What do you prefer when buying a house?

[CVVFan]

I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority group that prefer either houses that are ready to move in or that are liveable for at least 2-3 years. I never buy based on a vision/project/putting my stamp on it.

We’re selling our house in 4 years, and quite frankly as much as it’s liveable for whoever buys it, it does look outdated.

I think we’re already on negative equity, so we think we’ll at least need to refresh the kitchen somehow (and possibly the bathrooms) the question is how much work is it sensible considering we’re selling it? The whole pint of the remedial work would be to sell it faster and not get cheeky offers because to some it might look more like a project than a liveable house.

Really?
you had your offer accepted on your first viewing
and you didn’t go back once before the day you moved in?

the process takes usually 6 weeks at best!

Either way.. is your home making you feel down? Unhappy? If so, spend a bit to improve where you can. Although I’d well and truly dodge the cheap garage conversion into a room without any windows that most will want to convert back to a garage!

Nope! Actually of the 4 houses I’ve owned I’ve only gone back to one of them (the first one I bought) so I don’t think it’s that odd.

and what really get me down is that:

I don’t have a space for me to work and call my own (I WFH and bring in 2/3 of of our income)

We don’t have room for a treadmill and our peloton will eventually die in the conservatory

So the garage is for us and being able to store more stuff which is why it’s not thought as a proper living space.

Join a gym!

and with one going to uni… can you use their room whilst they’re away?

I don’t think many put an offer in for the biggest purchase of their life, and then don’t go back again until move in day!

@CVVFan- it was 40 years old exactly.

Don’t have time to got to the gym. I literally work out between meetings or even while I’m on meetings!

and no we decided against using our eldest room as an office backside we’d have to get rid of his bed to fit a desk. The room either fits a desk or a bed not both.

my DM visits for extended periods of time (and the garage is too far away for her) so it makes sense to keep that “empty “ room as a guest room.

Can’t believe in that case you haven’t already done this garage conversion!

Haven’t had the £££ . We’ve also done things in not the most orthodox of orders, but my working space is the #1 priority so the garage conversion is next.

Call the builders tomorrow am!

I did. It took only 6 weeks to complete. I actually don’t know anyone who’s had multiple viewings.

Make sure it’s sparkling clean and tidy. A good many buyers will very likely rip the kitchen and bathroom(s) out anyway. If a lick of paint anywhere is needed to spruce it up, that wouldn’t be £££.

You'd be surprised.

I reckon most people do. They certainly did at the time you could look at a house at the time the EA dictated and you needed to put in your best offer and you knew the house would go for over asking.

Perfectly normal (as in happens a lot) thing to do - even if it flies against what you would like to do.

Multiple?

Biggest purchase of entire life and my point is… most of us will have seen the property more than just once before move in day (unless you’re very long distance!)

What I would “like” to do? Huh?

as I said upthread. I have sold twice and on both times…. It received asking price offer on day 1 and it was taken off the market. So I was spoilt! However following that… the buyer (both times) asked for a second visit to measure up and one time to bring a builder)

and when I have bought (3x), I did the same.

🤷‍♀️

I think most will view maybe one more time between the day the view and move in day. You don’t. So I guess we agree to disagree!

This isn’t my experience. I guess myself and the people I know must’ve been incredibly decisive! We also used the app to walk around the house virtually, to get measurements and things like that so another viewing really wasn’t necessary.

Do you already have a loft conversion?

Not doable. Not enough space in landing and no pint in making the rooms even smaller.

yes but in this scenario the op ended up buying a very very dated property that she clearly isn’t happy in

But it’s not about being decisive
my buyers made asking price offer on the first time they ever viewed and ever accepted. So clearly they were decisive!

this is about during the weeks between acceptable and move in day.

but different experiences 🤷‍♀️ and that’s… fine and normal!

Have you got builders and decorators lined up for the garage conversion op?

TBH it’s not the “dated” that is my issue with the house, it’s how small the bedrooms are and the lack of storage. However, we looked for months and 5 bedroom houses aren’t common (or at least not around our area) so it was the best we could find.

So if that’s not the issue for you…. Then don’t bother spending anything op. It sounds like whoever buys will be looking at completely redoing thirty year old kitchens and bathrooms even if you have redone the tiling.

I've only ever bought 2 houses. Each time I've chosen a place that has the layout of rooms that works. Both needed a new kitchen. For us, we didn't want a new build as they are overpriced. Sure, I'd prefer to be able to walk in to lovely kitchen straight away, but it's usually not possible to get that along with the size of place you need.
For you, I would say you are unlikely to get back the cost of fitting in the sale value. Best to just make sure everything has been fixed and given a lick of paint.

Yes as I explained we didn’t need it. I’ve bought multiple properties. Having the option to view the house virtually makes things much easier, in terms of measurements etc that you would have needed to have done in person. I don’t think all sellers use this though, as it’s certainly more expensive.