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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for your opinions on this house?

151 replies

SureYouCan · 08/06/2011 16:34

Sorry i can not do links Blush. It is on PrimeLocation and Property Reference is: KGEHA5908.
We are looking to buy and we can just about stretch to 245K. We have 2 dcs, dd1 2yrs old and dd2 6mth. Can i ask mn for opinions?

OP posts:
TroubledPrincess · 08/06/2011 20:08

It's vile sorry!

SardineQueen · 08/06/2011 20:09

@ idea that all there is to quality of life is the size of the house!

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 08/06/2011 20:32

I'm not familiar with Enfield but a brief search reveals that it's probable that you could get a lot more for your money in the area.

I like quirky old houses, and if I was looking for minimum 3beds under 250k I'd view this this to suss whether noise from the A10 is unbearable:
www.findaproperty.com/displayprop.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&pid=8862923 and if it is I'd look for a house with similar character close to one of the many BR stations that serve Enfield.

SybilBeddows · 08/06/2011 20:36

WOW Izzywhizzy.

how lovely.

MenaZovut · 08/06/2011 20:37

Not a great area at all.

fatlazymummy · 08/06/2011 20:41

Good finds there. I would definitely look at the Bush hill park one, that is a lovely area.

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 08/06/2011 20:43

Enfield or Turkey Street in particular, Mena?

I like the look of it Sybil but the bedrooms may be on the small side, and there's no off-street parking + the proximity to the A10. But when it comes to property I'm ever the optimist, and I cosmic order the perfect house for me and wait for it to appear!

fatlazymummy · 08/06/2011 20:47

I lived in Enfield for a few years. Enfield itself is a very nice little town but the Ponders End area is not so nice. [This was a few years ago so it may have changed slightly]. My inlaws lived in Bush Hill park and that would probably be my ideal area if I was to move there.

SybilBeddows · 08/06/2011 20:48

Cosmic ordering is a great idea. Will cosmically order mine Smile.

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 08/06/2011 21:18

Where are you living now? Does it have to be Enfield (i.e relatives, particular school in mind etc)? Can it be a 45 min train journey? Do you or your DH work within walking distance of Liverpool Street or is there a further journey by tube/bus etc?

Re the bathroom of the house you've given a link to; it looks as if there could be a lot of knee-bashing and cursing trying to get to the basin by the window.

Have you actually been to view that particular house?

Icelollycraving · 08/06/2011 21:51

The house isn't to my personal taste. I would like the space of a house though! Take no notice of decor etc,that can always be changed.
I have only read the first page of this thread. There is such nastiness,some people seem to enjoy making others look small,it's like playground hair pulling & those responsible are unreasonable.

mumonahottinroof · 08/06/2011 21:55

You could make it a lot lot nicer for not that much work but I really agree asking in the most vituperative corner of a famously no-holds-barred site is not a great idea. Ask your friends and family who actually know you for their opinions not random strangers

ohsolonely · 08/06/2011 22:02

Those beams on the bedroom ceiling have to go!!

Its nothing special imo but then I am not sure whatelse £145000 gets you in your area. Is that really the best?

Relocate??

SureYouCan · 08/06/2011 22:04

Wow, many responses!

Ok, first of all thank you.
I will try to answer some questions: We live in Enfield (in mil's spare room!), we know that it is not brilliand area but we cant buy in a posh area with this budget unless we move further out of london i.e. in Herts like Sardine has rightly suggested but we prefer to stay near the family (emergency childcare!). My question really was if its good value for enfield or for london's outskirts. No point comparing it with house prices in Yorkshire as we don't live there.

We like the fact that it is so close to the station. It has parking space, garage, big living/dining (once the pool table go!). I thought its good to have all that at this price (in London). The bathroom is not our cup of tea but we can live with it. The problem is the kitchen which is very small and as someone said it has no window! This really puts me off. We don't have money to extend the kitchen but dh says perhaps we can built a lean to for fridge/freezer, w/m etc. But then the garden will be too small with the lean to Confused. What do you think??

The outside look, we dont care if it looks like ex-council but it seems that others do care. Will it be difficult to re sale it? Hmm.

It is funny because we couldn't sleep last night, we were so happy imagining ourselves living there after years of saving and living at mil's, 4 of us in one room at the moment! And then we read 'it is pokey', 'vile', 'i could never live there' . Wow, i knew we are poor but now i feel like the poorest of the poor Grin

Many of you have said you would make some changes and you would add value. Can we ask what do you mean? Kitchen extension? Anything else?

izzy that house looks massive to me downstairs!! We might go to see it.

