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Original poster

Help me and DH choose which property to make an offer on!

63 replies

TornLikeNatalieImbruglia · 22/10/2018 21:08

DH and I are trying to find a new place to live as we’re currently in a crappy 1-bed flat in East London which we are fed up with for too many reasons to list and we want to start a family.

We’re looking at Leigh on Sea in Essex as it’s a really lovely little town, not too far from our families, good schools and good transport links to London for work.

Our budget isn’t great- £250k at the most as I’m on a FTC so lenders won’t use my salary for a mortgage application so we’re going on DHs alone.

We’ve viewed God knows how many places over the last few weeks and have identified two front runners-

The Maisonette

£250k
629 sq. ft.

Pros:

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Really nicely set out and decorated if you ignore the tacky crap like the glittery toilet seat so wouldn’t really need anything doing to it
  • Lovely little private garden which would need minimal maintenance
  • Off-road parking round the back
  • 15 minutes walk to train station
  • Share of freehold, no ground rent or service charge

Cons:

  • It’s a maisonette, so it comes with downstairs neighbours and all the potential problems that could entail
  • There’s fuck all storage- a tiny little built in shed under the outside steps and a very shallow cupboard. No loft as it's a flat roof.
  • There’s nowhere to eat- no dining area or any real space for one or even a table, presumably the current owners eat off their laps
  • The wall in the living room has been built to frame a tv that’s 4x the size of ours so we’d have to deal with that
  • It’s on a busy main road

The House

£240k
575 sq. ft.

Pros:

  • It’s an actual house.
  • Tonnes of storage- attic, cupboard under the stairs, airing/boiler cupboard, a shed in the garden and a garage
  • Nice little garden, has a fish pond with apparently some pretty expensive fish in it
  • On a quiet cul-de-sac, no through traffic
  • 5 minutes walk from one of my best friends’ house (although that’s more of a pro for me than DH!)
  • It’s £10k cheaper than the maisonette and the vendor said he’d be prepared to wiggle a bit on the price because...

Cons

  • The garden is a bit of a state because the vendor has two dogs which just tear it up, and the patio is very uneven and would probably need to be re-laid
  • It’s got a good 20 years of wear and tear and would need redecorating
  • The bedrooms are pretty small, not room for much more than a bed and a wardrobe in either
  • Internal bathroom with no windows which could mean damp issues
  • Current owner has drilled through the wall to run a power cable to the shed where he has the tumble drier (!) which would have me worried about spiders and other creepy crawlies
  • 25 minute walk to the train station

Realistically, we’re only going to live in our next home for maybe 4 years max, to allow time for me to get a permanent job and get a few periods of mat leave out of the way and then hopefully we can get somewhere better using both our salaries.

OP posts:
Original poster
TornLikeNatalieImbruglia · 22/10/2018 21:12

So, help me wise women of Mumsnet! Any thoughts?

OP posts:
SushiMonster · 22/10/2018 21:13

Are you both commuting by train every day?

If so a 25 min walk 2x a day plus whatever the other side in London is a fair amount. Be better if you biked to the train.

I prefer the actual house, the layout is nicer. But it is pretty small.

Do you need 3 beds? How many children do you have?

Ffsnosexallowed · 22/10/2018 21:16

No advice unfortunately, but are you being serious about being worried about spiders???? Unless you're going to live in some sort of sealed unit then spiders etc are just part of life

Motionoftheoceon · 22/10/2018 21:16

I would go for the house. Even if you only plan to stay for a few years, houses will always hold a more stable value if the market changes.

You can always redecorate, you can't add in storage where there isn't space.

Share of the freehold, can be a great thing, but can also be a share of all the problems depending upon the condition of the building and how easy going the other owners are.

Valkarie · 22/10/2018 21:17

As you hope to move relatively soon then I would go for the one you can add most value. From what you have said, that sounds like the house. If the mortgage is based on only one salary you should have some left over to do the necessary work. Make sure you are careful not to overspend. The second bedroom is a double, do you should be fine to fit a couple of kids in.

GrowThroughWhatYouGoThrough · 22/10/2018 21:18

Number 2

SecretWitch · 22/10/2018 21:20

I like them both! Any thoughts about the three bedroom versus two? I liked the house because of the flooring. Not a fan of carpeting. The house also seemed to be a bit more charming. I didn’t think the home garden was terrible, a bit of a clean up and planting would freshen things up. I wonder if you could use the extra money saved on the house to do the repairs you want?

