to ask what you would not choose again if moving house

[chaletdays]

Just been reading the open plan thread. When I move again I would definitely not choose an open plan layout, or to buy a place right beside a green or any other communal area where children and teenagers will gather 24/7.

What would be your no nos if moving again?

I live on a 1980s estate.
Detached 3 bed (was a 4 bed but 4th was a box room and not much use so now 3 double beds)
Had an integral garage which was turned into another reception room and a downstairs wc.
I have a pantry in the kitchen and an over stairs cupboard in the 2nd bedroom. Really handy.
Loft which is handy for storage too.
Off road parking for 2 cars and a nice manageable back garden which includes a large patio, decked area, lawned area and veg patch.
So we have 3 reception rooms as we have a Conservatory too (which I hate but there you go)
Kitchen is on the small side but perfectly adequate.
We are near to schools, village shops and it's only 20/30 mins into the city centre.
Sadly it's been a money pit :(
Since we moved 3 years ago we have had to replace the conservatory roof, back windows, boiler and kitchen!
Sincerely hope we never move.
We would never recover our money.

Loved our tiny starter home on an estate, but would never buy a family house on an estate if I could help it.

1960s estate - yes, yes, to big square rooms, massive windows, large plot, wide road, but ugly from the outside!

Now (with children) wouldn't live on any kind of estate as it usually means they're out of the way and you become a taxi service. Location is the absolute key now - so would compromise on lots of the issues that have been flagged up on this thread for a house in the right location peach bathroom suite, still doing up the doer upper 5 years on, overlooked, massive mortgage

It's a shame 1960s and 70s houses are so plain and utilitarian looking because they do have a lot going for them. They have bigger rooms than new builds but are much easier to heat than period properties; usually have reasonable sized gardens and a decent garage for storage; driveways that will fit two cars; and are in well planned suburbs where most estates have shops, public transport, schools, churches, a library etc within walking distance.

I used to think that I would choose in the following order:
Old property
New Build
1960s/70s

but would definitely switch 2 and 3 around, having had experience of a new build on a brand new estate.

Beware flat roofed garages!

Our first home was a lovely detached house but it was next to a small parade of shops with flat roofed garages at the back.

I lost count of the number of slippers, plimsolls, brushes and various other hurlable things I lost on top of those garages trying to scare off the blasted screeching cats that would gather in the middle of the night to mate/fight. Never again.

Absolutely, GERTI. I once viewed a house - a nice but modestly sized mid terrace - that had been done up till it was screaming at the seams. Everything was shiny chrome, the whole place was sparkling but cold. They had squeezed in four bedrooms (the two original plus two in the loft extension) and made every single one en-suite. To do this they had had to carve out bathrooms from the already modest bedrooms. They had just put a queen sized bed in each one, lots of white bedlinen, no other furniture, in an attempt to fool us. But it was spectacularly clear that you could not fit in a wardrobe, chest of drawers or even bedside table in any of those rooms. I pointed this out to the EA and said, "Why on earth do you need four bathrooms in a mid-terrace?" She snottily told me that no one had ever complained about too many bathrooms before! I grumped that they would when they were having to clean them and besides, they wouldn't get used as bathrooms because you'd have to keep your clothes in the bath...

I still walk past that house on my way to the supermarket, and it entertains me to see that the people who bought the place have two huge black shiny 4x4s, which they can only just squeeze onto the small paved-over front garden. Honestly, you can barely slip a bus ticket between the two shiny monsters, and sitting in the living room your view would be entirely obstructed. So the house found the people it needed.

I'd never buy a wreck to do up again.
Though after nearly 10 years, this one is almost done and I'm planning to stay put for the next 40+ years...

I really like my new build three story house. It is so warm and I never hear my neighbours who have a toddler and baby. We also have off street parking for three cars.
Deal breakers: previous owners having a dog, bad school catchment, old boiler, North facing garden, ex local authority (shameful as I grew up in a council house,) weird atmospheres, rural - no amenities, wooden houses, shared drives and on street parking as I am crap at parallel parking!

We bought a teeny tiny Victorian house. Expensive, period features and NO ROOM. If I could do it again, I would buy a more modern house with more rooms! I would go for one of those 60s houses with the huge square windows.

I also would have gone for a second loo. So much strife could have been avoided!

I wouldn't choose a front door that opens onto a lounge. It's not practical with kids, buggies, shopping, mud.. It's cold in winter. It makes the lounge into a corridor instead of a cosy space.

