What compromise did you make when you bought your house?

[Napqueen1234]

House hunting and interested to see where you compromised. We live in a city suburb so outside space is a premium. We have two young kids. Found a BEAUTIFUL huge house which is perfect but the garden is small. Can fit a seating area BBQ swing set and a bit of (fake currently) grass but certainly not kick a ball about levels. Close to parks though. Otherwise for similar price a slightly ugly house needing a lot of updating but an enormous long garden. DH likes planting veg but the first has an enormous drive which we wouldn’t need so could put planters down each side for vegetables (south facing) but the the back wouldn’t be super sunny. We currently have a tiny yard we use very little so I’ve never experienced a big garden. Is it a compromise you’d make? We like in NW so have loooong autumn winters inside anywayb

@Believehope you’re like me a sucker for a pretty house!!

@Napqueen1234 I will always choose a pretty house over a practical but plain one. I like to live in the nicest-looking house on the street

I really didn't like the kitchen or bathroom in our house but decided it was pretty much a cosmetic issue and they could be replaced. 10+ years on and still untouched.

Shared access driveways. Only a pain if the neighbour has inconsiderate visitors, which is reasonably rare. Fortunately, the neighbours are generally brilliant.

House with big garden. The other, whilst pretty, has sod all privacy in the small garden. Our garden is private, although you could make it private with fencing/planting. It’s tricky: do you spend lots of time outdoors? We do, we have dogs and we like eating outdoors when possible plus we have a hot tub. Our lockdown project was to re-do fencing and create another seating area.

I compromised on character.

Chose space & location & 16 years on I'm glad I did.

Yes I sometimes daydream about having a lovely cottage but right now I like having 4 good bedrooms, a double garage & drive etc. Maybe we'll downsize to a cute little cottage when the DC grow up & fly the nest!

Our house is completely rural, huge garden and over 100 years old. It’s perfect for us as we love doing work to the house and garden. The compromise however is that there is no pavement and once you get off our lane there is an A road so you can’t walk anywhere. We both drive so it’s not a huge issue but sometimes I wish I could just put the baby in the pram and go for a wander rather than have to take the car. Wouldn’t swap the house for anything though, it’s a small cross to bear.

Downstairs bathroom. Redecorating very much called for. Was worried at the time but now it is home!

We have two bedrooms and only one loo. Sacrificed the second loo for a big roof terrace. Oh and it's in a 'bad' part of London. We've never found our neighbours and local people anything but polite and lovely, but there is a fair amount of crime.

Still it kept the flat below £750k 🙄🙄 Fecking London.

I compromised on the road. I wanted the kids to be walking distance to the school and I like space, so now have a big detached victorian house. The road is busy, but I don't regret my decsion one bit. My living room is at the back, and usually I have the TV or radio on anyway, but it's actually not an issue. And if this house was in a quieter location I couldn't afford it.

We compromised on only 1 bathroom/toilet. We'd have liked one downstairs aswell but there's only 2 of us and don't have many visitors.

It ticked all the other boxes under budget, south facing garden, detached, 3 beds, drive way and decent location for the area.

None. I bought the house I'd always dreamed I'd live in smug much but it was the location I wanted most. I'd never compromise on location

We compromised by being 15 mins walk from the two large parks rather than 5 mins. We still have a small park with playground near though.
Didn't compromise on Edwardian 4 bedder, very quiet street, v near tube and buses (London) v near big supermarket to walk.
We have 55ft garden.

I have always wished we had a bigger garden or failing that, were v near the two lovely Big Parks, esp now we have dog.

With kids, parks and gardens beat bedrooms, decor and supermarkets!!!

That was 22 years ago and to this day I look jealously at the house we didn't buy, marooned from supermarket but near tube and big garden, big house and next to big park

Tbh though all the houses round here are period houses, but sometimes they are badly converted 30s. I could see past pvc windows now! But our house is lovely and kids are grown so we are over the worst...

Area. Found the house but in wrong area. Couldn't have afforded it in area I wanted. That was a very big compromise. Also it's a new build, its ok, but looking back I don't know. I'm not crazy about it and think the area issue is a bigger thing than I realised. But just couldn't find anything in my preferred location that I could afford

The garden is not quite as big as I would like. The bathrooms are small too. It’s the perfect detached 4 bed family house, in a great location. It’s the smallest garden on the street. Just the way the layout is but it’s southwest facing and a sun trap so not all bad. We will prob stay but the garden will alway bug me just a teeny bit.

Smaller bedrooms for the right location.

So far so good but the DC are only young right now.

The thing is, with a big garden you can build, extend how you like, change ugly house. But a beautiful house with tiny garden is doable, if you are someone that doesn't crave nature. Examine your habits. People are happy, have dogs and kids in flats with no garden. Usually end up with allotments but there you go!!

And even people with flats can crave nature and enjoy it, obviously. It is just that you have a "choice" here.

As gorgeous as the Edwardian house is the second one is a more sensible option.

The 30s house is spacious and lovely. Change the windows back and it could be as period as the Edwardian. Fantastic space and garden. Definitely preferable. Don't like the kitchen in Edwardian house either. Garden not only small but overlooked.

House 1 is also perfectly nice inside. You can put period features back in if you choose.

1930s house rather than Victoria. Everything else was perfect - but we gutted the inside and put an extension.

I would go for house over garden any time. I know we had a decent summer this year (thankfully) but usually we only get a few weeks outside.
We compromised on space, much smaller house to our previous one, took me years to get used to it and had to get rid of so much lovely furniture and belongings as there was just no room for it.

Our garden is tiny :( that was ours.

Still, this year has taught me any outdoors private space is a blessing.

We compromised on location, to get a larger house and land.

All I will say is never ever again will I allow my DH to put his land and storage needs first, I'd give anything to be in the location I wanted and would live in a shoebox over this beautiful house with acres. Which just makes me sound totally spoilt!