Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask what you would not choose again if moving house

365 replies

chaletdays · 11/05/2015 16:56

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?

OP posts:
natcat7000 · 12/05/2015 12:36

If only I could have the money to afford all the things I want from a house. As it currently stands, we will have to compromise. A lot. In my magical world however:

  • semi detached at least
  • tree lined street
  • private garden
  • nice neighbours
  • off road parking
  • no serious DIY required (as my husband and I have proven time and time again that we may want to be great at DIY but we are really not! And all the DIY never gets done. So ends up driving me and husband mental.)
MagelanicClouds · 12/05/2015 12:44

If I move again I want...
Off road parking
A bedroom that doesn't face east
Smaller windows - ours are just too wide and too high. Getting curtains to fit is hard
More storage space

Textured wallpaper is vile, isn't it? My parents put up loads in the 80's when it was fashionable and I'm pretty sure it contributed to them struggling to sell 20 years later. The only thing worse is textured paint. In our current dining area the previous bloody stupid people slopped some about instead of properly redecorating and it's naaaaaasty! We've done our best, but it still shows. There was a paper border in the middle of the wall they painted over. We took it off, but now there's a strip of wall with no texture. DH says it doesn't really notice. It does.

lantien · 12/05/2015 12:49

I would not ever buy a house which opens straight onto the street, or has a front door which opens directly into the living space, ie a house with no hall and porch area.

yes would never buy that. Had friend's who had no hallway opening directly onto outside - not good - very drafty too.

Grew up in a house that had a box for hall but then lead into living room - then access to rest of house -stairs - kitchen dinner room was via the living room so it was a through fare. It's not a good layout either.

Also yes to the shared access across back garden - had that with a rented - end terrace rest of houses accessed their back either via their houses or right of way between our back door and our garden. Neighbour were nice but gates were left open they always peered into our house via back windows and door - couldn't leave DC out there unsupervised and it was used a surprisingly large amount.

MissusThePoint · 12/05/2015 12:55

We're looking now and I have to remind myself how depressing a North-facing garden is from Oct-March.

Blazing88 · 12/05/2015 12:57

Anything that is leasehold. Never ever ever again.

silveracorn · 12/05/2015 12:58

Our house is pretty perfect, but I'd not choose a north facing garden again, and I'd look for somewhere that had been fully modernised in its electrics and plumbing as ours is a mish mash of original and improved which never quite work together.

propelusagain · 12/05/2015 13:07

My house is pretty perfect. I do have off road parking, but it's not an issue, there are always plenty spaces in the street. Both sides of the house look out onto woodland, we have trees every where.
My garden ( and large conservatory) are North facing, but with such a large open aspect we can see almost horizon to Horizon - se we get the sun from bith directions all day long.
We had no DIY to do, the place was modern and in great shape

chrome100 · 12/05/2015 13:08

This is a very interesting thread. DP and I are currently house hunting but a little reluctantly as we love our rented flat and have been very happy here.

I have said no more than 2 bedrooms, no more than 2 storeys and preferably no stairs as I love living all on on level

derxa · 12/05/2015 13:11

I would not choose 1970s ugly again as a PP said. Otherwise I grow to love the house more each year. Look out on to a lovely green space and the evening light is always beautiful for some reason. I've tried to transform it with wooden flooring and shabby shite decor. If I could transport a Georgian rectory on to this plot I'd be well happy!

Dowser · 12/05/2015 13:27

Excellent thread.

The good points of my house ( semi bungalow) is no neighbours above me.
Reasonably quiet neighbours beside me
Off road parking
Quiet neighbourhood ( nowhere else to build as they've already done that) but its all houses so so far so good.
Quiet cul de sac
300 yds from school
Good layout
plenty of storage
Ordinary windows
Quite economical to run

Bad points
Neighbours trees. I have none yet am surrounded by sycamores, lime trees
Having leaves to pick up in autumn
Cutting down on light late spring to autumn
Only one toilet...that can be a pita!
Not having garage next to house. Would have made second bathroom when kids were little
not soundproofed enough. Can hear the man next door yawning.

Been here 40 years so can't see me moving any day soon...unless I'm wearing a brown overcoat!

susurration · 12/05/2015 13:27

Really interesting thread here. We always said we would never go for bland and boring, all the same new build area but actually thats exactly what we bought and we love it now!

