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

In feeling annoyed with couples who take up large family homes but have no children

258 replies

user1491297286 · 16/06/2017 13:43

Friend of mine and her partner have just bought a really big 5 bedroom family house. They are both mid 20s, no children but claim they intend to start a family soon.... They bought the property on this basis. ABIU in thinking this is ridiculous.There is no guarantee they will even be able to have children let alone multiple. The house is in a fantastic area, nearby to a wonderful school and I know any houses in the area are snapped up as soon as they are on the market. My friend was up against lots of families who all placed offers on the property, however my friend trumped them all with a better offer. I feel this is a total waste of a large family home and can't help but feel it's ridiculous and rather greedy and selfish!

OP posts:
IrianOfW · 16/06/2017 15:01

It's not social housing so what's the big deal.

We moved to a quite large 4 bed house 5 years ago. We currently have 3 kids and a lot of animals. When the kids have left and the animals have gone to join the choirs eternal we will STILL live in it because we like it and we own it and paid for it with our own money (well the bank's obviously)

Mummyoflittledragon · 16/06/2017 15:02

Op has her own home and is only 24. Quite an achievement these days! The immaturity of this post shows.

ChrisPrattsFace · 16/06/2017 15:02

Oh Jealousy is ugly.
They are thinking of their future, its a smart move.
Me and DP have three bedrooms - guess what, ones a wardrobe and ones a hobby room.
I guess I'm greedy and selfish because I didn't get pregnant as soon as buying an extra two bedrooms, and have the space for a longed for child.

Ariawyn · 16/06/2017 15:16

Op where are you

wondering23 · 16/06/2017 15:19

Lots of people buy things they don't need. I bought a new pair of shoes at lunchtime, I have plenty of other pairs of shoes at home already - should I have left the shoes for someone else who also wanted/needed them to buy in a sale at a lower price than I was willing to pay for them?

Your friend is very clever. Think of all the money she will save in fees and tax by not having to upsize later on. Of course there is no guarantee that she will be able to have children, but there is no guarantee that she won't either - hopefully she can as it sounds like she wants a family. My husband and I have tried to do the same thing by buying a biggish 3 bed house when we were in our early twenties because we hoped to have a family 10 years down the line. We could have coped in a 1 bed flat for all those years , but then we would probably have had to move when the first DC arrived and would have paid moving costs again.

We would have bought a 5 bed house like your friend if we could have afforded it. I am envious of people like your friend but don't begrudge them if they are in a better position than I am. There will be people worse off than me envious of my position too I'm sure.

My parents lived in a 3 bed house with 4 children when we were growing up because that's what they could afford at the time. We probably could have done with more space, but we coped. Now we are all grown up and moved out and they live in a huge farmhouse, half of it empty most of the time - but they LOVE it and have worked all their lives to afford it.

I understand that it could be seen as annoying that this pushes house prices up, but that's life. There will always be people who can afford more than they need and vice versa.

KERALA1 · 16/06/2017 15:22

Perhaps OP should move to a communist country where housing allotted out according to family size or some such.

deadringer · 16/06/2017 15:25

This is the strangest post i have ever seen on here, and that's saying something.

SistersOfPercy · 16/06/2017 15:27

Ha this is funny.
Just about to buy a 4 bed, despite the fact both our adult children are most likely to be moving out this year.
We want more room (as you get older you accumulate more crap) plus our investment into a bigger property now will come back to our kids when we shuffle off.

Anyway, might turn the spare room into a sex dungeon Grin

OliveSoap · 16/06/2017 15:30

Yes, we should definitely have a chipping system where there's a sensor that detects if someone without multiple offspring so much as clicks on a five-bedroom house on Rightmove and gives them an electric shock. The cheek.

Nanny0gg · 16/06/2017 15:35

OP, do you want vinegar or ketchup for that chip?

Decaffstilltastesweird · 16/06/2017 15:35

Eh? Yabu of course... this seems to strange an opinion to be real tbh, but assuming it is, don't most people do this? Buy a family home in order to have a family, rather than waiting to have the family and then buying the home. We couldn't afford to do it but we would have if we could. We now (finally) own a house and on the same street there is a young, childless couple with a bigger house than we have. It's never occurred to me to think that's strange. Also, maybe your friend is already pregnant and just hasn't told you yet. Who knows?

mineofuselessinformation · 16/06/2017 15:41

NannyOgg, a large pinch of salt might be more appropriate! Grin

Decaffstilltastesweird · 16/06/2017 15:46

*too strange

missiondecision · 16/06/2017 15:53

You don't like these people much do you?
Are your eyes green btw?

needsomesunshineandwine · 16/06/2017 15:55

🤣🤣

Strokethefurrywall · 16/06/2017 15:58

What a crock of shit.

PollytheDolly · 16/06/2017 16:02

Hahahaaa.

Biscuit
DarthMaiden · 16/06/2017 16:04

Goodness me. What a nasty and frankly pointless post.

What do want to see? Everyone in the UK being "graded" in what size house they can buy based on family size?

BladdersRoom · 16/06/2017 16:07

Contrary to popular belief, the world doesn't revolve around people with kids!! Their money, their choice!

I can see it now "Sorry Mr Prince Harry but as you have no kids currently the most you can buy with your fortune is a one bed flat - the bigger properties are reserved for families with kids, like your brother"

Ridiculous.

Gottagetmoving · 16/06/2017 16:11

I do wonder why people want a big house....but that's because I would hate having to maintain one...but it's none of my business what people choose for themselves and it's none of yours either.
People have reasons and preferences of their own.

bluegreenyellow · 16/06/2017 16:13

yabu their money can spend how they please

BladdersRoom · 16/06/2017 16:16

Also I live in a four bed house. All bedrooms get used currently but once the kids move out I intend to turn one into a study and have 2 guest bedrooms. can't wait

Notreallyarsed · 16/06/2017 16:20

I think it's strange that it bothers you so much? We have 3 kids and live in a 3 bed so the boys share a room. Most of my family (cousins and spouses) have huge houses and their kids all have a room each plus a playroom. I don't resent that, why would I? They bought their homes based on their income, as did we. Actually we are financially in a better position and could afford to move but decided not to as the kids are settled and happy here.

kittens · 16/06/2017 16:20

With the cost of stamp duty and legal fees it makes perfect sense to buy your family home as soon as you can rather than wasting money on all these fees.

RoseVase2010 · 16/06/2017 16:20

So the OP can have a 4 bed and no children, but a 5 bed is unacceptable 😂😂😂

Okay.

We have a 4 bed, one for DH and I, two for the children and the largest bedroom of all is taken up by... the dog. He does allow guests to stay if they're good 😎