AIBU that to stay mortgage free this house is fine !

[Whattheactual20201]

I know you can’t see them them in person but help settle a debate !

We have 3 kids between us, 14,7 and a baby we have a 3 bedroom house in a slightly
More expensive area than the one in link but pretty local to each other.
The house I like is a bit further out than ours currently but with lovely outdoor space locally for walk: woodland animals etc but only
0.5 miles away from station.
It is cheaper than our current home and would officially mean I become mortgage free. We were looking at 4 bedrooms due to kids ages but this is a 3 bed but has 2 receptions room so thinking we could use one as a room as my DS is 14 so not a young child.
It also 2 bathrooms so that’s helpful.
DH prefers going for a 4 bed and keeping reception rooms and 2 bathrooms and closer to where we are now ( we both drive and have cars ) this would mean having a mortgage for longer.

This is the house we are looking at I think
It will be suitable he doesn’t 😅 but think he might just hate the house haha

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73182624?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=whatsapp#/

[NotAnotherUserNumber]

I haven’t read the thread yet, but just wanted to say that that house is lovely and makes me want to consider moving to Hampton.

if you did want 4 bedrooms you could potentially take a hallway off the upstairs reception room, but this would make for quite a long narrow bedroom (I suppose you could also add an en-suite into the end nearest the current bathroom).

One concern I would have is to check the particulars of the freehold. It appears as though the upstairs of this house is supported over the semi detached neighbour which could create issues.

[Cyw2018]

This probably won't work, but...
Is the ensuite and bedroom plus wardrobe and whatever 's' is big enough to create 2 single bedrooms out of. This would leave you with the reception room, a bathroom and the second toilet downstairs (the only thing I'm desperate for in my tiny cottage!!). The two youngest could have the two little bedrooms with the upstairs reception as a massive playroom and second living room as they get older.

As someone living in a very small house, the two potential issues I see with this property are...
Washing machine in the main living space making a lot of noise (especially with 5 peoples washing to do).

Where would you keep shoes, coats and bags? You wouldn't want the living room become a cloakroom.

[ThePricklySheep]

How does it compare to what you’re currently in? Sorry if you’ve said.

[PuddyMuddles4]

I'm just astonished at house prices near London!!

This is what £650,00 will get you around here (and it isn't even the North, or that far away from London!).

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/72013623#/

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/75353226#/

[CloudPop]

@milienhaus

And my first thought was it’s surprisingly cheap for where it is

Mine too

[Almostslimjim]

How is Manchester not the proper north?!?!
We are the north!!!

From a house price perspective, Manchester is not proper north. I used to live in Manchester and don't think the OPs suggested properties would be put of place cost wise much there. Where as go 20 miles to Preston or Huddersfield and you can buy twice as much house for the price.

[Whattheactual20201]

@BrumBoo I wish it was a massive house ha it’s actually fairly small 🤣

There is big age gaps between the kids for that reason I sorted my life out between DC1 and DC2
I also live in utter organised chaos, I actually think the fact I haven’t been at work this year due to covid has been the only reason we have managed to breath.
But we are literally the most ordinary family.
Kids are great but have their moments. Daughter has her health problems but she is doing miles better than she was 3 years ago.
A few blips but nothing compared.
I have a great family which I am lucky to have and that is why despite having dc young I managed. In a lot of teen falling pregnant that isn’t the case so I am just very fortunate.

[Camdenish]

I was going to say you were being unreasonable about the house until I saw the plans. The reception room I. The bedroom floor looks ripe to turn into a bedroom. You could leave it like it is which I believe makes it a Princesses room? Or put sliding doors on. Or stud wall with inbuilt cupboards and bookcases.
Being from London it seems cheap to me for such large bedrooms.
Two bathrooms on the bedroom floor plus a toilet downstairs seems perfect.

[iftherewereahorseyinthehouse]

If you're only 29 get a mortgage and invest in a better property. I didn't get a mortgage until I was 33 (silly enough to spend four years at university and then move to London for work at 23 just as it became impossible to buy somewhere as a single person without a huge deposit.) And now 40 and still have over 400k to repay. More fool me I guess. Wish someone had told me to get a job and mortgage at 18 and buy a house instead of getting an MA.

[Tier10]

I’d go for the right house and have a mortgage.

[altiara]

I’d agree with your DH and go for 4 beds and 2 reception rooms. I like that Begonia Place house that Thedarknights found.

