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We’re selling our house in 4 years, and quite frankly as much as it’s liveable for whoever buys it, it does look outdated.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

So it’s a 4 bed Op and they can’t list as 5 because doesn’t meet minimum dimensions to be regarded as a bedroom.

My point is… I am so curious where you live…. Opposite a hospital, which will involve LOADS of families, walking distance to a secondary school and a sixth form college…. And 4 bedroom homes are so thin on the ground!

That’s actually not accurate!

both my current house and next door were listed as 5 bedrooms.

next door isn’t listing it as a 5 bed because they chose to call the room on the first floor a study. (Which is bigger than the 4th bedroom on the second floor).

they called the smaller bedroom a bedroom.

Is next door the one that took It off because no interest?

I don’t actually remember why they didn’t sell, but the point is that they didn’t sell it.

i think it was because the house is very much THEIR style.

the house that got sold (for a lower price) was sold as a 5 bed.

I’m confused

but that’s not important!

You crack on op and start planning that garage conversion (in the garage that is actually to small to garage even a small car!)

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.

what made you buy a property with 20 plus year old kitchen and both bathrooms?

are you saying that unless you do something to your kitchen and bathroom before selling…. It won’t even be liveable in for a couple of years?

Like I mentioned at some point, from our quick first and only view the kitchen and bathrooms look way newer!

they’re perfectly serviceable just old / outdated

This row of 12 houses sound quite beleaguered for some reason…

garage that was built too small for even a small vehicle

not very desirable due to niche lay out and three are shoeboxes and two barely fit a double bed with two bedside tables.

and no scope for re design / knocking for walls

You are understandably worried about negative equity and planning to stay there a few more years to coincide with schooling, but OP - one’s home is meant to be their sanctuary. You say you don’t like being at home but you WFH and will spend the vast vast majority of your life there. This sounds a really unpleasant way to live.

I don’t believe that you won’t be able to find a family house with 5 bedrooms op if you live so central near a hospital, secondary school and sixth (and so presumably my primary school too). I would rent. And accept that the what I spend on renting a new place and what I make from renting out my Place will be more - but… quite simple, your home shouldn’t be somewhere that you prefer to be away from.

Paying £2k pcm for either of those options thanks but NO thanks

Strange area you live in where hospitals, schools, college and yet such limited 4/5 bedfamily homes

Oh sorry by attaching the photo it deleted my more thoughtful long answer that a period home with more spacious bedrooms would cost 50% more and we might be able to afford it now, but certainly not back then.

It’s in the grand scheme of things fairly deprived and plagued with second homes. The average salary is low so they’d struggle to pay those sorts of rents. I simply don’t think “bigger houses” are commercial.

I’m fascinated where you live OP 😆

I think deprived + second homes is quite obvious!

Yes, and if so..,, lots of family homes around!

either way, you seem very determined to stay for 3/4 years ago, which, as someone who adores their home, would seem intolerable to given how you don’t like being at home but spend most of your life there.

however if you can focus on carving out a little respite in the garage, that should help. Don’t drop the ball on that though! And don’t beat yourself up about fact it may likely lower value, this is about quality of life for next few years

There aren’t that many within the school
catchment area that have proper 5 bedrooms and a study ! (Because that’s really what we actually need).

so If you see any, be my guest!

I don’t even like living here (as in the area) so to me I take it all in as “it shall pass and one day you’ll be able to be able to commute to London”

Is your DH happy in the property?

You don’t like the house, you don’t like the property, you didn’t notice that you were buying a property with kitchen and bathrooms decades old…. Lesson learned OP: next time, pause, take a breath and arrange a second viewing before putting an offer in!

everything was such a blur! DH is very much of the idea that we did well given the circumstances (and we did, our previous house was way MORE crammed) and we did upgrade are day to day lives.

what we didn’t necessarily expect is that my career would take off, so when I asked him today he said with our current income, we wouldn’t have bought this house

I would tied myself in knots about negative equity then. There’s very little to you do about it. And But I don’t want to “lose” any more money you will have to come to peace with in all likelihood.

The silver lining to focus on is a better home and one you feel happy in. Albeit a few years down the line.

NOT tie myself….

Absolutely! In that sense I feel the future is bright :) and not too long to wait!

What will the builder be doing for £12k?

£12,000 should cover a basic garage conversion inc electrics, insulation and budget flooring. It will be basic though and won’t include a window. You wont recoup the cost but from the sounds of it…. It will save you this amount in therapy!! because current living situation sounds quite intolerable, especially for you spending most of your life at home.

I wouldn’t wait for the new year, I’d get a few recommendations from local friends and neighbours, get quotes, and get this done asap. Shouldn’t take longer than a month.

Although I get the impression you’re able to suck up a lot more than I ever would be able to OP! So if you’re more comfortable waiting for the new year, that might be better. Just don’t drop the ball on it!

6/7 people in this property must be a mad house! Even before the garage conversion, I think I’d be dragging a table and chair out there just for some peace. To wait 4 years just to coincide with secondary school for your DS seems quite extreme? Your life seems to be on hold

My life is indeed on hold, but not because of the 6yo, but because of the older kids. We are not able to move from the area until they finish school.