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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask would you buy a fab house in a crap area?

166 replies

BebeRainbow · 22/09/2018 23:08

Or would you rather buy an average house in a naice area ? Just looking for the General consensus really

Looking at moving house, as ours is too small and I don’t like the area, it really is a shit hole. if we move to a better area we won’t get much at all for our money

But in areas that are ... less nice (but probably slightly better than where we are) you can get something pretty special fairly affordably.

We are in the midlands

OP posts:
Mum2OneTeen · 23/09/2018 00:08

Isn't the old real estate adage "position, position, position"?

Much better imo to buy a modest place in a great location, you can always make changes and improvements to the building, but not location. An exception I guess, would be a house in an area about to become desirable (inner city locale for example).

OftenHangry · 23/09/2018 00:09

@Gwenhwyfar I second that. There was no burglary in our less desirable area (immediate about 15 streets) in last 3 years.
Friend bought in very desirable postcode. They have burglaries in area weekly.

Gwenhwyfar · 23/09/2018 00:18

Often - I have a computer worth a couple of hundred quid but nothing else worth stealing, no TV, no hi-fi, no jewellery, no 'systems' or whatever other people have. I do worry sometimes that a crazed druggie might break in, but it's obvious that no serious burglar would be interested.

Gwenhwyfar · 23/09/2018 00:19

Those saying 'location, location, location' - that's why I live in a poor area. Walking distance to city centre. There are some expensive flats right in the city centre, but in general the 'nice' areas are suburban so not good locations for anyone who gets around on foot.

Teddy1970 · 23/09/2018 00:30

No because it might be cheaper and easier to buy now which is very attractive, but it will be probably difficult to sell on, I always think you should buy the cheapest/smaller house (or one that you can afford) in a really good area, rather than a big fancy house in a not so good area.

AngeloMysterioso · 23/09/2018 00:36

I was given the advice “buy the worst house on a good street, not the best house on a bad street”. You can do up a house that needs work and desirable areas tend to remain so- some shitholes will always be shitholes.

ICantBelieveIDidThis · 23/09/2018 00:41

Always try to buy the worst house in the best area, rather than the best house in the worst area.

ICantBelieveIDidThis · 23/09/2018 00:43

Dammit. Posted too soon.

The best in the worst and the worst in the best may be the same price, but doing up the doer-upper will add value and the best in the worst area will always be too expensive....

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 23/09/2018 00:52

Well it’s not a fab house if it’s in a shit area is it?
When buying property always buy the best you can afford in the best area.

PurpleFlower1983 · 23/09/2018 00:53

No I wouldn’t.

explodingkitten · 23/09/2018 01:04

I did both. Absolutely recommend the good area.

OftenHangry · 23/09/2018 08:24

I think the problem is that many people don't see there are at least 3 area kinds. For most people it's either desirable area or a shit area. But there is that great in between which provides great value for money and that's are which is under a not so desirable postcode, yet it's good.
The golden middle. The "Ok area". These are often becoming very popular, values are rising and houses sell fast. Like where I live.

When someone says "shit area" I imagine they are talking about arras where hooded youngsters roam, shootings and stabbings and open drug dealing are common occurrence and so is vandalism and assaults. Then I wholeheartedly agree with the "don't" crowd.

You need to do proper research into areas you might consider and they may honestly surprise you.
Police maps www.police.uk/search/?next=policing%3Aforce%3Apcc%3Aindex , visit there and walk around and visit after dark. We came to see our street on a night when people often have parties and there was nothing. So heavenly quiet. Safe to walk around even after dark, mainly family area, mixed owners and HA (which scared me a bit, but we have spoken with the neighbours first to gather some info) and everyone is lovely. And, we had to be bit extra vary due to our obvious different nationalities as well.

I would never buy in area about half a mile away because that's what people accurately describe as a shithole. Yet it has the same first part of postcode.

tissuebox · 23/09/2018 08:31

Location is key. You say yourself, the area isn't desirable or sought after, so why live there? No one else wants to!

