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.

How does that work - is the ground floor bigger than the first floor?

Anything that had a huge kitchen the cleaning!

I can’t help wondering where you live, if they’re building new bungalows! Around here new ones are non existent, and the existing ones are all pre WW2. And relatively expensive, since they usually come with considerably larger gardens than almost any new build would have now.

How utterly ridiculous! How on earth does the suggestion of living on an estate, have anything whatsoever to do with you having a panic attack?! 🤣 You now live in a semi ffs. There’s plenty of new houses that have established gardens 5 years down the line. Mine being one of them! Beautiful borders, gorgeous greenhouse and archways. It’s the best garden I’ve ever had and is the best house I’ve ever lived in. The ‘estate’ is quiet, the area is peaceful, the house is spacious and we’re right next to a lovely nature reserve. Just happens to be a new house; And it also happens to have far better sound insulation than any previous home I’ve ever lived in.

A solid stone walled one as costs a fortune to insulate and heat.

A big old one, a family member has a huge old house and not only is the mortgage enormous, it costs a fortune to heat and so many rooms sit unused so they don't heat them which has then caused damp issues. It's just fix one thing and another breaks constantly, on a repeat cycle. It's not nice feeling like you live in a hostile house.

We’re all different. What suits you doesn’t suit me.

And I didn’t have a panic attack.

Directly on a main road.

Why would an integral garage put you off? Is it because you feel the space it takes up could be another room?

Open plan is a big no, kitchen steam and cooking smells and no privacy to do different things.
Also need a garden with plenty of sunlight and not overlooked.
I wouldn’t consider a house where there’s been any neighbour disputes.

My friend just bought a new house with a modern BER rating. All of the rooms are sealed, you don’t open the windows. The heat is always on, and there’s no fresh air at all.

McMansion, the type that Real Housewives live in. Michelle Keegan & Mark Wright have one. I work in events & have often been in the badly built, ugly, massive homes of wealthy folks.

We bought a thatched house in 2011. It was a good size for the price (2000 sq ft, 250k) and had been completely re-thatched in 2007, although the property needed loads of other work. First issue for us was the existing insurer (NFU) refused to continue insuring, so we had to find a specialist prepared to take on thatched properties.

Having fully renovated and extended to 2500 sq ft, we sold in 2014 after a (small) chimney fire put the fear of god in me. Fortunately we made a profit...and sold to a firefighter!

I'd absolutely never consider another thatched house.

Otherwise, I wouldn't buy anything too new (we've never owned any house more recent than Victorian) and are happy to tolerate the inconveniences of period houses in exchange for their wonderful character features.

No open plan interiors or houses where the garden has been sold off for new builds - we previously owned a Tudor house with wrap around garden that had originally been massive but now you could almost touch the fugly bungalows on either side 🙄

I also don't like buying something fully renovated and prefer a project we can put our own stamp on.

Yes we are the same, we have a large kitchen/diner, utility, downstairs wc, a sun room and a sitting room. Downstairs is bigger than the two upper floors. Middle floor has 3 bedrooms one en-suite and a main bathroom, third floor has two bedrooms, one en-suite and a walk in wardrobe.

Would not buy:

House that needed a lot of work
On busy road
"Upside down" house (lounge / kitchen upstairs)
Front door / windows opening on to pavement
Don't think I'd want a modern house or to be on an estate

Would prefer more than one loo!

I'd never buy a big house, even if I was rich. I like things small, cosy and easy to care for. Same with a garden. I like gardening and seeing trees and plants, but it's ongoing work and if it's too big it can be too much work.

I'd like a little two bedroomed cottage in the countryside if anyone has one going spare 😂

You can definitely open the windows. Ours is the same , they are just being daft. 🤣

I wouldn’t ever buy a terrace, or a townhouse. We had a townhouse last time and I prefer having more downstairs living space. I wouldn’t buy something that was fully open plan downstairs, I would at least want a separate living room.

A bungalow. I hate sleeping on ground level. Lived in one for years and never again - missed my upstairs space so much!

If the rooms are 'sealed' the house must have an MVHR system. I think you mean it's an air tight build.

None of the following:
Open plan
Shared drive
No off road parking
A maisonette
Where most of bedrooms have sloped roofs
Mid terrace
Only one toilet
A kitchen that won't fit a table.
No garden
Shared garden
A house with estate fees, ground rent or a leasehold. Our first house was freehold but had an annual ground rent.

Yeah, exactly, they do open. But they were advised not to.

I'm the opposite. I hate 'cosy'. I like lots of space.

Why?

A newly-built one (or even one built within the last 10 to 15 years).
I agree that open plan sounds a bit off-putting.

Anything thatched, listed, built after 1900 or near other people.

Why the absolute hate for terraced houses? I also get the feeling from other threads that they're looked down upon.

I'm in a end of terrace built in 1930. The rooms are all large & with high ceilings (esp downstairs) & original features (cornicing/ roses/ fireplaces). We converted the attic for eldest DS, who has a large bedroom & sitting room now. We have decent sized gardens to front & rear with space for 3 cars, garage & charging point. It's a brilliant family home.

Why the hate, people?

I can see the draw of new builds (both best friends & 2 brothers are in new builds), there are some beautiful ones, but it's just not me for some reason.