To think this house is good for my family?

[Countrysidegirl]

We've had a really tough few years as a family. My DH is unwell, we took on a big house project which has been a huge financial and time burden. Yes we have a lovely big house in a great location but it's nearly torn us apart.

My DH was in hospital before Christmas and I had a good think about how I can improve our family life. We have 2 DC who are 5.5y & 3.5y and a dog. Moving closer to DH work to reduce his commute from 1.5hrs each way to 20 mins, get a house that needs no updating/DIY, reduce our mortgage/outgoings burden, give us some life back like family trips/holidays etc which we haven't been able to afford.

We've seen this house a few times now.

www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/53157450

It ticks all those boxes. I love it but DH is resisting. He thinks it's too small inside and outside. What do you think? Catch is the garden which is only at the front and terraced. It backs on to Minchinhampton Common though so no shortage of outdoor space!

It has good schools and amenities nearby. We've seen other houses nearby but they haven't been much bigger inside and need a lot of work!

Seriously what kind of houses do you all live in. All the rooms are good sizes. The only downside the garden. You would need to supervise the children at all times till older. Your average 3 bed new build would have much less sqmtr than this property.

This. Plenty of people live in much smaller, less convenient houses than this. New build town-houses are much more cramped, for instance.

OP, if you haven't, you should at least go and view the house in person. Maybe also go and see the other one in the village too. But I would definitely be moving in your circumstances.

I remember this house being posted on Mn before, I think.

That's a bigger kitchen than ours, but it looks like it would suffer from the same problem ours does, namely that as soon as you have two people in there you are constantly getting in each other's way. That said, there are pluses like not having to walk far between the oven and sink, and that one is better off than ours is for work surfaces, and the utility room is a definite bonus.

I suspect the garden is the reason for the problems in selling it. You do need to think about whether you would have similar problems when you come to move on. With small children, I'd want something like a downstairs cloakroom. Is there any room at the back or the side to add that on?

For all that people suggest half a million gives you a lot of choice, unfortunately in that area it really doesn't.

I'm not far away from that house, OP :) I'm house hunting too, just off to see one in Cheltenham. I know the area quite well and I'd say that one is overpriced for a semi-detached.

Looks lovely and homey, but it massively depends what your priorities are - for me the kitchen is too small for the asking price, but it looks full of character if you love that. Good luck!

Has it been on sale since Aug 2017 though?

The mapview seems to pinpoint a completely different property.

Slightly confused as to the set up - you say it backs onto a common, but it appears to have no door to the rear, or even windows to the rear? Is there a big/farm house behind you that doesn't want you to see them? Access would surely be through the utility room with space for coats and shoes rather than directly into the dining room?

To be honest, it looks like somewhere to rent rather than own, would that be a possibility?

I would be putting in a downstairs cloakroom, possibly combined with the utility room. And an ensuite bathroom at top of house. Then it would be perfect.

Weighing up what I've read from your OP and the other comments I'd give it a miss, especially as your husband is not keen.

Does anyone else suspect the OP is actually the vendor of this house trying to increase viewings?

It’s been on the market since Aug 2017 and is clearly overpriced.

Plenty of people live in much smaller, less convenient houses than this. New build town-houses are much more cramped, for instance.

Yes, they do, and the UK is notorious for its dinky houses and lack of living space. It's a legacy of mining and the industrial revolution plus an obsession with home-owning coupled with a lack of decent tenancy legislation.

If I were spending half a mil, I'd want a big-ass kitchen and a big-ass house. We spent just under half of that and have a big-ass kitchen in a medium-ass house, albeit not in the Cotswolds. We prioritised space over location, though, plenty of people don't.

I think it's beautiful. The kitchen is small and would drive me scatty (yes I know other people have small kitchens and cope but for half a mil I would want a bigger space) but looks like you could knock this through to make a big kitchen/dining/family room and still have a separate living room as well. I like the cost, cottage-y feel of the other rooms.

I actually don't think the garden is too bad. It's elevated so there is reduced risk of a car ploughing through it while DC are playing. You would obviously need to make it escape-proof by putting up fencing or similar. I can understand people thinking their kids might seem a bit vulnerable playing at the front of the property as it seems more accessible to people from the roadside, but most homes have a gateway from the front through to the back garden anyway which probably presents a similar risk. It's not the safest garden going, but it's certainly not the worst with a few tweaks.

*cosy

I would do it just for that fridge

It is a splendid house and from what you say, quite big enough for your family and a dog. Who knows, when your husband is better and in a couple of years, you might be able to add a room or outbuilding but it is perfect for you right now. A shorter commute to work is definitely not to be sneezed at!

I hope husband comes round to it, it could just be the general upheaval of moving combined with his ill health, putting him off.

If the OP is the vendor she should have a word with the agent, 9 photos for a £500k house and 3 of them aren't even of inside, that's not going to attract buyers

And if you're not the vendor why would the opinion of strangers be more valid that those of your own DH? I'd be pretty annoyed if my partner expected me to ignore my objections in favour of views from the internet

Id rather live here if the area is the draw.

Shit loads of space and super modern. Great garden for kids.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54801225.html

@jessstan2 there is nowhere to add a room or outbuilding. The have no land at the back or side. The kitchen has taken the only extendable area. The house has already gone into the loft. There is no scope to increase size.

I think the features of the house are lovely. I love the exposed walls. However, the kitchen is too small for me and I would have issues with the garden. I'd want more house for my money but I suppose you are paying for the views and location here.

but looks like you could knock this through to make a big kitchen/dining/family room and still have a separate living room as well

Not without a shit loads of cash - that wall is the external old cottage thick wall. Will be pricy to take it out.

Or this one.

I'm def a more 'house' person than 'exact pretty village location' person tho.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-78039356.html

No , I would live there , way too small and over priced.

I know this area well. This house is very reasonably priced for the area and that is because it comes with a number of disadvantages, most of which have already been pointed out. There is only one toilet, in te main bathroom, for me this would make it totally unworkable as a family home. The kitchen is very narrow and there is no opportunity for the open plan living that most of ;us like now. I lived in a house with many similarities and we felt very hemmed in with just the two small downstairs rooms and a tiny kitchen.
There are no facilities on the second floor, so it would mean trekking downstairs to the bathroom.
The door opens straight into a living room with no hall, there is probably very little storage - where are you going to put all the welllies, coats and other stuff that usually goes in the hall?
The garden, you cannot just turf the children out onto the common.
This area is affected very badly by snow and ice in the winter, there would be some days most years DH could not get to work and if he was to be unwell there might be access problems.
nice houses without these drawbacks in this area are usually priced at £650,000 or thereabouts, so if someone can accept the compromises it is a very good price. If you were to look more at the Chalford Brimscombe or Uplands areas in Stroud you might find something very nice for this price. Lots of choice in Rodborough and the houses actually in Minchinhampton have good gardens and lots of space although they are more 60's and 70's style. Quite a few bungalows on big plots have been converted to modern family homes.

Have you posted this house before? I've definitely seen it linked on MN before.

The Bownham mead one is much better, this is a lovely area.

It is lovely however re living close to the common, it won't be the same as having a big garden. I use to live by a huge park - it was great but you can't have a cup of tea with breakfast in your pjs in the summer, a glass of wine of an evening. And as a public place, your dc can't play as they would in their own garden.

Not to put you off - just something to consider