Sorry for not mentioning the rest of the names, thank you all very much!
(Dh will be here, i'm going to wash my hair and i will be back)

OP posts:
SureYouCan · 08/06/2011 22:05

It is not 145! Grin

OP posts:
SureYouCan · 08/06/2011 22:07

Thank you icelolly and the rest Smile

OP posts:
SybilBeddows · 08/06/2011 22:18

I think you could make room for a small lean-to for a few white goods and still have plenty of garden left.

fatlazymummy · 08/06/2011 22:21

sureyoucan don't allow the comments to spoil your excitement.
First of all, there are millions of people in this country [myself included] that would love to have a house of this size and condition. Regarding the front, to me it looks to be a type of house quite often found in Enfield, so I don't think it would affect the resale that much. I know a lot of people do regard a tarmaced front an asset as parking can be very difficult without a garage and driveway. There are things you can do to pretty it up, personally I would put some nice pots and flowers in for a start.
I don't know about making changes, I think you would have to have a good look round to get a good feel for it. Remember the most important thing [after location] is the structual condition of the house . Kitchens and bathrooms can be replaced when you can afford them, decorating is something that can be done cheaply and presumably you would want to put your own stamp on it.
I would suggest you look at a few more houses in your price range, remember to consider things like schools etc. Best of luck with your househunting, hopefully you find a lovely house [and it may well be this one].

SybilBeddows · 08/06/2011 22:28

I think most of us would get negative comments about our houses if we posted them on here and asked for opinions.
People would think mine was scruffy and wonder why I hadn't bothered to get rid of the 80s wallpaper on the landing. And then I would look at people's expensive granite worktops with glittery bits in and think they were horrible.
I never understand why people spend a fortune on newbuilds with tiny rooms, but equally, lots of people would hate to live in an old cottage with plumbing that keeps going wrong and a big damp problem over an entire wall. It's horses for courses and no-one else's opinion actually matters a jot since you're the one that is going to live there.

If you are living in a spare room then having a house of your own is going to be FANTASTIC and it is going to feel like a palace.

fatlazymummy · 08/06/2011 22:31

Also would like to add, there isn't really any such thing as a perfect house, there will always be little things that you might want to change, or one thing is better in another house. You just have to try and get the best house overall for the money you can afford.

stripeywoollenhat · 08/06/2011 22:33

i would totally ignore the 'council house' stupidity if i were you: it's a fifties build, so likely structurally quite solid, it has parking and a garden, it's got reasonable transport links and it's obviously near to your family and in your price range. your first house? buying your first house is just fab. just visit the street a few times at different times of day, i advise: my first house was a really cute little cottage, but there was a chipper and an off-licence around the corner and consequently there were always gangs of horrible, often drunk teenagers hanging around outside. one street away all was calm and lovely...

fatlazymummy · 08/06/2011 22:36

That is a good point by SybillBeddows. I live in a 70's house which many people sneer at because they have no character. I like not having alcoves and fireplaces, and my house has big windows letting in lots of light.

melonian · 08/06/2011 22:46

Can't believe how rude some people are - don't let them dampen your enthusiasm. The outside look of a house would be the last thing I'd bother about - you don't see it when you're in the house do you? We all have to compromise somewhere, especially if you live in London and fwiw I think space and location are most important so this house sounds like a good one to me. I could easily live with that kitchen & bathroom.

Hope you get a house you love that's great for your family

probablyveryunreasonable · 08/06/2011 22:57

I think it's lovely. Lots of people must walk around with their eyes closed if this house is seen as a bit shocking, surely it looks like, well.... a house. That's what houses look like. It's not some weird 1970s monstrosity!

My DS's bedroom is about the same size as bedroom 3 and TBH it is small, ut it means he has his own room.

I'd go for it if it's what you're looking for. You could move straight in with no immediate work and just make it your own when you can.

Karbea · 08/06/2011 22:58

Hello, I thought the outside looked fine, very similar to lots of 1930s type houses.
I grew up in a house very similar and there was enough room for us.
My mum always wanted to knock the wall between the kitchen and dining room down, you could do that and then you'd end up with a bigger kitchen. But the garden didn't look that small to put something up in either.

I don't really understand the bathroom, is the bath in the middle of the room?

We are just about to buy a new house, it's exciting isn't it!