What would you do in our position?

[Weightloss12]

Hi, we’re a family of 5. Me and my fiancee currently share a room with our almost 3 year old daughter, we bought a 3 bedroom terraced house in January, our son has the box room, and our autistic 5 year old daughter has her own room, we’re thinking ahead to how we could make it work bedroom wise, our loft isn’t an option, and splitting the rooms would mean splitting a window, and unsure if it would be safe fire regs wise. We can’t put our 3 year old in with our 5 year old because she isn’t safe to be left unsupervised. WWYD?

this 100%

They got their 3 bedroom at a low price because family sold it to them and they’d be able to sell on for profit. Profit could be used for a bigger house or extension.

OP, can I ask why loft isn’t an option? Is it a money thing or are you in a listed building?

also, if you don’t mind divulging, how much did you pay and what is the house actually worth now?

So without giving away my postcode we bought it for £140,000 worth around £220,000 East Midlands. Fully renovated 2 year old kitchen, and brand new bathroom, so not fully half but a good chunk cheaper than it should have been

What's the layout downstairs?

I’m not gonna lie I don’t have the slightest idea how mortgages really work, I asked for as little information as possible at the time because it was stressing me out, OH pretty much dealt with the whole thing, can you actually sell a house having only owned it for 6 months? My friend says they can’t sell untill they renew there mortgage next year?

You can sell it as soon as you like. most mortgage lenders in the UK will not offer a mortgage to a buyer if the seller has owned the property for less than six months, but you should be ok now as it’s been over.

You need all the info, how many years did you fix for? What was your max affordability?

If you fixed for 5 years and you sell now you’ll be paying a huge early repayment charge for example, and if your max affordability is say £150k then you’re not actually going to be able to get a mortgage on a bigger house anyway.

Excuse my horrendous drawing

Not the point of the thread @Weightloss12 but this really isn’t a good position to be in.

You need to improve your financial literacy… if you own the house with your husband then half of the debt is yours. You should know the basics of how that debt is serviced. And you should be able to navigate the finance being taken out in your name to protect yourself.

What's the playroom like? could it be a bedroom for your son?

we did think about either us or my son making the playroom a bedroom, but it’s all the way through the house and up the stairs away from the kids, it’s a long way. And my son dosnt want to, which is fair enough, also access to the garden would be through someone’s bedroom

Bedroom each for the kids and parents sleep downstairs, I've done that in the past from necessity. As for loft conversion, if the bedroom ceilings are high then it is possible to drop them to give enough height for loft conversion, I've done this too in my latest house to give enough bedrooms for my now adult kids to have a room each.

Use the playroom as a bedroom.

Sorry your son doesn’t want it but I mean, it’s the only option unless you and H sleep downstairs. If he’s in bed can’t the garden be accessed going out the front door and round the side of the house?

But that’s your only option if none of your kids can share. You have that room downstairs, you’ll need to use it.

If you have a separate play room I’d definitely look into splitting the double into two singles.

If you’ve got the house, you could even install an extra window if that’s a huge concern rather than splitting the window.

It’s a 3 bedroom house, it may seem a long way but really isn’t.

To me the obvious answer is for you to use the playroom as your bedroom. The other alternative would be a non supporting wall in the living room to create a bedroom in there. Off you have the living and dining room area as well as a playroom, then there’s still some family space.

@simsbustinoutmimi they only bought the house in january so were already a family of 5 when they bought the too small house!

Even if you sell your house for 220 that may not be enough for a four bedroom or three bedroom with leftover money for loft conversion. Really depends on the area.

I think unless you save up for a larger house if you can’t do a conversion, your only options are foR you and H to sleep in the living room on a sofa bed or use the platform.

using playroom is the most sensible solution, if you want to go in the garden go out the front and walk round the side, or you could save up and get a door installed left side of he dining room and use a smaller table. Would probably be a few thousand (under 5)

id be quite happy to put a sofa bed in the playroom and just open it up at night, oh isn’t convinced but it’s really the only do-able option I think

Yeah I realise that now. She hadn’t said that when I wrote it

Is there enough room for a double/king size sofa bed in the small playroom at night?

When unfolded I mean