What type of house would you never buy?

[PinterandPirandello]

Just looking at a thread where properties are being recommended for £750k. One of the houses was completely open plan downstairs which we would hate as a family. Dh likes to sit at the kitchen table and have the radio on (loudly), dc like to game and I like to watch telly in peace. Plus the dishwasher and washing machine on. So we prefer at least a couple of separate rooms. However, I can see open plan could work with small kids but I’d still want private space.

we have an office with comfortable sofa for that, we put a proper sound insulation there, so you can listen to music or watch something as loud as you want without bothering anybody.
But kids are teens so it's rather that we enjoy the brief periods of family time whenever they emerge.

fair enough, but as teenagers we had our own music systems and cds in our rooms. If course these days my kids just use a speaker connect led to their phones and play from there. We don’t own CDs anymore. If my dh wants to listen to music he goes to the bedroom or his den. I only usually listen to music when I’m cooking so again…phone and speaker.

A new build.
My favourite house style would be a large Victorian/Edwardian terrace or semi.

Oh, and it would have to have parking.

I would never say never but don't buy modern houses and prefer not in a city.

Love houses with character and history and love our thatch. It does attract wildlife, we have a squirrel, lots of beautiful birds like greenfinch, robins etc and loved seeing the thatchers doing their craft.

agree with this - I'd never buy a new build...... paper walls & put up in a hurry. Never tested!

I live in the type of house I never liked as it's mock Tudor, usually the subject of much derision. I love it now though. There's just something charming about it.

A new build.

A new-build.

Id never buy a house with an opening/gate onto a river or lake, they scare me so much

Lucky you

Another vote against open plan. I think the look great on tv design shows but not in real life. You have no walls, so you are going to have little space to place your furniture. Then "zoning" different spaces is difficult and looks awkward. Kids grow up and need separate space. Noise and also the smells of cooking in your clothes, and a film of grease end up on soft furnishings over time if fabric sofas and cushions etc. the sight of dishes while cooking. I like my calm and tidy dinning room and sitting room.
Our previous house was open plan and sold easily as when you show it looks immaculate (for the sale). But try to live there with school bags, coats and keys, toys or gadgets of older kids etc. We moved to a house with traditional partition walls and it's bliss, so cosy. Every room have a function. Some friends ask why we don't knock the walls. No thanks, never again.

which is fine until you get home and can't park near your house

well I'd consider it but at the right price!

I drive round the block until one is free. It's usually 3 times, unless I have been to make a big shop (several bags/boxes of bulky and heavy items), or it's tipping it down, or late at night, or all of those, in which case the only space will be as far up the street as possible.

The convenient space will be taken up by a CF (see my previous diagram). CF will probably be visiting family and will stay there for a few days.

A 5 bed house where two of the bedrooms are actually in the attic. You get the living space of a 3 bed house. I get why a larger family who couldn't afford a bigger 5 bed might go for it, but I'd always want more living space than sleeping space.

Somewhere with a big garden with trees, too much maintenance and expensive, I kill everything, cats and foxes use it as a public toilet and my children barely play in it. Open plan kitchen lounges. Anywhere that needs imagination/lots of diy - I don’t have the skills or the interest. Weirdly shaped rooms.

Id hate to live in a grand designs style house where half of it is made of glass
I dont think there's any danger of being able to afford one

I agree. I’ve got a particular bugbear about people who buy lovely old Victorian houses and then extend them and take all the character away. My neighbours spent well over £100,000 on their loft conversion - if they needed the extra room, why not just buy a larger house to start with?

It’s one reason not all town houses are great, lots of bedrooms but quite poxy living space - you see quite a few 4 bed town houses with integral garage, just a modest lounge and an average kitchen diner - and that’s it

Once you buy thatch you can never go back.

Open plan. Too noisy.

semi detached or flat. Don’t want to worry about making or hearing noise.

Townhouse. Too many stairs.

Our house has an open plan kitchen and dining room, that opens into the garden. It was a big selling point for us, with several small DC. However, there are also two other 'proper' rooms (with doors!) across the hallway so people can also shut themselves away if they want to.

For me, the dealbreakers would be:

North facing garden
Not enough bathrooms
Too old (our previous Victorian house was impossible to keep warm)
No driveway
Busy road
Terrace
Leasehold
No utility room

Shhh @Squirrelsandhedgehogs we need to keep pretending it's a nightmare! Not just anybody can live in a little paradise 😁

We have a 5 bed with 2 beds in the attic but the living space is fine - big kitchen diner, utility and two reception rooms. If you have three doubles and a bathroom on the first floor, that equates to good living space downstairs.