking and personally I wouldn't do that.

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CrapBag · 13/04/2014 12:56

No, we definitely aren't willing to go into rented. It would cost us far more than we are paying in our current house plus we'd need a minimum 6 month contract and if something happened in the meantime, we would have to pay to get out of it.

I do think she thinks we are willing to wait for them, I have hinted to her as much but I don't think she really got it. In my last message to her, I did say that whilst her house is our first choice, we need to move and we are going to have to think about looking elsewhere. This is when she said about her DPs house having viewings that week (then it sold about 3 days later) and she was viewing other houses although I haven't heard back how that went.

Another issue now is her elderly mother (who she is a carer for) is very poorly. She went into hospital and was suppose to come home last week but she couldn't because of certain issues so I am wondering if she is able to come home at all. I can't imagine moving is high on her priority list, should the worst happen.

I just keep thinking that we will cut our losses and go elsewhere then she will find somewhere and be ready and we have missed our chance.

I am no good with big decisions Grin. Far too indecisive.

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BackforGood · 13/04/2014 13:06

I think the 'next door to close relatives' would be quite a big factor - is this a good thing, or a bad thing ? Grin
Depending on if this is something you feel would be a real bonus or if you are thinking despite being next door to them - I think that's probably the biggest factor in the decision.
I'd generally go for the biggest house, (or the one that you say you could never normally afford), but the 'next door to' would be seen as great for some people and their idea of hell for others.
I think you would be perfectly reasonable to say to the vendors though that you can't wait any longer or you will lose your buyer, so either can you formally get it in writing that you need to be in by {say} September, or you are no longer interested, as you have also seen a very viable option elsewhere, and don't want to lose that opportunity if this is just going to drag on and on.
Surely it's easier for her to move in - either with partner or a friend or to rented accommodation, than for you, as a family so to do.

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CrapBag · 13/04/2014 13:24

The next door to relatives (these ones) is a good thing, definitely. Grin

I like the idea of a time limit and if it comes to it I will have to issue this. Only problem is house 2 will have gone by then (I know other people are viewing it and it is a nice house so don't anticipate it hanging around on the market).

She won't go somewhere else in the meantime. They are suppose to be fitting a hoist for her mum (although this may not happen now) and her mum doesn't want to move twice. Her grown up DD lives with her and won't move twice (and the vendor seems to listen and run around after her DD a lot). I did originally suggest she moves in with her DP in the meantime and sell one house at a time (because its something that she vaguely suggested herself) and she said her mum and DD wouldn't want to go there and now his has sold that's not an option anyway.

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