Which house would you choose from these three?

[Flamingoose]

(Rental, not buying. If we were buying it would be different.)

Maybe I should ask which should WE go for? We're a family of 5: 2 adults, 3 kids aged between 9 - 15. DH and I both work a couple of days a week at home.

House 1: Stunning house in great location but absolutely tiny.
4 bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, sitting room, bathroom all on one level. That's it. No study, no second living space, no laundry room, nothing. It's like a little doll's house. But beautiful and right where we need to be.

House 2: Nice house, good size, I like it and we'd be comfortable. It's not a horrible location either - near some nice parks, shops, beach. But it's not where we need to be. Would make DH's commute quite long. Teenagers would probably need a lift to school (at the moment they bus or walk). Miles from friends. My 5 minute walk to work would become a 20 minute drive.

House 3: Bit of a shitty house but big enough and where we need to be. Crappy old kitchen. 20 yr old bathrooms.

(Or, I suppose, House 4: A nice house, big enough, in our location, but over budget).

House 3. We did the same then renovated when we had the money, but it was big enough to start with. If it's a good location you could make money if the figures add up for build cost v sales price when you next move

I'd go for house 3. This is not the time to go over budget on rent and look for house 4 or something else. House 1 being cold is a big negative. It won't look so lovely when it's filled with stuff and you are all squashed in one room trying to keep warm.

As a rental - I would go for house 3 and ask as someone else said if you can do some painting.

I lived for 3 years with a crappy old Kitchen but a few shelves up - hooks etc for pans bit of paint and after a while I just forgot about it. It isn't your house so you don't have to worry about massive renovations but I would make sure LL happy with you doing some cosmetic updates or point our some things to make the Kitchen more useable.

House 3. Would house 1 be beautiful if it was overcrowded?

Also, try a mindset shift. You are not looking for a house but instead a lifestyle that the house facilitates. I think we get in a pattern of trying to optimise decisions and this decision is currently framed as what house do you want? But in reality is really the lifestyle you are choosing that is more significant..... Especially for teens

Good decision not to go with a skint landlord, OP . It will be stressful for you because they will constantly be trying to avoid or put off repairs and probably sooner rather than later will have to sell because a big bill comes up that they can't afford. Eg a roof repair, new boiler

After your update for the love of god keep looking. Both remaining houses have skint landlords or landlords who don't care, not good options.

What do you mean by shitty? Clean and functional but dated or dilapidated? It's easy and cheap to clean up a patio, paint walls, paint kitchen cupboards etc and freshen it all up.
Definitely not house 1 now with your latest update.
Also, look at over budget and negotiate. They can only say no.

House 1 too. We live (bought 4 years ago at the grand old age of 45) in a 2 bed place with 2 DDs so they share.

It's cute. Its small. But as someone else said in here, I like living in a lovely area. It lifts my spirits.

It's walkable to school, their weekend jobs, town, friends, on the cusp of the Cotswold way so amazing walks.

Of course I would like to live in a bigger place with more space but we never could have afforded it here.

I've previously posted and said house 1 but your update makes it sound awful! Keep looking.

As you’re renting, I’d go for house 1. If it turns out to be too small, you can move again when the lease is up. If buying, I’d say no 3. You can change the bits that are crap, you can’t change size or location. Don’t go for 2. Having to drive yourself and kids everywhere would hugely chip into day to day quality of life, and that’s more important than anything.

Absolutely do not go for house 1 if the landlord isn't prepared to spend a penny, it's damp, its cold, it's too small!

I agree keep looking. Rentals come and go frequently.

House 3 or house 4 (keep looking). We have lived in lovely rentals and rubbish ones, and the rubbish ones usually have landlords who are happy for you to make small changes to the aesthetics like paint the walls/ kitchen cupboards etc. House 1 sounds awful with potential damp/ a stingy landlord. You need a landlord who will be happy to repair things when needed.

Update

House 4 (over budget) is not getting back to me. Just as well really because we can't really afford it.

Going to have a look at house 5. Well within budget and claims to be recently refurbed. 5 bedroom. Looks pretty in the pics. Looking on Google maps it might not have any outside space at all. Need to really work out if we can live without any garden. It's an 8 minute drive from where we currently are - further from schools but there's a school bus.

3 or 4. Could you put an offer in for house 4? You never know... I just think one sounds too small. On the other hand you could suck it and see if you are prepared to move again if it's not working out..

House 1. 4 bedrooms and 2 reception rooms isnt tiny surely? If its in the area you love, kids will be out more and more anyway. Is there a garden for a cabin/office?

Sorry - didn't see your update. I do think it's quite important not to actually hate where you live, so maybe house 5 will work better!

House 1. Only because the decor of House 3 would irritate me and affect my mood on a daily basis. (But if you’re not overly bothered then House 3)

I'd go for house 3. Deep clean it and add things that make it look nicer. Ask if you are allowed to redecorate if it's horribly dated. Put down big attractive rugs in living areas.

Or massively declutter and go for house 1. Set up a work area in the living space and another in your bedroom for any days when both of you are working from home

3 or 4 I reckon.

It might just be me but I don't think house 1 sounds tiny at all - 4 bedrooms and 2 reception rooms. Sounds perfects, location is great, everyone gets their own room. Is there any chance of creating a desk corner? Location really is everything!