Will i regret buying a cottage?

[Sammo0]

My DH and I are expecting our first babies, twins (boy and girl) imminently. We are currently living in rented accom while we hunt for our first home (by that i mean we are first time buyers, weve lived together for years). We have had an offer accepted on a 15th c cottage which has been fully renovated and will be able to just move in. It has 3 bedrooms and we love it as we've always wanted a period property. I am slightly bemused by the amount of people who have told us we'll regret it. Main reasons being that it is poky, small rooms (compared with modern houses), smaller garden, and only one upstairs bathroom. Im surprised that people are being so upfront. They say i will regret sacrificing space for character and it wont bother me when twins are here. Aibu to disregard this? Anyone with any experience?

It sounds lovely, and you sound like you love it, so don't worry about what others think. I hope that you have a wonderfully happy family home there. (From another cottage dweller!)

Is the building listed?

Always follow your instinct. If your gut said yes, then I'm sure it will be great!

YANBU to disregard their opinions, do what feels right for you - if you love it then no doubt you will be happy there. Twin babies, cosy period cottage, what's not to like?

I think it sounds fabulous ... My dream home

Don't listen to people- well do, but then go with your own feelings.

Good luck with your little babies.

Have you got spare income to cover repairs?

It sounds very charming.

Have a look at some of the room sizes in new builds. It's probably no smaller than those and people manage.

Are there enough bedrooms for the nippers to have separate bedrooms once they're old enough? Is there enough room for them to have a friend to sleep over. You can create more room in a bedroom by having a loft bed if the ceilings are high enough. Even me and dh have a loft bed then you have room underneath for things - chairs, tv, books, storage etc.

Is there an attic that you could convert or use for storage? A listed building may have restrictions which you'd need to look into if you did need to convert it.

Is the garden big enough for a child to potter about and kick a ball? Is there enough room for a little swing?

If you're imaginative then small living is fine

How bizarre that so many people are trying to fill you full of doom and gloom! I expect they mean well. The house sounds great, you love it and yes, while kids do take up a surprising amount of room for things that start out so tiny, if you're half organised and have reasonable storage, you'll cope. If not, I expect you would find you could move house again, many people seem to manage it just fine every year....

It sounds lovely!

You don't need loads of space, unless you're a hoarder - and if you are, then get yourself onto one of the minimalism threads to help you to clear out the crap!

I think small houses are much cosier and feel safer to young children.

Does it have a garden?

Sorry, just read that it does! How small is small?

The only thing that might put me off is the lack of downstairs loo. Is there a little space anywhere that you could maybe put one at some point? It still wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

I bought a new build for the space and regret it. The cottage sounds great!

We have a 3 bed semi with only one bathroom. I've seen new builds with much smaller rooms and especially gardens than most older properties. You have to buy what you and your dp want not what your friends want! Congratulations on twins!

Same situation and would consider the following:

1. Heating/windows/utilities - drafts are a problem and as listed limited ability to change windows to reduce this. No central heating therefore insane electric bills. Cold even in height of summer.

1. Downstairs loo or lack of with small

Children and potty training and slow pooing DP is a ruddy nightmare.

1. The house 'moves' when kids jump/traffic goes past. Walls crack.

The above has had both of us (who were v snobby about new builds) dreaming of Eco efficient houses.

Sorry to be voice of doom but get oil
Fired hearing and great draft proofing in place with a downstairs loo and fork out for decent windows at all costs. And two dehumidifiers. Would be lovely then...

Sounds lovely but make sure you are in the right catchment area for schools nobw to save you having to move in 4/5 years time. I would definitely go for character instead of tiny new builds, you can't swing a cat in my friend's front room.

Oh no, only one bathroom?!

I seriously do not get this obsession, in new build houses, of having a bathroom in every feckin room. God forbid, that you have to wait to go the bathroom. Personally, I'd rather have a storage cupboard.

Anyway, if you like the house you're buying, who cares what anyone else thinks. I'd take a character property over a soulless box on a housing estate anyday.

I wouldn't go to the loo in a storage cupboard, obviously just that I'd rather use the space for storage.

Agree many new builds have very small rooms and postage stamp gardens: I guess it depends what you would get with the same money in the same area. You are the ones living there though - and centuries' worth of other families have managed! Have you lived in an old house before?

On maintenance costs: we bought a house that friends of ours also looked at, but decided there was too much work for them to do. So they went for a new build.

Fast forward a year later, we had done the repairs that needed doing (and budgeted for), whereas they were still doing battle with the house builders to get them to come and sort out the snag list. I felt proper smug then

I like old houses - I do get that they can bring their own problems, but tbh when we've rented in newer houses I've hated the thin walls and lack of character. I'm very happy with creaks, cracks and a house that needs a bt of TLC. You have to go with your gut instinct I think.

It sounds gorgeous and people are probably a tiny bit jealous of your adorable Mrs Tiggywinkle house when they are all in bland newbuilds. Be warned though that period houses eat money in maintenance and this is even more true if it's listed.

As long as you can afford that who cares what ther people think, they're not going to be living there!

I want a Mrs Tiggywinkle house now!

We've managed fine with "only" one bathroom for years - not a deal breaker for me at all

You will not regret it! I've moved from a couple of lovely cottages to a light, airy, practical 1940's house and I miss cottage living so much!

I have told DP our next home is going to be our forever home so it will be an old cottage!

OP is it the older generation saying you will regret it?

I ask because my parents say exactly the same sort of thing. We grew up in a 500 yr old farmhouse. After they retired my parents had a smaller house built on a plot of land. Dad now talks about 'bloody old houses'.

Our house is 300 years old and we love it. It has smallish rooms - the biggest one anywhere in the house is 15ft square, but, it has plenty of them and each room has its own clear purpose. One of the rooms is only 7ft wide - long and narrow - with a window at each end. I work at one end and sew/play the piano at the other end.

I love the feel of an older house and have never bought a house newer than Edwardian built. I think my parents just had enough of maintaining one, and, their generation had little choice but to live in one in the rural community I grew up in.

So, I would certainly not regret it, if you love it ignore other people's views, they don't matter.

I used to live in a similar cottage. I second what another poster said, it was cold even in the height of summer, even though it was South-facing, and had a lot of damp , both penetrating damp and condensation. I ran a dehumidifier all year.
If you don't mind that though, it's lovely.
One bathroom is fine, what's the issue there?

Very reassuring, thanks everyone!