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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To buy a house that's not right?!

71 replies

showmethegin · 18/11/2019 15:16

Weird question I know but going round the bend! We fell in love with a house on Saturday which we are having a second look at tonight. It's in the perfect area (v up and coming and incredibly competitive). We were hoping for a 3 bed house with spacious garden and this has two bedrooms and a reasonably small garden (although big enough for a BBQ party).

However I just cannot discount it, as soon as I stepped foot in it I just loved it, I can't put my finger on why, it's an end terrace and a different layout from most Victorian terraces and the living space is excellent and spacious. I feel really comfortable in in straight away. We are TTC and could only have one DC in it, so a 5 year house really, tops.

Would we be mad to go for it anyway?! I'm getting really nervous that we will be priced out of the area if we don't move quickly (have lost 3 houses already). Has anyone else bought a house for the 'feel'?

OP posts:

dontalltalkatonce · 18/11/2019 16:34

I'd go for it. There's no reason why you can't have 2 kids in 1 bedroom, having kids is not a given and no one knows what the future holds.

Scarlett555 · 18/11/2019 16:36

We did this. Now mortgage free on a lovely 2 bed flat in a central location. Been very happy here for 5 years with our DD. The main downside has been having people to stay - a spare room would have come in handy for parents and friends to sleep on.

However... now have a DS on the way so we need to move at some point. The flat is proving difficult to sell. It's going to be very cramped here with two kids.

But we've made about £50k on it.

Overall no regrets!

Loopytiles · 18/11/2019 16:37

As you’re ttc and want DC it’d be a bad decision to buy a two bed. Will cost a lot to move again, and larger houses may have become even more expensive. Building works are v costly, take much longer than promised, stressful and messy.

Wait for a 3 bed near popular schools. Schools, no of bedrooms and size of living space are far more important considerations than size of garden or location of bathroom IMO.

KitKat1985 · 18/11/2019 16:42

Is there capacity to create a third bedroom? Attic conversion or extension? If not then I wouldn't buy it personally.

charm8ed · 18/11/2019 16:46

It sounds as if it would be perfect for the next five years or so but then you may want to move after that. How do you feel about moving again?

Lazypuppy · 18/11/2019 16:52

We bought a 2 bed as it was a big 2 bed so plenty of room for 1 child.

We could have afforded a small 3 bedroom, but didn't see the point as 3rd bedroom was so small, instead we had 2 huge bedrooms.

We've just sold and it sold on the first day and we are now moving bigger.

I think its better to get on property ladder then work your way up

Disfordarkchocolate · 18/11/2019 16:55

It sounds lovely. Enjoy the lovely house and save some money from the smaller mortgage so you can move in a few years if you still want too. Lots of people share as children, it's not a form of punishment. Downstairs is where you'll spend most of your time with young children anyway.

Loopytiles · 18/11/2019 16:57

Estimate moving/tax costs of moving twice. May come around faster than you think depending on school preferences.

TreestumpsAndTrampolines · 18/11/2019 16:58

I would go for it if you get the feelz - I find that looking for houses really starts to focus what actually matters to you vs. what's on your list of what you thought matters to you.

And don't discount a 1 year old and a 4 year old sharing - that's the age gap between my two, and they went in together when DS2 was 10 months, shared a kingsize bed (DS2 was very capable, and DS1 adored him and was always very gentle - and we coslept with both so it was normal), plus it meant when we had visitors there was a big bed for them and the kids came in with us. Whenever we go visiting they still share (9 and 6 now), and even though we have a 3 bed now, they were in two minds about whether they wanted to share even when they didn't have to.

Disfordarkchocolate · 18/11/2019 17:03

Also, even if you buy the 'perfect' 3 bedroomed house you've been looking for there is no guarantee that you'll be there for more than 5 years. Life is very unpredictable.

