Must haves when house searching that I don't 'get'

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All open plan.
Why? Much nicer to have separate rooms where people can do their own thing, and to not have cooking smells invading the whole downstairs.

Kitchen Islands.
Usually just become dumping grounds for loads of rubbish and take up loads of floor space.

The pantry is for keeping food cool. My kitchen is cold most of the time, so it's ok. There's stuff that doesn't keep well in the fridge.
Even if you don't drive, off-road parking is good because other properties often have more than one car so the roads will have cars parked on them.
I wouldn't want a front door directly on the street, and certainly not if you walked straight into the living room.

I don’t like open plan, en-suites or no outdoor space.

I like separate rooms with a lounge and dining room and kitchen, bedrooms big enough to have fitted wardrobes, 2 loos, decent size garden, garage and space for a utility room and walk in larder.

I like a large enough area to store coats, shoes etc out of view. I hate walking into the house surrounded by clutter

We have an en-suite. Its in the guest bedroom though as its small, and just keeps guests from hogging our main bathroom with all their crap. ie dhs mum who travels with half of a Beauty counter.

Kitchen-diner key here. Separate living room. No island in kitchen.

I can’t hnderstand why anyone actively wouldn’t want a garden. To the PP who said you barely ever use them because of the weather - I was in mine practically every day during last year’s very long summer. Gardens are great - it adds so much extra space onto the house during the warmer months.

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minipie, I wouldn't buy a terraced house, but have seen some spacious Edwardian/Victorian ones over the years, they are not all tiny little workers cottages, Brixton and Ealing come to mind, I think the ones I saw in Brixton were terraced but they were big and on a green,leafy road. They look small from the front but are Tardis like inside and most people use the side return as a laundry room or similar. I am not sure when the little back to back cottages were built but those really are tiny, often found in the same areas as the big Edwardian detached ones.

Have seen many interesting older properties during my search for a home. If they haven't all been knocked into bland wall less shells I am hoping to find another one in the near future.

I don't like shutters either. I probably would if we had a caribbean climate but on a victorian terrace they look weird. I take it you mean outside slatted shutters? Internal panelled shutters are perfectly normal on a Victorian terrace, certainly on a "middle class" Victorian terrace, usually folding back into the sides of the window recess. Just unfold them across the window and drop the brass shutter bar into place, and it's better than a set of heavy curtains for insulation (though nothing to stop you adding the heavy curtains as well.

His and hers sinks. Nope. Seperate bathrooms, yes.
I only like large halls and landings when there is a big enough house to put everything else. My hall could easily be smaller and give me a kitchen that I could fit a bit of furniture ( or ironing board in). But no.
Not a fan of open plan either. Kitchen diners are great but kitchen living rooms less so.
Cupboards under the stairs for storage. Small, creepy glory holes.

Open plan
Walk in wardrobe
His n hers sink
Double triple garage

We have open plan with a kitchen island and love it. We have a sofa and toys in there as well as the dining table and a separate grown up sitting room.
I wish newer houses had bigger bedrooms and more storage- that’s my bugbear.

I love my aunts conservatory, it gets used every day! It's lovely and warm and peaceful in there.

I would commit crimes against gardening though, I'm afraid. I'm not fussed about big gardens as I loathe gardening but don't want an untended mess. Small courtyard type garden with pots would do me. Also, a front garden may be beautiful but for many people a parking space is a necessity. I'd certainly choose the latter. I'm a nervous driver; I won't drive to places without guaranteed parking as it is. So yeah, pretty or not, I'd rather have a drive I could park on rather than fight for a space, sorry!

I also agree with Lydia, an open plan area but a separate reception room is the best arrangement. Then again, I'm currently attempting to buy a flat which has chairs stored on hooks on the wall for storage space, so what do I know!

I am just remembering the episode of Malcom in the Middle where they clear out a over stuffed cupboard of junk and discover the 'cupboard' was actually a second toilet that they had completely forgotten about!

There are ordinary two up two down terraces around here with inside shutters. They look wrong. Maybe they look nice when you are inside but they're not for me.

The most important thing for me is a south/west facing back garden!! When I was last house hunting would not look at a house unless the back garden faced the wright direction. Now have a lovely garden that gets sun from 11am till sunset!!

My only must have was a boot room.

"must haves" that I don't get?
Wine fridges. Most us us buy supermarket plonk that doesn't care that it sits in a cupboard then gets chilled in the fridge, and precise temperature control is unimportant.

I am not sure when the little back to back cottages were built but those really are tiny Friends live in one of the many back-to-backs around here, and while they're not large, they're certainly not tiny. Double fronted, so on ground floor there is large kitchen diner to the left and huge living room to the right. Two more floors above of same size, and they have cellars.

I was never a conservatory lover and it would certainly wouldn't have worked on a sunkern, NW facing garden at our previous house, but our current one has a south facing double sized one. Generally it is useful from March to October, but even at this time of the year, it's good for a large Christmas tree, and the kids do go in to play where there's more space. In most of the warmer months it can be ventilated well enough without cooking. Opening the kitchen and lounge doors lets lots of heat through to the rest of the house.

I like a kitchen/ diner, it's easier for serving dinner, and it is more sociable. The neighbours kept the original seperate rooms and both feel tight in comparison. The lounge needs to be seperate though. Much more cosy and relaxing.

Our utility room was clearly designed by a man with poor domestic skills. I'm grateful to have one, but it is too tight and easy to get tangled with the laundry basket, washer door and back door!

An en-suite is good on the master room, but I'm not fussed about additional en-suites, particularly for children's rooms. I'd rather have a bigger main bathroom.

I'm not a fan of the monotonous grey fashions, minimalism or words used as decoration. To me, the most homely homes are a little bit eclectic as people gradually buy things they love.

I prefer separate rooms too. My kitchen is not big enough for an island and i will have to downsize soon . But I cant see the fuss in having one. If you can afford it and have one that is fine but it is not necessary .

Oh yeah, and the worst crime against property is when people rip out all the plants from their front garden and tarmac the lot. Then park their car on it so that all they can see out their living room window is the side of a Ford Focus.
Or when they rip out all the plants and fill the whole space with cat litter. Why???

I'd have thought that was fairly obvious - have you not seen the gazillion threads about parking wars ? Much better to get your cars on your drive if it is humanely possible.

a front garden may be beautiful but for many people a parking space is a necessity. I'd certainly choose the latter. I'm a nervous driver; I won't drive to places without guaranteed parking as it is.
Ooh that's interesting. See, I don't care where I park. I Iived on a street where there wasn't always a parking space so I just parked round the corner. I know it's probably different in London, but where I lived you could always find somewhere. It just wound me up how people seemed to need to see their cars all the time!

I remodelled to be open plan with an island, I love it

I am the open plan team.
Tried with separate kutchen and living room, but it didn't work for us. By making it open plan we have also created really comfy dining area unlike the previous little squeeze (ex LC house, not massive at all). It also helped to create a separate are for washing machine. And we cook together more often.

I wish I had a space for a kitchen island! I have to make do with kitchen peninsula

Our consevatory was useless. It was large and modern but impractical.

Even though it was heated it was just too cold and became a dumping ground. I'd rather have invested in a full extension.

Having guests watching while I prepared a meal in an open plan living space would send me completely to pieces!
Also detest those high backless stools that always go with 'breakfast bars'. I just don't seem able to enjoy food unless my feet are firmly planted on the ground.