To ask which property you like more?

[PeachFam]

It's a tricky one. Trying to buy our first home after renting. I'm scared and want to make sure we make the right choice. Haven't viewed the houses yet but can't help looking at the listings.
I want your honest opinion and why you like/dislike them.
About us: couple in their late 20s/early 30s. No kids yet but potential start thinking of having kids in the next couple of years. Location wise both houses are perfect. Please MNers I need all the help this is already so bloody stressful :(

The Hill Rise one. With the grey kitchen. The surrounding greenery, layout and just general feeling of space give it the edge over the other one.

I prefer the style of the second but the proportions of the first. And the garden of the first. Neither are especially what I’d go for though.

Gosh loads of comments thanks everyone!

I don't know if the thread should be closed I mean serious buyers would surely look on Rightmove anyway?! 🤷‍♀️

Anyhow thanks for all the comments. So house number 1 is a semi. Number 2 is a detached. They both walking distance to town about 10-15 minutes I'd say. Well definitely view them both!
Obviously we'd make small/cosmetic changes to whatever house we buy. Gardens I think will be on the small size given the fact how close we'd be to town and schools with good ofsted!

I fell in love with house 1 as soon as I saw it, I'm in my twenties with 2 children and think it would be fine

Another vote for house 1 here. I think house 2 looks small and that kitchen is awkward and poky.

House 1!

I like Tamar close because it has the ensuite to the master bedroom :)

They were both lovely, but that would be the deciding factor for us.

Have you actually been to see the houses? We loved one when looked at pictures but both hated it when went to view and one we weren't sure about we both fell in love with when we went it - it just felt like our home and we are still in it 14 years later!

Hello Peach, we live very close to one another.

I like 1 too. The shingle is a pain and spoils the garden but could easily be replaced with grass without costing a fortune. But the kitchen's MUCH better. The bathroom's a bit alarming but you could easily tone it down.

I like house 1 more - garden seems less overlooked.

But they're both lovely (don't worry OP, I don't have £300k to spend on a house and I'm not looking to move to St Ives, but really, what are the odds of another buyer with £300k to spend in Cambridge being on this thread but unable to use Rightmove?

I like house 1 but love house 2

I must be going blind, but House 2 looks semi-detached to me in the picture but is titled "detached"?

I prefer number one - nicer garden and better layout. But you'll have a much better idea when you've seen them in real life!

House 1 (although the finishes are nicer in house 2 but you can change finishes so shouldn't be the decider).

I prefer house no.1 . Looks as if there is more storage and potential to do more with it , to put your stamp on it. Check catchment areas for good schools and also rail/road links . Might be a good idea to check planning applications online ,see if there is anything in the pipeline waiting for approval . Good luck hunting .l

OPTION 1 - dont like conservatory on option 2 they are generally not much use -too hot summer/too cold winter....also the kitchen is really small in option 2 - the person cooking will be off on their own not sociable if just a couple and a nightmare with kids -much easier to have them close...

not sure why they didnt extend all the way accross teh back though- so there is more scope u culd do more with the garden as well if you did have kids (get rid of the spa/gravel)

generally on first time buy see if you can get somewhere you can add value - eg better bathroom/scruffy decor/loft conversion in future..
whethr that is through labour or saving and doing improvements...

Personally I wouldn't buy either. There is absolutely no scope to add value to either, which I feel is important in a first house (otherwise it can be difficult to move on to the next rung on the ladder, unless your salaries go up a fair bit, which if having kids is unlikely. However. If you are not on the 'adding value' or doing work end of the scale both houses are ok, very similar in style my thoughts:

House 1 - more square footage and larger garden. Less needs doing to it and it's a bit cheaper. Bedrooms are better proportioned and I can see it working better for a family. This is the one I'd go for.

House 2 - the bedrooms are quite small. The kitchen is tiny and needs updating. The garden is small.

So...house 1

Option 2 no contest

Style of second is much nicer and the front of the house and it is a nicer road but it is mukch smaller as is common with modern places and less garden so I suspect you might enjoy living in number 1 much more even though it does not look great from the front.

Sometimes you just have to make a choice and live with it and it's all fine. Every purchase is a compromise in some way.

I prefer house 1 (house 2 either has that new-build pokiness or a less skilled photographer). However I could happily live in either, depending which worked better for me, the feeling of the area etc.

Living in London I dream of buying a place like that for £300k.

I like one better - it looks like the rooms are bigger. The garden is bigger too and you can always put a lawn in. On the other hand, a detached is always a better investment, I think. And you wont have to risk noisy neighbours (or being worried about upsetting the neighbours if you have a baby who cries a lot!

First one

location is everything.
But house2 - not least because it has a garden ...

Home 2

Exterior of house 2 is nicer at initial glance. But house 1 is far nicer interior and garden.