Original poster
TornLikeNatalieImbruglia · 22/10/2018 21:20

Worry about spiders wouldn’t genuinely stop me making an offer, but it might make me like living there less!

I do cycle so would probably bike to/from the station, but the longer walk doesn’t put me off as much as DH, who does not cycle.

We don’t have any kids yet.

OP posts:
Mari50 · 22/10/2018 21:21

House.
Personally I’d not touch a property with a flat roof but that might just be a prejudice I’ve inherited from my parents for no good reason (insurers obviously aren’t keen either as it’s a question when getting b&c’s insurance)

BiscuitDrama · 22/10/2018 21:23

I haven’t looked at the details but would you be able to fill the hole around the cable?

Original poster
TornLikeNatalieImbruglia · 22/10/2018 21:23

The third bedroom would be great if we ever want people to stay over once we have DC, but with the lack of storage it would probably just become a dumping ground for all the stuff we can’t put anywhere else! There’s no pics of the third room online but it’s currently used as a walk-in wardrobe/vanity.

OP posts:
UnRavellingFast · 22/10/2018 21:23

The house. It will hold value better and prices will be u stable during brexit. Trying to sell on, ppl will reject maisonettes for same reasons- neighbours, sharing freehold, lack of storage and very importantly, nowhere to eat. You can fill up the hole with the cable and garden can be sorted very easily. More house for money, more room to increase value and more room generally. It’s win win imo.

mintyfresh00 · 22/10/2018 21:23

Hi OP, I know nothing about buying houses but I am from Leigh on sea.

The maisonette, despite being near a busy road, is in a really nice area- just minutes from massive 'Leigh' houses and the sea front.

The house is in a bit of a shabby area and, more importantly, is right next to 2 massive schools and you will be absolutely saturated with school kids twice a day. Obviously it's not the end of the world but personally I would hate it.

If you have any questions about the area I'd be happy to help.

SushiMonster · 22/10/2018 21:23

Are you worried about the spiders in the home through the hole, or in the shed when you tumble dry?

Because the former just squirt some expanding foam into the hole.

The second, get a combo washer dryer in the house.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 22/10/2018 21:24

House. it's always going to hold its value better than a flat on a main road, unless the house is in a bad area or something?

QueenDoria · 22/10/2018 21:25

I prefer the masionette. You could make the second bed a dining room. Nearer the station etc. I really like it.

Original poster
TornLikeNatalieImbruglia · 22/10/2018 21:26

@mintyfresh00 I know, the maisonette is right on the edge of the Marine estate which is meant to be the nice end of town (although it’s a bloody long walk from the town itself!)

I don’t think proximity to the Westcliff schools wouldn’t bother me that much, I’d be at work during kicking out time (unless on mat leave).

OP posts:
FunSponges · 22/10/2018 21:26

The house. Just looks nicer, no downstairs neighbours, not leasehold, decor and garden aren't bad at all and the bedrooms look fine.

faeriequeen · 22/10/2018 21:27

House every time. Never the flat!

justaweeone · 22/10/2018 21:29

I'd choose the house

GreenTurtle1 · 22/10/2018 21:30

House for reasons mentioned above. Although both look lovely

mintyfresh00 · 22/10/2018 21:31

Fair enough OP. If being somewhere 'naice' and having lovely walks and easy shops around you is important, 100% go the maisonette.

I grew up about 5 min walk away from the house and wouldn't move back there in a hurry, just a heads up.

(MAISONETTE, MAISONETTE, MAISONETTE GrinGrin)

cece · 22/10/2018 21:33

House
I wouldn't want to live on a busy A road if I had a choice.

nocoolnamesleft · 22/10/2018 21:33

Do you already have any children? I'd sooner remove my own appendix without anaesthetic than move somewhere with a pond if I had young kids. How easy would it be to fill in?

PickAChew · 22/10/2018 21:34

The layout of that flat is bonkers. I reckon walls have been moved to cram in that tiny third bedroom.

Agree about not wNting to touch a flat roof and, since you're not planning on staying forever, the house would probably be easier to sell on.