Should we buy this house?

[JellyBellies]

We are first time buyers. Looking for a four bedroom house in the catchment of a certain secondary school. Found a 3 bedroom that we like.

Plus points
Good location with good schools
Walkable to a nice city centre
Has been extended to add a family room and downstairs shower room
Had a garage that can be converted into a bedroom
Ticks all other requirements

Minus points
The upstairs is old and dated.
2 bedrooms are not as big as I would like but one will be a study anyway.
We will have to convert the garage to get the 4th
Top.of our price bracket.

Have been looking for 3 months. Not in a hurry. Should we buy it?

[wowfudge]

Can you afford the work, are you likely to get planning permission to convert the garage and will everything you'd like to do to the house add value? The last bit is less important if you plan to live there for more than a few years.

Tbh - if you are asking here there's too much putting you off from buying. Don't get strangers on an Internet forum to persuade: do what feels right for you.

[JellyBellies]

Hi. Thanks! I'm asking because out of all the houses we have seen we keep coming back to this one.
Can probably afford it. No idea how much it will cost. Garage is in good shape and attched to the house. We can live with 3 bedrooms for now. Fourth would be the guest bedroom.

I love the layout of the downstairs. And the garden. There is carport so lot of storage.

Aaah. I don't know!

[JT05]

I agree with the sentiment of not letting strangers persuade you, but location can be very important, especially in a school catchment area.

Can you extend in the future? My DS & DIL bought their ideal house in the location they wanted, but it had too few bedrooms. Although it has loads of extension possibilities.

[JellyBellies]

It has an unused loft so I think it can be extended. The location is what is persuading me. Walking distance to a very good primary. Very close to the secondary I want. The 4 beds that are coming up are in the fringes of the catchment and in more villagey areas. Which may be good too. But they are over our self imposed budget. And are around 50k more.

[situatedknowledge]

One of our neighbours is currently converting their integral garage. The quotes they got varied from 8k to 40k (SW London). We intend to do the same later this year.

[JellyBellies]

I think what is making me hesitate is that it is not perfect. I like perfect!
But my head is saying that we can move in and tweak it.

[situatedknowledge]

If you will be able to afford to do the garage in the future, and given the location, I'd go for it.

[NattyTile]

Dated is easy to fix. Garage conversion you'd need to check likelihood of planning permission.

It's a self imposed budget. Go and look at something which ticks all your boxes but which costs more whilst still being affordable. Then come back to this house and weigh up whether smaller mortgage is more or less important than something better from the start but more to pay out each month.

[brodchengretchen]

If you're not in a hurry, wait. Three months is a short time to be house hunting, and if it were me I wouldn't settle for second best unless I really had to. Your money could be tied up for a long time in a property that frustrates you if you are too hasty.

[JellyBellies]

Good point NattyTile. Will do that. The other houses are not great location wise. In the fringes like I said. And greater distance from the secondary school which uses distance as a tie breaker. It is, however, a massive secondary and covers a large area.

Hmm, I'm almost talking myself into it!

[Routenationale]

It sounds good. The risk of waiting is of course that this will go and nothing so nice come on the market again. The guest bedroom downstairs would be fine, and you could also use it as a second living room or playroom.

[Catsgowoof]

Does your perfect house exist? Ie are there any 4 bed houses near school? If so, maybe wait for one to come up, if not then you'll have to compromise

[oldestmumaintheworld]

Could you map out the area that you are interested in ie catchment for schools etc and then walk round and look at all the roads. As a previous poster said are there any four bedroom houses that you would want to buy in the area you need? If not, then go with the one you've found. If there are how about leafleting the ones you like the look of and asking if they are interested in selling.

We did this and then realised that the area we wanted for a particular school only had 27 streets in it and settled for what we could get in our price range.

[50ShadesOfEarlGrey]

I think this has potential. Although I would say think hard before loosing the garage, we don't currently have one and it's really tough to keep garden and cupboards clear, with all the bikes, canoe, DIY, car, gardening equipment and general accumulation of stuff although you may well be much tidier than me! Would a sofa bed in the family room work as 4th bedroom? Making an assumption here that it's only an occasional requirement. I think I would see if any other houses in the road have a loft conversion for additional bedroom space. Good luck with your house hunting/purchase.

[50ShadesOfEarlGrey]

The bit about loft conversion is only so that you know that if others have done it you are likely to be able to - I'm not suggesting you send stroppy teenager or visiting friends to lodge in someone's converted attic because they have more bedroom space than you!

[Donatellalymanmoss]

If the location is great and the things you don't like can be changed then go for it.

The advice to take a good walk round your preferred location is very good advice though, that way you will get an idea about whether you'll be waiting for something that actually exists.

[JellyBellies]

Thanks everyone! Its good point about are there other 4 beds on the area. I have seem all the ones that came on but either there is something else we don't like or they 70k more.
I know we can go higher both of us would like some money left over each month so that we are not stretched to the maximum.

Not worried about losing the garage as there is also a sheltered carport to store bikes, etc. It's bigger than the garage!