Going mortgage free would be great, but if you have a lot of equity, a small ish mortgage and space - I think that is the best compromise (in my opinion).
Eg it’s all very well talking about 14yo DS moving out in 4 years, but you still have those 4 years to live as a family with all of the kids getting older and needing space.
Then you’re also future proofing yourselves if DS comes home during university and for a few years after. I’d think of him being there for 10 years or so.
Good luck!!

[RuggeryBuggery]

Sorry if it’s been covered.... but why is downstairs smaller area than upstairs? What’s ‘underneath’ those other bedrooms upstairs?

[Janegrey333]

You should buy a house that is considerably larger. You would be horrendously cramped in that one. It looks tiny.

[Fairyflaps]

The courtyard garden is your only car parking, so those lovely bifold doors will open up to your parked cars rather than the lovely outdoor living space shown in the estate agent photos.
The flying freehold would worry me.
As would the neighbour's ground floor door and windows which open onto the courtyard garden.

[Bluntness100]

Op did you get married? Is he contributing to the house? Or will you keep it solely in your name?

[VeganVeal]

[quote Whattheactual20201]I know you can’t see them them in person but help settle a debate !

We have 3 kids between us, 14,7 and a baby we have a 3 bedroom house in a slightly
More expensive area than the one in link but pretty local to each other.
The house I like is a bit further out than ours currently but with lovely outdoor space locally for walk: woodland animals etc but only
0.5 miles away from station.
It is cheaper than our current home and would officially mean I become mortgage free. We were looking at 4 bedrooms due to kids ages but this is a 3 bed but has 2 receptions room so thinking we could use one as a room as my DS is 14 so not a young child.
It also 2 bathrooms so that’s helpful.
DH prefers going for a 4 bed and keeping reception rooms and 2 bathrooms and closer to where we are now ( we both drive and have cars ) this would mean having a mortgage for longer.

This is the house we are looking at I think
It will be suitable he doesn’t 😅 but think he might just hate the house haha

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/73182624?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=whatsapp#/[/quote]
Officially mortgage free as apposed to?

[BrumBoo]

Sorry to derail slightly, but my goodness @Whattheactual20201, I'm in awe of you! For someone who had a baby at 15, then another child with SEN a couple of years later, then recently went from not being pregnant to finding out at 30 odd weeks and having the baby to a couple of weeks later, to all the other drama in between, the fact that you are in a position to buy a massive expensive house outright at 28ish years old is just absolutely unbelievable! Well done you.

[PickAChew]

2 boys, that is.

[PickAChew]

Add 2 more bedrooms to that 800 square foot cottage for 3 people and you have the 1100 square foot for 5 people houses that OP is looking at.

My last house was a 800 square foot 2 bed terrace. It had pretty much the same 15by 23 original footprint of the lovely Twickenham house linked previously, a rear kitchen extension about half the size of the Twickenham house and no loft extension. It was cramped by the time the boys were approaching their teens.

[Cyw2018]

Having seen a couple of friends going mortgage free over the last few years and the incredible lift in their moods, I would definitely go smaller house mortgage free.

We live in a 800sq ft cottage (DH, me dd3 and dog) and if you plan to spend just as much time money, effort and creativity designing and furnishing each of the smaller rooms it is absolutely fine. We plan to be mortgage free way before most of our peers by choosing a smaller cheaper house.

With that house, I'd take the corner off the reception/bedroom to give it an independent entrance. You have the smaller bedroom with ensuite (all a master bedroom needs to be good is a decent sized bed and clothes storage). You can make it work for you and be so much happier mortgage free.

[CounsellorTroi]

@ShrikeAttack

I agree about hetting a small mortgage. Borrow 100k and you could get this, much better!

Odd that there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms, but photo of one bedroom only and neither of the bathrooms.

[Onedropbeat]

@Thedarknightsaredrawingin

🤣😎 *@Onedropbeat* alas I am not her. Wishful thinking for a career change!

That’s what Kirsty would say to stay incognito 🥸

🤫 secret safe with me (and all on this thread)

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I would plan for your DS possibly staying at home for University . From where you are , there are all the potential London Universities that he can travel to.

We're outer London, my 2 adult DC attend University in London ( online at the moment obvs) and live with us .

So he might not fly the nest at 18yo .

[ferretface]

The area is lovely, we have friends who live there and it's a great mix of access to open green spaces while also having vibrant pubs/cafes etc (in normal times anyways)

[Thedarknightsaredrawingin]

🤣😎 @Onedropbeat alas I am not her. Wishful thinking for a career change!