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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not know which of these houses to buy? Two choices, can't decide!

113 replies

dottytablecloth · 16/02/2015 21:20

House A
New build
Garage but no utility room
4 bedrooms
2 small reception rooms
Small garden to back and side
About 1300sq ft - worried it's too small (we are moving for more space)
We can comfortably afford this

House B
Repossessed house, needs a fair bit of work about £30k need spent
4 bedrooms
No downstairs wc
No garage but has utility room
2 large reception rooms
Good size garden
Stretches our budget
(I love the size of this house)

Both houses are in a great location for work and school.

The second house has thrown a spanner in the works; went to see I today and didn't really expect to like it but I do!

AIBU for dithering?

OP posts:
DoingTheBestICan · 16/02/2015 21:35

None of those jobs would stop you living in the house whilst doing the work, get the boiler first and then do the rest, go for the second house, it's lovely.

FightOrFlight · 16/02/2015 21:35

Need a link to House 1 in order to compare!

4yoniD · 16/02/2015 21:35

House 2. New builds have no soul and no storage space.

BrockAuLit · 16/02/2015 21:36

House b definitely. 1300 sq ft for 4 bedrooms is very, very tight. This is the way new construction is going, I suppose. Ordinarily that would be enough for a comfortable 2 bed.

I would fix up the kitchen and bathrooms in house b and do the rest over time.

cece · 16/02/2015 21:37

House 2 looks nice - I was expecting a hovel. How noisy is that busy road nearby though?

Viviennemary · 16/02/2015 21:38

If you're moving for more space then buy House B. But make sure you can afford the mortgage repayments if interest rates go up.

CliveCussler · 16/02/2015 21:38

When I was 10 my mum and dad bought the house of their dreams. For the first 6 months we all had to share a bedroom and my mums kitchen was a garden tap and a BBQ.

It must have been very stressful for them, but I don't remember that.

They still live there now. 36 years on.

I say go for it if you can see potential.

Chessie00 · 16/02/2015 21:38

That list won't come to £30k!

TheSmallerBadger · 16/02/2015 21:38

If you can afford it, B. That house has real curb appeal!

Original poster
dottytablecloth · 16/02/2015 21:39

this is house 1

OP posts:
HelpMeGetOutOfHere · 16/02/2015 21:39

That looks lovely and I imagine with the work done will be fabulous.

Wish I could buy anything for that price here in the south east. I really need to find a job away from here

MoonlightandRoses · 16/02/2015 21:40

Are you sure there's nothing major in the structural/re-wiring/re-plumbing /new roof type line required?

If so, then look at the costs of what you've listed based on 'must have' (I am guessing boiler, kitchen and poss new shower in en-suite?) against 'want to have' (utility, doors, skirting, driveway, garden, new floors, paint) - might help with assessing just how much of a stretch it is.

Waswondering · 16/02/2015 21:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

evelynj · 16/02/2015 21:40

House b! I'm norn iron too & we bought this house after coming to view it just to make sure we wanted 'the other one'. This house needed a lot of work but it's so worth it, though I barely wanted to admit I wanted this one at the time. Apart from the master we have 3 small bedrooms but have sorted the house to have another big bedroom downstairs & added ensuite & converted the garage to playroom. It's great doing your own thing if u can manage.

A stretch financially is worrying but there are probably things you can live with for a long time. I truly think bigger reception rooms are key as that's where you do your living.

I had a complicated list of things which were important to us-size of rooms, utility, garage, garden, busyness of road, proximity to amenities etc & all were marked out of 10 independently & final scores compared before being analysed together! I love house hunting but won't be doing again for ages hopefully.

Good luck!

Original poster
dottytablecloth · 16/02/2015 21:41

chessie I didn't think £30k would even be enough for that list!

OP posts:
FightOrFlight · 16/02/2015 21:43

Aw, no pictures of House 1 Sad < loves house photos >

Okay sized bedrooms I suppose in House 1 but House 2 looks lovely!

Also agree that you can probably do the work for less than 30k

SaucyJack · 16/02/2015 21:43

House B is really pwetty! Deffo go for that over a new build.

MoonlightandRoses · 16/02/2015 21:43

Sorry, meant to add if you don't need to do everything immediately then the £30k-ish figure required for renovation should be less of a problem as you can space it out.

AbbyCadabby · 16/02/2015 21:43

B is lovely! B b b!

Original poster
dottytablecloth · 16/02/2015 21:44

flight it's not built yet!

OP posts:
MaryBerrysLostCherry · 16/02/2015 21:44

I'm in NI too! I think house B. House A will feel tight.

CurlyWurlyCake · 16/02/2015 21:45

House B is lovely.

Teeb · 16/02/2015 21:45

That's a ready to move in house, B I mean. All you've listen is personal cosmetic alterations, not major undertakings.

Original poster
dottytablecloth · 16/02/2015 21:47

All these NI people! We probably all know each other, know what Norn Ireland's like!!

I would still buy house 2 even if I won the lottery!

House 2 would require us to have a £120k mortgage all in.

OP posts:
antimatter · 16/02/2015 21:47

How busy is that road near house no.2?
Can you hear it fro inside of the house?

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