Which house?

[Testarossa1]

Posted in property, but reposting here for traffic.

House hunting at the moment. Torn between 2 properties. Both within budget. First is in a town location, great for shops, transport etc, absolutely beautiful inside, doesn't need anything doing to it, could literally move in and start living. downside flats over looking the back garden and very slightly upstairs rooms, and some noise from town and traffic. Property 2 is older, bigger rooms, needs updating right through. needs new kitchen and bathroom, but liveable condition to start with. Quiet residential street, back garden over looks open country. Nothing nearby though, everything would involve getting in the car for, no local transport. So torn about which one would be better. I love the town house but wary about the location, and love the 2nd house, but further from town, and we've never done renovating on that scale! Why is house hunting so hard???!!!?

Do you need handy access? Do you regularly socialise? Do you miss people and traffic and pubs? Do you have kids?

So many unanswerables.

I agree with poster above. Having kids/commit to work etc will change everything. Do you plan on expanding your family soon?

For me the first one sounds best (but I'm a city dweller and being overlooked is par for the course for me). Also as much as I also harbour dreams of doing up a house, I really just want the finished product immediately and I know how much stress and money it takes. Do you have a builder pal you could get a rough estimate for the work needed? If it's a full reno it could be £60k over he next few years but then again it'll truly be your own.

No kids, not regulars at the pub, or regular entertainers. We tend to spend our free time out and about visiting places or walking. Where we live at the mo is on a residential estate, pretty quiet. Which is why I'm hesitant about a house in a more central location. We have to drive to shops etc at the moment, so the idea of being able to walk is appealing. Just not sure I can get past having more noise! House 2 is a daunting project, but would be nice to be able to put our own stamp on a place.

I would go with house 1

Well, as the 2nd house is live-able & you sound like you love the 2nd house more, Id go for that one. You can slowly do it up, as money allows<img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Smile" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/smile-iCO8d7ST.png"> Have you got children?? Are you planning on having children?? Its just that with no or very limited public transport, it may be well to look towards the future too, but you could always taxi them around-I live with lots of public transport available, but still have to play taxi driver to my youngest DD

House 1. Couldn’t bear to have to drive for everything.

House 1 for me too

House 3, you just haven't found it yet.

Of these two, then, house two.

Your currently have to drive. So no change.

Town noise and lack of privaxy would be horrible for me.

Could there be a third house out there for you?

Worth bearing in mind that open country may get built on in the future

I second the it's likely the country Is going to be built on. First House sounds fine if you can deal with the overlooking

Are you planning kids? If so what is there for mums and babies? What are the schools like? What's the wrap around care like? Can other people's kids get to the house easily?
House 1 sounds good. There's a lot to be said for just living.

No kids planned, just me and dp! The living room is at the front of the first house and where we'd spend most of our time. My dp really likes it. I could make voile nets to put up at the windows at the back, so people in the flats can't see in. Current owners have created decking at the bottom of the garden where the flats actually can't see. To be fair the flats are at a right angle to the house, not directly opposite and no balconies.

Not consider that country view could get built on. And still nervous about how much renovating will cost. Think we need. A 2nd viewing on both properties.

Thanks fit the advice!

Well, we've had a good chat this afternoon, and decided neither properties are quite 'right' so we're going to keep looking. We're not in the position of having to move or need to, so can wait for the right house to come along.

Your house is out there!

We viewed another house yesterday, and have put an offer in! It's not perfect, but we can change stuff over time, nothing needs doing urgently. It's on a quiet residential street, park just up the road. Backs onto a primary school, (school car park) so will be a bit of school traffic, and noise during school hours, but quiet otherwise. Fingers crossed.