BackforGood · 18/11/2019 17:09

I think 'loving it' is important.
Our home (for the last 16years) was one we just looked at, at the end of the day as the estate agent wanted to show it us and I was a bit curious, but, on paper wasn't what we wanted at all. It has been great.

I think the fact you know and love the area is crucial - that is something you can't change. The upstairs bathroom is important to you, and it's got that. You've got the extra room downstairs (it is Lovely to not have to open your front door and push your wet pram into the living room). You've said that others locally have been able to go up into the loft, which gives you other possible options. A lot can happen though before you 'need' that third bedroom. I'd offer on it, in your shoes.

MsChatterbox · 18/11/2019 17:18

Go for it! You will regret it if you don't. This is your home you have already decided.

ActualHornist · 18/11/2019 17:30

All those people saying definitely not are wedded to the idea of a bedroom per child and a spacious garden. Lots of families have children that share a room and just have a small outside space. Like us for example

Loving your home is more important than holding out for perfection IMO, especially if speed is important.

Lymington1 · 18/11/2019 17:32

Hi I am new to this site so apologies if I am not posting in the right place. I'm 16 weeks pregnant and went to minor injuries today for a broken big toe but they couldn't x ray it due to risk. Anyway the dr decided he wanted to listen to babys heartbeat and immediately told me without asking if I wanted to know (I did but with my boyfriend there preferably) it's a boy!!! Do they know that from the heartbeat? It was 120

cakeandchampagne · 18/11/2019 17:38

If you wouldn’t mind moving in a few years if you feel you’ve outgrown it, and you wouldn’t mind staying longer (if circumstances change) when it feels a bit small, then it would work.

Butterisbest · 18/11/2019 17:39

@Lymington1
Welcome to Mumsnet, you'd probably be better off starting your own thread in another topic. Maybe pregnancy would be a better topic. If you report your post and ask for it to be moved.
@showmethegin
I'd go for the feeling every time, as pp have said check out possibilities to extend/go into the attic space. Best of luck

MadMonkeyGirl · 18/11/2019 17:51

We did. Bought an old house that was smaller than what we had and not what we thought we wanted. Absolutely fell in love with it when we viewed it, offered accepted and we moved in! Falling down round us but we love it! Go for it.

Loopytiles · 18/11/2019 18:38

I am indeed keen on each DC having their own room, especially after the early years. Don’t care about garden though.

WhiteLaundry · 18/11/2019 18:45

I wouldn't, simply because moving house is so expensive! & if you're first time buyers you'll get the stamp duty reduction this time but not next time!

NemophilistRebel · 18/11/2019 18:48

We bought the 2 bed Victorian despite having baby on the way because we loved it and all the 3 beds we could afford were not our cup of tea at all

Don’t regret it for a second

The bedrooms are really spacious so baby number 2 coming in summer will be in with us and then sharing with dc1 by this time next year an will have a good few years sharing before we have to think about either converting loft or moving.

We have been here 3 years, without a loft conversion it’s likely to be another 4-5

Original poster

showmethegin · 18/11/2019 19:11

So we just got back and I think we're gonna go for it! Loved it even more when we came back. There is a loft we could go into if we needed to, although we are going to highlight it to the surveyor if our offer is accepted re size etc. I felt at home as soon as I walked through the door and that's gotta count for something? There is also LOADS of storage.

OP posts:

yellowellies · 18/11/2019 19:19

Sounds great! As people have mentioned guests, if the layout is as I imagine it from what you have described, get a sofa bed for the lounge

Roselilly36 · 18/11/2019 19:23

Sounds a great choice, the home we live in, I knew was the one. Sometimes you just know, been here 16 years no regrets. Good luck OP.

geojojo · 18/11/2019 19:27

Go for it. And I'm currently living in a 2 bed Victorian terrace with 2 children. It's really not that bad if you aren't able to move at the right time.

Disfordarkchocolate · 18/11/2019 19:29

Loads of storage you say, I've never had a house with that.

Judging by all the treads about guests that overstay their welcome it's good not to have a spare room.

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