WWYD - house dilemma

[iloveACK]

I have seen a house I love in an amazing area but it is at the top of our budget & needs completely redone (absolutely everything). Financially it will be tight to do everything we want, but will be amazing when finished. I've also seen a house I really like in a good area, just a bit bigger than we have currently but plenty of space for the next few years & doesn't need much work & is less expensive. Financially, things wouldn't be so tight & it does have a better school catchment but I'd be looking for something better again in a few years time (with resulting stamp duty etc). WWYD - have things more comfortable financially & move again in a few years or go for your dream house and accept no holidays, less money all round (I appreciate that people are in dire financial straits & therefore I know we are lucky, but I would be interested in the opinion of others).

Having been caught out before I would go with which ever house did not feel like a financial squeeze, you can always move up the ladder but finding your finances squeezed due to unforeseen circumstances can lead to a very unhappy future.

Top of your budget - but learn to live with it for a bit while you save up a bit to do the reno stuff. Also, it pays to live in a place first to get the most out of a reno.

Thanks Hell, that's my concern but to move again will also cost a lot with stamp duty etc & I wanted this to be our last move.

That's it Chipping re moving in - it needs absolutely everything doing but is liveable, so I'd like to live there first & then properly plan what we want & can afford. The school catchment isn't so good, but it's not bad either - decent as opposed to a great state school, but the other house is in the catchment of the great state school so I'm not sure if my heart is ruling my head really!

We bought a house at the top of our budget with little none left over to do it up with but we don't care! It's our forever home, we adore it and we can live with dodgy carpets for a bit. We've got the rest of our lives to get it ship shape!

Thanks You - thats how I feel but my DH is being more realistic about it & doesn't love it like I do so his head is ruling at the minute!

I think life is too short to be held prisoner to a house. Hope you are happy in whatever choice you make. x

Apply for the better school anyway, there's nothing at all to say you will get in the catchment school. My friends DS just missed out on a place - they live 250m from the school gate!

2x stamp duty in a few years is madness if it can be avoided - much better to spend that on some reno!

Good point Sparkina & thanks again Chipping - true about catchments!

Thanks all. This has helped as I think I want to go for it as everytime anyone points out the negative, I feel the need to defend it rather than accept it as a good point iyswim

Just need to convince DH - think he's half there, but not quite!

Just find his weak spot - bigger garden/better place for a bigger TV/study/garage/workshop - there will be something :)

I've just read him the responses so will keep you posted!

Please do :)

Put an offer in on the more expensive one today Chipping, so we shall see . It's quite a bit below the asking price (10% below) but we may get lucky! We have scope to offer more, but our max is 5% below asking price so it depends on what they're expecting (& also that we get a certain amount for our own house!)

10% isn't a lot below asking - not these days!

Fingers crossed!!!

Have you had any interest on your house? (Is it even on the market?)

Not on market yet - putting it on next week with same estate agents as the one we hope to buy so hopefully incentive to sell will be greater. We are in a desirable area & houses like ours seem to sell easily enough so hopefully we'll be ok

I agree 10% isn't much below but it does seem a lot because of value of house & the road it's on. I'm hoping the vendors will like us as we're a similar family to them when they originally bought the house (over 40 years ago) with children going to the same school etc!! Keep fingers crossed!

Hi Chipping, if you're still interested, our first offer has been rejected so bit of a waiting game at the minute & then likely we will increase our offer! Fingers still crossed!

Yes - it's a good incentive for them to market your house well if you are also buying through them!! Fingers crossed it sells quickly!!

Oh bugger!! Bide your time... and they might come back to you!! It's hard to be patient and play the long game when you really, really want it, isn't it!!

Toes crossed!

We increased our offer Chipping to within 6% of asking price & they've accepted . Just need to get ours sold now - they've taken the photos but we need the energy performance cert before they can start to market it.

The estate agent seems good though & plenty of incentive to get ours sold so I'm hopeful (still keep your toes crossed!).

Toes & Fingers both crossed yours sells quickly & for a good price!!! How long will the certificate take to get?

Thank you! Apparently we'll have the certificate this week - just takes an hour for the guy to come & do it & think he can fit us in on Tues.

Oh great :) Not long then.... are they putting it on Right Move?

They will once we get the EPC as not allowed before then. I think they've been telling ones they think will be interested as had a few 'drive bys' yesterday & they told us they'd let potential buyers know once we'd agreed to go with them (so assume this is what they've done).

Hey Chipping, we've had 5 viewings since it went on the market on Wednesday so we'll see tomorrow what kind of feedback we've had

Oh how exciting!!

I hope you get at least one offer out of that lot!!

Fingers & toes crossed for you!