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We’re selling our house in 4 years, and quite frankly as much as it’s liveable for whoever buys it, it does look outdated.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

That’s a very good summary of our living conditions!
the 15yo is also a “collector” so her room is always exploding with stuff that can’t go anywhere.

the youngest shares his room with me, as my desk is there

I did work from the conservatory for some time, but it was unbearable

I also have a client facing job, so I need a door and quiet spaces.

That sounds so stressful @CVVFan . I can see why you’re desperate to move.

Appreciated! I also have zero love for this house, but it’s understandable why too!

for my next home, I just want 2 big bedrooms and a study and decent storage space!

by the the 3 eldest ones would have moved out, so it will definitely feel like a massive change

It’s made me feel stressed and agitated just reading it op

Are you ok? Very stressed? Maybe depressed?

There must be stuff everywhere?

Where does your mum sleep when she stays for 3 months?!

I’m actually in the grand scheme of things OK, but I don’t like being at home. So I try to go out every weekend

My DM sleeps with our 6yo

When will your conversion be ready for you to have some respite?

our builder will be free in a couple of months so hopefully by the new year!

There are “no houses with that many rooms”

OP you live in a 3 bedroom plus small office / bedroom property… do you really live in an area where such properties are like gold dust?

The only one other for rent is £2k same dimensions and same state of repair.

in fact the 5th room doesn’t really fit a bed (one of our bedrooms is borderline that size, but at least it fits a single bed!)

it would make zero sense to move to a rental

I can’t imagine where you live where 3/4 bedrooms are so thin on the ground, especially as you live near a hospital and a secondary school!

On the floor plan there isn’t a 5 th room?

two small doubles
1 single
1 barely a bedroom

There is yeah, on the first floor.

and you’re near a hospital and walking distance to a secondary?

where do all the families live?

I’m assuming in most cases a 4 bed is big enough! (Or even a 3 bed)

Your property isn’t a 5 bed! You have made a room that is barely a room a bedroom! Most would see as a 3/4 bedroom property with a little office (or even storage cupboard!)

OP….. Living conditions sounds very crowded (did you ever clarify where your mother sleeps for 3 months of the year when she visits??) and difficult. Update hopefully with good news in the new year with the conversion!

Ours was very outdated so we redid the kitchen before selling it. We bought a kitchen secondhand and did the work out elves other than plastering. It made a big difference to the valuation.

How much did you spend? And by how much did it impact the valuation?

The smallest room is actually one of the nicest as it has a good size bedroom. This ironically makes it feel more spacious than it actually is.

Next door is being called a 4 bed with a 5th bedroom/study. I reckon it’s because that room is in the 1st floor.

also, believe it or not this is the house we’ve felt least crowded in which makes sense, as the two previous houses were 3 beds (one had 3 good size doubles, and the other one has two fairly big doubles and a shoebox room).

my DM sleeps with the 6yo that has one of the doubles (we have the other one).

I thought you said it was barely able to fit a bed? That’s not a nice sized bedroom?

three are shoeboxes and two barely fit a double bed with two bedside tables.

Your 6 year old has a double? And the teens have the teeny tiny rooms?!

It was window not bedroom!

so it’s a small bedroom with a big window that makes it feel spacious. It’s actually quite nice.

i temporarily used it as an office when our son was at school, but sitting in the bed is not comfy at all

what is next door actually listed as? A 4 or 5 bed?

A 4 bed with the description calling it a 5th bedroom/ study