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AIBU?

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Original poster

to have become a bit obsessed with this house?

216 replies

dreamhouse2020 · 09/12/2020 12:06

Like many of us, I like a bit of fantasy house shopping on Rightmove.

I am planning to move but in 3-5 years so not just yet.

I've found a house I really like. Really really like. Thing is, it's not my 'dream' house. It has a nice garden (plot in total is half an acre) but it's not surrounded by masses of land. It's not a beautiful old manor house or cute country cottage. But there's something about it that has drawn me in. I have viewed the Rightmove page 100s of times now. It's not far from my DP so we took a drive out to it and nosed through the windows (it's an estate sale, vacant possession) and that made me love it even more.

I can't buy it yet as we simply couldn't raise the money needed, I have about 25% in cash but I don't earn enough to get a mortgage for the rest on my own, and DP pays himself only just above min wage. Plus it needs money spending on it, and neither of us are in a position to move right now. If it was for sale in 3 years time that would be perfect.

So I know it's not meant to be, but still...I really need to find a distraction (this was a distraction from being sad about lockdown, working from home, feeling isolated etc but has now become an obsession. Every day I check that it's not been sold!). Any suggestions? - other than hoping for a lottery win/ mystery inheritance.

OP posts:
smeerf · 09/12/2020 16:00

Sounds like DH is self employed - if he runs a limited company and pays himself a small wage, Virgin offer mortgages based on the business' profits over the last 3 years (rather than wage). Just a thought.

123rd · 09/12/2020 16:04

That looks like a bloody bargain compared to where we are...is it a dodgy area??? I really like it too OP, but don't worry. Opposite end of the country to me.

nickymanchester · 09/12/2020 16:05

@PickAChew

I can't see any sign of central heating, for a, start!

If you have a closer look you'll see that it has ducted warm air central heating. This was not uncommon back in the 1970s.

lostintheday · 09/12/2020 16:17

Lovely garden. I bought a 1970's house, exact same building type and style as that one OP. Would not recommend it. Because of the age everything is starting to need replacing. Had to get the whole roof redone within weeks of moving in as a really bad leak started in one of the bedrooms (water literally running down the walls). Windows are shit and need replacing. Floors - you get the picture, Major expensive items.

And the walls are so thin. The house may as well be made of paper and cardboard. You can hear everything throughout the house.

Really do not recommend a 1970s house OP.

pumpkinpie01 · 09/12/2020 16:24

@janex1 as a pp said really ,Shrewsbury is lovely , train station , lots of character , places to eat , cinemas , lovely walks the dingle is beautiful . I too have not been to Ludlow for a long time !

Original poster
dreamhouse2020 · 09/12/2020 16:24

It's a lovely area and the best road in Ellesmere (allegedly Grin).

I am very much a Londoner, I've never lived outside the South East, part of the attraction to somewhere like Ellesmere is it's a little town, so it's got a few pubs, a supermarket etc, and The Mere that are all within walking distance of the house, but it's also surrounded by lots of green fields. Best of both worlds.

Also I currently live in a house on a hill, my garden is on 4 levels, and there's 10 steps to my front door. One of my absolute musts in my next house is a flat, level plot - which of course this has. And having had my garden blighted by leylandii, no massive trees is another plus!

OP posts:
VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 16:28

That’s a really nice house. For sure it needs updating but not urgently, it’s perfectly liveable and could be done bit by bit as you could afford it.

tinselfest · 09/12/2020 16:29

The one thing you get with houses built in that era is plenty of big windows.

I can see why you are smitten OP. Loving that huge garden out the back just waiting for something wonderful to happen to it.

AurorasGingerbreadHouse · 09/12/2020 16:29

Have you checked whether you would be at risk of flooding?

Racoonworld · 09/12/2020 16:30

I love it! Needs some work doing to it but not too much. Can't believe the price I would buy it in an instant if we could move there (we can't).

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 16:33

@PickAChew

I can't see any sign of central heating, for a, start!
That’s because it’s underfloor.
MrsWooster · 09/12/2020 16:36

Why wouldn’t you make an offer, just being very open about your situation..?

garlictwist · 09/12/2020 16:50

I really like it. I like square boxy houses like that.

steppemum · 09/12/2020 16:56

[quote nickymanchester]@PickAChew

I can't see any sign of central heating, for a, start!