Also, our house has a gate through to our neighbours property (right of way for taking bins out etc). I regularly look up to find the neighbours' kids with their noses pressed against our window ...

I am so amazed that MN people would be praising the 70s house. We bought ours 16 years ago and in that time transformed it. My next door neighbour and I often have a little self congratulatory chat about how wonderful our view is.
I still pine for my 1930s detached within walking distance of a secluded beach...

I love my 1970s house. It is not the prettiest from the outside, but has been totally transformed inside. Light, bright, and the rooms are huge Thirty foot lounge, 28 foot master bedroom, massive amount of downstairs room.
We visited some 4/5 bed new builds and the bedrooms were tiny.

I love my 70s house too. Very much wanted a 70s build.

My suede sofa, lava lamps, flat pack furniture and macramé plant holders fit in beautifully.

Outside is okay too. Front door is hideous (wood effect UPVC, WTF?) but the previous owners are to blame for that.

I love my 70s house. Totally fugly, but I've always gone with the attitude that you live on the inside!

It had the most ridiculous walk in dressing room off the master bedroom when we moved in (original feature from being a 1974 showhome). We ripped it out and put in an en-suite with a 1.7m long bath and we still have a good sized master bedroom.

No bedrooms less than 7 feet in any dimension, and living room at least 11 feet wide. No galley kitchen. Must have driveway, or at least reliable on street parking. No footpath behind back of house. Front door opening onto street. Being on a busy main road.

3 floors doesn't bother me as long as there are three bedrooms on one floor, so the top floor could be a fourth bedroom or study. Open plan doesn't bother me either. Also not sure why a downstairs toilet is such a must? I have one at the moment, but previously didn't and it didn't bother me at all. Is it due to toilet training toddlers? That is something in my future.

Also have to chime in on the 70s houses - I have one too, with the lovely green tiles on the front :-) To our surprise, we have fallen in love with this little house. Everything is so practical - well laid out, good sized kitchen, very light, big garden, built in closets in all the bedrooms. Tons better than a new build.

I love my 70s house too. I just keep my eyes shut when I'm walking up the drive.

I started the open plan thread but reading this has made me realise how much I love my house and that we're very lucky

Never thought about how important off street parking is. Our current house has a drive for 2 cars and our last car had a driveway too. We don't have a garage because we converted it a few years ago into a study at the front and big utility room at the back, much better use of space. The only downside is that we have nowhere to store bikes etc, what do you do about this if you don't have a garage?

Surprised to read how people don't like cul de sacs, is that just because of the parking issue? We're in a cul de sac and I love the peace and quiet. Neighbours are mostly lovely too.

I covet 60's houses! Love the windows (huge), the airy rooms and the general design. Many of them still have beautiful parquet floors. I know someone who has a 3 story 60's town house and I am so jealous of it. They have decorated it in mid-century modern style and converted the garage so that the kitchen is on the ground floor instead of first.

I have just bought a little 60's town house-cum-two storey maisonette type thing and I love it. The stairs are nice and wide, the rooms are all even sized and square (kitchen diner, sitting room, two bedrooms all 14 x 12, not massive but a really practical size for what I need it for) and the windows go from floor to ceiling so they let in loads of light, but they don't take up the whole wall so I still get privacy and cosiness at night.

The downstairs loo (which is actually the first floor iyswim) is big enough to turn into a utility room with a shower cubicle as well.

And it has a lovely parquet floor.

Ironically these days will new builds the only place you are guaranteed to have space to swing a cat IS the downstair loo, because they all have to be big enough for wheelchair access now. Although how said person in a wheelchair is supposed to get upstairs to their miniscule cupboard of a bedroom is anyone's guess.

Oh and my little house has mahoosive wardrobe recesses along one wall, in addition to the 14x12 dimensions. I can swing as many cats as l like in there.

I've lived in a cul de sac, and many of the front gardens had no phyical boundaries between them. It was a very a mixed blessing but it was handy while my children were very small and wanting to ride their bikes and play out. Again it really depends on how lucky you are with neighbours, availability of parking, the behaviour of the kids out playing etc. Mine were perfect obviously and respected other's space/privacy, but some of the children were horrors. Especially as they got older and there was always a football being booted really hard into someone's car…or child….

ItsRaining - v envious - sounds lovely!

I live in a Victorian semi and I do like it but next house will be more practical I think now I have a baby. I'd like an upstairs bathroom, off street parking and a bigger garden. I do love the location though, it's tricky.