Our only thing I think we would change in future would be shared access/driveway. Ours is shared between four houses and 3 of us keep to the arrangements properly. One household makes it hell for the rest of us so on that basis I want a private driveway in future. It would also be nice to have a west facing garden next time to get the afternoon sun for longer, and a garage too maybe.

Dowser · 12/05/2015 13:28

Blazing 88

What impact does leasehold have on you?

susurration · 12/05/2015 13:29

Oh and next time, better schooling near by. I think we will have to move in the future if any kids come along whilst we still live here.

NeverNic · 12/05/2015 13:30

We have shared access in this and previous house. We don't like that they officially come on to our garden, but with a solicitor's help we've cleared up some of the problems. These are only problems in a legal sense though. We have never had an actual problem iykwim.

I would never buy a house without a third viewing and really noticing the cosmetic work needed. Once the owners furniture was out our house stank and was dirty. Everywhere needed painting. Also wouldn't buy a house with a back boiler or any bodged diy jobs without accompanying paperwork

Dowser · 12/05/2015 13:31

Why not an east facing bedroom magelanic. Our faces east and that's ok

wobblebobblehat · 12/05/2015 13:34

My list of non-negotiables when we bought this house...

Own drive
Off road parking for 2+ cars
Two storeys
Big enough to swing a cat

Our house is almost perfect... Grin

6cats3gingerkittens · 12/05/2015 13:38

Nothing with an open plan front garden as the local little shits play on it all day and destroy anything they can get their hands on.

LowryFan · 12/05/2015 13:39

I love my house but wish the road wasn't so busy outside, and that we were facing the right way for solar panels. Neither of these are deal breakers though. I'm v lucky.

I did briefly wish we were on an estate where kids could play out more but actually think I'm glad we don't overall.

DancingHat · 12/05/2015 13:40

Stairs out of the middle of the living room/not able to shut them off with a door - heat and sound both rise!

Side access only down path and across neighbours' garden. Need my own side gate and direct side access.

Need an internal door to the garage.

Garden not on a slope upwards. Such a pain for garden toys and shear drop with a wall.

Driveway not sloping so car slides down in snow & DH doesn't wreck my handbrake putting it on so hard.

I've clearly thought about this a lot!

DisappointedOne · 12/05/2015 13:40

Nothing with an open plan front garden as the local little shits play on it all day and destroy anything they can get their hands on.

Funny you say that *6cats3gingerkittens. It's the -disgusting- cats using my open plan front garden as a toilet that makes me want rid..........

propelusagain · 12/05/2015 13:43

Open plan front garden- it's not a problem here. I haven't had one kid playing in mine not any animal excrement. In fact I haven't found a single piece of dog excrement anywhere in the estate since moving here 9 months ago. All dog owners pick up the poop.

CatOfTheWoods · 12/05/2015 13:47

We're hoping to move sooner or later and my no 1 priority is to get away from terraced housing. In theory it could be lovely with all the nice, kind, friendly neighbours supporting each other. But one total busybodying, controlling cow of a NDN and it's no fun at all. I'm so tired of being berated over the tiniest noise from my DC (even though she's noisy herself!), having her constantly monitoring me, being told what to do re my garden, my fence, my washing line AARGH JUST FUCK OFF! Angry (I should add my house and garden are in perfect order and no one else complains!)

I just can't wait to have a self-contained building with some space between the houses. It means moving further out which I once wouldn't have dreamt of, but it's worth it!

And I want a garage to put the crap in. And a second bathroom for the kids.

I'll also be happy to wave goodbye to a Victorian house with original features – beautiful but it's a PITA finding a place to put furniture because everywhere you look there's a fancy fireplace/alcove/awkward bay window.

I've basically become the ultimate middle-aged suburbanite. In my youth I always wondered how anyone could want to move out of the city centre into a modern detached house. Now I slaver over them on Rightmove.

BikeRunSki · 12/05/2015 13:50

Immediately next to a bus stop. Tv signal scrambled every time a bus was outside.

SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 12/05/2015 13:50

I love my 3 storey. Floor for me, floor for kids, floor for living.

hobbisl38 · 12/05/2015 13:56

I'd make sure the bedrooms didn't back on to one another and that there was adequate noise insulation between the houses. Clue: if there are chimneys and fire places there won't be. I'd also take more note of subtle clues when talking to the original owners. When asked about our neighbours (who are a pain), the last owner sighed and said, after a pause, "oh, well. They're alright". There was a volume of information in that last word!!!