If you have a closer look you'll see that it has ducted warm air central heating. This was not uncommon back in the 1970s.[/quote]
the details say underfloor.

If is it 60s/70s underfloor heating, it probably isn't working so well, or in particularly good nick.

I think this house could bea money pit.

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 09/12/2020 17:02

I don't think house hunting is always ticking boxes-

I think ppl often have a visceral response when viewing a house-
when I found my house it had been on the market for a year with no offers. I saw it and my knees shook. I knew.

Luckily we all don't want the same houses or husbands

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 17:10

@mumsiedarlingrevolta

I don't think house hunting is always ticking boxes-

I think ppl often have a visceral response when viewing a house-
when I found my house it had been on the market for a year with no offers. I saw it and my knees shook. I knew.

Luckily we all don't want the same houses or husbands

That’s so right. We fell in love with a house that had so much wrong with it. The drive sloped upwards - hell to get out of in the ice or snow. It was the blandest house in the world and had very little potential for improvement. But the garden was heartstopping, it had a stream at the bottom and weeping willows with open fields beyond. Sadly it was the one that got away because someone else fell for it too.
Staffy1 · 09/12/2020 17:23

I love it, mainly because of the garden, but I could quite happily live in the house with no changes made to it.

PickAChew · 09/12/2020 18:31

[quote nickymanchester]@PickAChew

I can't see any sign of central heating, for a, start!

If you have a closer look you'll see that it has ducted warm air central heating. This was not uncommon back in the 1970s.[/quote]
Yeah, funnily enough we put an offer in on a house with that, a few years back. I missed it on my phone, on this listing, though.

OP have you done any sleuthing on the planning portal?

Original poster
dreamhouse2020 · 09/12/2020 19:50

Agree about the visceral response. Honestly when we drove up the driveway it felt, not quite as woo and spooky as a journey I'd already done or anything, but really comfortable and familiar. It was so quiet and peaceful as well compared to where I live now. Even though it was a horrible rainy day and because it's winter the wisteria just looks like a load of dead twigs! Despite that I still loved it Grin

@VinylDetective if it helps, my current house had a huge weeping willow when we bought it (wisteria round the front door too, and a huge grapevine/arbour but that's another story!) The willow was my favourite thing in our stupid multi level garden, my children had a rope swing and ladder on it. Lovely. Until about 10 years ago the bloody thing died and I had to pay £££s to have it cut down because it was taller than my house. Apparently willows only last 40-50 years (who knew? well certainly not me!)

@PickAChew I did look but couldn't find anything on the planning portal for the house, so I don't think the current owner has applied for anything. There are a few developments in the pipeline in the town but none for the fields immediately opposite or behind as far as I could tell.

The only good thing about being several hundred miles away currently is it means I can't drive past it every day! (I know if I lived nearby I'd be taking frequent detours to look at it).

OP posts:
Skysblue · 09/12/2020 23:03

It’s v common OP, my friend is sooo obsessed with a house he can’t afford. Unfortunately is local so he parks there often to ponder it.

Just means you’re bored and restless. Let it go...

VeganCow · 10/12/2020 08:32

I would keep the kitchen as I like wooden doors but am probably alone here.

CrotchBurn · 10/12/2020 08:35

The setting is lovely however the inside of the house looks incredibly depressing to my personal eye. I hate windows like that, kind of low and horizontal, it makes me think of institutions.

However OP I just wanted to advise you that even "just for fun", only ever run house searches for houses you can actually afford. I've done what you're doing and although it feels fun and exciting on the surface, subconsciously I think its depressing

Disfordarkchocolate · 10/12/2020 08:37

I can certainly see why you like it. I still pine for a house that sold when we wouldn't have been able to get a mortgage. It was just perfect. I would be so sad it it came up for sale again and they'd 'done it up'.

sueelleker · 10/12/2020 09:39

@VeganCow

I would keep the kitchen as I like wooden doors but am probably alone here.
No, I love it too. I like "traditional" in a house-all my living room units are wood.
Peace43 · 10/12/2020 09:45

I live not far from Ellesmere and could theoretically afford it but I’ve just fully refurbed the cottage we are living in... I think I’ll stay put! I like the wisteria though.