TerfsUp · 23/09/2018 08:32

I bought a terrific house in an unglamorous* - but perfectly safe - neighbourhood. So it depends on how you define "crap".

The neighbourhood is surrounded by vair vair naice areas; mine is the ugly sister. Because it's not lovely (but is within walking distance to lots of green spaces) I got the house for a good price. I've slowly been renovating it - just a few more years of renovations to go...

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 23/09/2018 08:36

We did this. We could never have afforded our house in a nice area. To be honest, the area is fine (despite my parents' snobbishness). It's scruffy and inner city but there's lots of students which I like (as they are never here half the time), it's very close to work and anything we'd ever need is on the doorstep and also very green with woods. Ironically the "naice" area is a 25 minute walk away so it's not exactly a ghetto.

tryingtotakeitonboard · 23/09/2018 08:38

We bought the “naice” house in the posh area. Still ended up living next to a retired alcoholic who blasts music out all weekend.
And the garages round here are getting broken into this week as loads of people have high value goods in them.
We don’t really talk to any neighbours as they keep themselves to themselves.
Lived in a smaller house, still nice in a nice area, but on the very outskirts of the nice area, so border really.
Neighbours were so friendly and helpful and loved that street.

NonaGrey · 23/09/2018 08:39

What are the schools like OP?

You might be able to cope with a lovely house in a not very nice area, but how do you feel about your kids attending the local school?

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 23/09/2018 08:39

And second the burglary thing. My parents live on a very nice suburban estate - there are so many break ins,

Thatstheendofmytether · 23/09/2018 08:40

Would depend if you had kids, they will go to the school and make friends in the surrounding area and want to go out and play there whereas you don't as an adult need to do that at all. I would still probably pick the nicer area.

FittonTower · 23/09/2018 08:45

It depends on your stage in life i think. We bought a small (but adorable) house in a lovely area, not the fanciest but in the catchment for the good schools and right next to parks and shops and all the good stuff. My neighbours are lovely and normal - teachers, builders etc rather than the very well off which suits me better. Its perfect for my family now.
However, this is not my area. I grew up in a much more undesirable part of town and i love it. It's got character and green space and big lovely houses that i could afford.
I bought my house based on location because the kids are young and they need the good schools, when that's all done with I'm gonna buy me a big ole house with parking and a fabulous garden to rattle around in and I'll deal with the slightly crappy neighbourhood with a good burglar alarm and a dog.

NotMeNoNo · 23/09/2018 08:53

BobLemon

We moved last year and to start with looked at the place you mentioned. We ended up in slightly cheaper neighbouring postcode. Just the other side of the tracks. Absolutely no regrets, school good, transport good, neighbours great. Tbh is nice not to be so exhaustingly yummy and aspirational. Good luck.

LittleDreamer1 · 23/09/2018 09:05

We bought a ‘dream house’ that was affordable due to its awful location and have since moved out! I’d much rather a smaller house in a lovely area and wouldn’t make that mistake again xx

OrcinusOrca · 23/09/2018 09:08

Depends on how bad the area is too. Locally our village is not the most posh (we live in a 'naice' part of a county) but if you compare it to the rest of the county it's better than most of it. There is virtually no crime here, everyone is lovely and friendly. We have gorgeous period properties but also some less gorgeous 50's developments and old style council houses. Some of the more expensive villages are busier and have more trouble but they look more picture perfect.

If we were talking about an amazing house in a completely crap area, or an average house in a very nice area I would go for the latter. I guess it's just hard to really know how crap is crap, different perspectives etc.

londonrach · 23/09/2018 09:10

No no no. Get the worse house you can in the nice house and do it up. Location location location.

serbska · 23/09/2018 09:11

People always say location, but then you don’t see many families squished into one bed flats in Islington because the location is awesome, when they can get a house in Z3.

It is a compromise between the space you want, the area and budget. Like everything.

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