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Property/DIY

Ideal home in a less ideal area

35 replies

FunSpunge · 18/03/2017 19:11

We have seen a house that ticks 9 out of 10 boxes.
The one box it doesn't tick is the area. It is in a less desirable area but that is why we can afford it.

I have always told myself "you can change the house but not the location" which is why I haven't gone to view the house... what if I love the house but hate the area I don't want my heart to rule my head

The estate (very) near it has quite a lot of anti social behaviour/petty crime according the crime stats. The local school is under achieving/needs improvement according to RM. this REALLY puts me off even going to view.

Would you compromise on location? General opinion has always been a resounding no which then makes me
Worry about resale-ability.

OP posts:

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Quodlibet · 18/03/2017 19:16

I made that compromise and I actually love my local neighbourhood. It's a bit scruffier than other areas yes, but very friendly and the neighbours are great. Plus it's rapidly improving.

We've ended up with a flat we were able to extend from 2 to 4 beds and so are now not in any danger of outgrowing it and won't have to move again (in London, so the jump up from flat to house would have been very hard to achieve). So taking a gamble on the area has definitely worked out well for us.

PurpleDaisies · 18/03/2017 19:21

I would compromise to some extent but I wouldn't move to an area where I would feel unsafe. The high antisocial behaviour/petty crime would be a deal breaker for me.

Could you drive around at a few different times of day (including a weekend night when it might be worst) and see what it's like?

ScoobyDoosTinklyLaugh · 18/03/2017 19:55

I wouldn't go off crime stats - I'd go for a little wander round at night and see if you feel safe, paying particular attention to what's going on in and around the shops, pubs and park(s).

My child is too small for me to properly worried about schools so I don't feel qualified to talk about schools but I'd be erring on an 'inadequate' ofsted school being okay but not if it was really rough.

FunSpunge · 18/03/2017 22:56

We could have a drive on an evening and see who's hanging about, it may just be kids but sometimes it can be the kids who cause the most (anti-social) problems

The potential house is on the far right of the photo, the estate, as you can see is to the left of the fields

Ideal home in a less ideal area

OP posts:

Elvisrocks · 18/03/2017 23:00

My criteria for buying a house was that I had to feel safe walking from the station to my house at midnight. If you don't feel safe, don't buy. The school thing would worry me too. We compromised by getting a smaller house in an excellent location and I don't regret the decision at all.

JoJoSM2 · 19/03/2017 00:16

Personally, I wouldn't buy on an estate like the one you've described. I wouldn't want to live somewhere so rough. Is there an area that's 'good enough' where you could afford what you want?

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 19/03/2017 00:23

Crime stats can be very misleading. I compared my area, very close to 2 notorious council estates and white built up, to my parents, a quiet expensive village and the antisocial and violent create stats are about the same. Surprising the theft stats are higher in my parents village. Possibly those in the nicer area report crime more?? Or it's targeted more because it's well off? Who knows. Just saying that you can't always rely on them as a jugde of an area.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 19/03/2017 00:24

Quite built up, not white.

FunSpunge · 20/03/2017 11:37

@JoJoSM2 yes probably, if something were to come on the market, it's just a waiting game as we are something a bit more rural. Rural properties don't come on the market as often. I know the areas I want to live but no one seems to want to move from those areas - which then proves to me that they're obviously a nice place to live
If no one wants to leave

It's hard waiting for, seemingly, nothing

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JoJoSM2 · 20/03/2017 12:24

I can see how waiting can be a pain but it's probably preferable to moving to dodgy estate... Good luck!

felinewonderful · 21/03/2017 11:53

We have lived in an "undesirable area" in a bigger house than the one we now own. If I didn't have dcs I would have found it perfectly ok, the neighbours on our estate were nice but the school was not very good and I didn't want my dcs hanging around rough areas/parks etc where crime rates are quite high. We moved to a better area and although our house is smaller, we are all much happier.

PJBanana · 21/03/2017 12:57

Hugely depends on what your idea of a 'rough area' is. I agree with PP who suggest having a look around the area at night.

We moved from the roughest part of our town to an area that is considered 'naice'.

We've had more trouble in our new home than we ever had in our old one. Seriously. Sometimes a 'rough' reputation means fuck all. I can't count the amount of times I've told DP I wish we could go back to our old 2 up 2 down terrace in the worst part of the town!

It all depends how YOU feel, not how other people feel about the area.

namechangedtoday15 · 21/03/2017 13:57

Would I compromise on location? No, never. For me, I would be concerned predominantly with my children's safety if I wasn't 100% sure about the area, and then worried about their education if the local schools were poor. And then I'd worry about what a poor investment it could turn out to be if I was unable to sell it later in life.

I would (and did) buy a smaller house with extension potential in my perfect area. I absolutely agree that you can change the house but you can never change the area.

EssentialHummus · 21/03/2017 14:02

Hmm. I wouldn't compromise on schools, ever, so I'd consider what the local one is really like. We did however consider a great house in a dodgier area with automatic admission to a great school.

trixymalixy · 21/03/2017 14:08

I bought an ideal house in a less than ideal location. It was a mistake. We have recently moved to a smaller house that is in a better catchment for schools and it's all been very stressful and expensive.

highinthesky · 21/03/2017 14:14

If you hate the location as stated, then forget it.

For most of us, buying a home is the most exepnsive purchase we make in life. Why invest in something that ends up getting you down every day? Thats not the life I'd choose.

If you compromise on anything, I suggest its the size of the property - as long as there is the potential to develop over time and you are willing to put the effort into it.

FunSpunge · 21/03/2017 15:26

Thank you for all your replies.

If a friend of mine were in this position I would be saying don't compromise on location. So why I keep looking at the house is beyond me.

Clutching at straws I guess

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FunSpunge · 21/03/2017 15:31

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65034674.html

If anyone wants to be nosey or say anything to put me off it feel free

Aside from the fact that I recently found out there is a bail hostel nearby

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FormerlyFrikadela01 · 21/03/2017 17:24

Hmmm. I totally get why you love the house. Is the bail hostel on the estate?

Have you viewed it? Or driven past? It's in an enviable location if it weren't for the estate.

Bluntness100 · 21/03/2017 17:28

That's a beautiful house. It has to be said. Sorry op. I don't know the area so can't comment on that. The house is joever gorgeous

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 21/03/2017 17:32

Ah i see you have driven past. The estate is quite a small estate to be fair.

Riderontheswarm · 21/03/2017 17:40

Wow! That is one of the loveliest houses I've seen advertised recently and I'm always on right move. I think you should definitely check it out. It's location looks beautiful. You should go and walk around and see if the estate is that close and what sort of atmosphere the estate has. Plenty are fine. I would have to check it out if I were you. It really looks like a dream.

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felinewonderful · 21/03/2017 18:30

That's beautiful, is it really in that rough an area?!

FunSpunge · 21/03/2017 18:30

You're comments were supposed to put me off it not agree with me

We have driven round a bit of the estate and it's not the nicest of estates. It was through the day though, midweek, and not many people around so hard to gauge.

That house anywhere else would be £550k plus... which we can't afford

I'm fed up of looking at it and wishing it was somewhere else (at the same price)

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FunSpunge · 21/03/2017 18:51

@FormerlyFrikadela01 the bail hostel is, I think, on the road that runs along the bottom of the field in front of the house.

From what Ive read online, the exact location of bail hostels are not in the public domain but I read a newspaper report saying that it was opened back in 2010 and none of the people on the estate knew it had been granted permission to open and were furious when they found out

Can't seem to find out if it's still open though but I assume it is and that explains the high crime stats on that street

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