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#/

[Tiddlybibblesworth]

I’m quite familiar with the area. That A road is BUSY. Weird house, A road, barely any garden = no way. It’s cheap for a reason - have you actually viewed this house? Only 6 pictures at odd angles... I bet once in there it is glaringly obvious that this house does not work for most people. I’d expect it to be a pain to sell.

Why mortgage free at your stage in life? A new baby, the oldest are teens. You must be 40s maximum? What’s wrong with a manageable mortgage? I totally understand not overextending yourself; but settling for this bizarre house isn’t the answer.

With regards to the other property with an “attic room”. If it isn’t converted to building regs do not use it as a bedroom. Inability to escape fire, inadequate joists... they aren’t safe.

[thriftyhen]

It's a lovely house and great for a couple. With 5 in the house, I'd go for as much space as possible, both indoors and out. Really what you're getting is one room downstairs and four bedrooms upstairs.

[TooTiredToBeCreative]

@Jojobar it’s not really that unusual is it? I bought my house 20 years ago for under 200k, have just finished paying off the mortgage and the house is now worth almost 700k- I didn’t have to “pay off” a 700k mortgage. Most of my friends are in the same position- if they haven’t massively upsized in the last few years. We are manual workers/supermarket workers/ working in admin- normal jobs.

[HighSpecWhistle]

Style over substance. That (lack of) downstairs space wouldn't work for me.

[Justgorgeous]

You need a bigger house than that. That house is ok but it’s small

[ShrikeAttack]

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

[thriftyhen]

Also, just looked at the square footage which is tiny!

[SD1978]

I'd put up a stud wall, and make the 4 th bedroom. Not a big deal.

[NoseinBook3]

I’d get the four bedroom and have a mortgage for a little while longer

[CoronaIsWatching]

Stealth boast

[LucyLockdown]

Awww I love the house but the truth is it just doesn't work for you. It's not the right house for you, though I can see why you want it to be.

Also, as a proper northerner (Newcastle) I do think it's weird that Manchester thinks of itself as northern. It's more in the middle, or if you include Scotland then in the southern third.

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

I'd love to know what you do to have paid off the mortgage of a 700k house. I'm going to guess based on the impracticality of the house you're looking at it's not a career in finance or planning...

So you’re knocking the OP for ‘impracticality’ - but she’s practical enough to be mortgage-free at a young age. Has envy and bitterness kicked in?

[GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly]

Whenever you are downstairs you would all be in the same room. Unless you all get on very very very well don't do it!

[cdtaylornats]

By the time your 7 year old needs a room to themselves the 14 year old will be off to uni.

[BubblyBarbara]

Going mortgage free will totally change your life from a psychological point of view so just do it

[Merryoldgoat]

A) lovely area OP - I used to live that way but moved to SW for house prices. I’d love to be back there.

B) I have a house with a large living room that’s semi-open to the kitchen with a 3yo and 8yo - it’s too much chaos. It’s hard to keep tidy, it’s noisy, cooking snells encroach on everything etc. Those big open areas look fab when ‘dressed’ but they’re a nightmare with a young family.

Have you tried Hampton Hill? Usually a bit cheaper. Maybe Fulwell?

[thinkingaboutLangCleg]

I'd love the location near woodland, and 2 bathrooms would be an incentive too, with three children. But the layout is a bit inconvenient, and many properties have enough space to add a small bathroom or ensuite. So I'd keep looking in that area.

If you plan this to be your last move, you're right to go for something you love!

[Whattheactual20201]

Thank you ! It is defo not a stealth post these houses are not the top end of houses here by far ( might be else where but not ) due to jobs, DS school and my daughters health we can’t move further a field so these are the prices we have to deal with.
Again we do not lead a luxury life style at all. These houses are average houses.

[OwlLovesTea]

@BubblyBarbara

Going mortgage free will totally change your life from a psychological point of view so just do it

yeh, i'm on my own and mortgage free and it's such a weight off my mind, but I don't know, if I were with somebody there'd be that worry ''if we split up can we afford two places from this house''.
Big age gaps with your DC Are they all his?
If not, I'd be scared. You say ''i would become mortgage free'' not ''we would become mortgage free''

What are the sexes of the children, if it's b, b g or g, g b then that is convenient for room sharing but gbg or bgb is a bit harder to work out.

I don't even live in the uk and I'm confused by all the shock at the price of the house. houses in leafy commuter suburbs of london are going to be very very expensive. Who doesn't know this?

[SlopesOff]

@Whattheactual20201

I love how half the thread think the price is mad and the other half thinks it’s cheap 😅

It is at the lower end of where I live.

I prefer the second house you posted, it has a proper garden, not keen on the kitchen though, could only get one person in there at a time.

[Jojobar]

@TooTiredToBeCreative the OP is under 30 apparently so I don't think will have been paying off a mortgage for 20 years.

It's quite remarkable that despite that, also having to deal with her child's heart transplant, and then finding out she was pregnant with her youngest at 30 weeks late last year, she's managed such financial success.

[Arobase]

@Whattheactual20201

where we move that isn’t a huge amount of money for a house !

In that area, think about Fulwell, Twickenham and Whitton.

But also check out schools as the good ones tend to be oversubscribed.

[Whattheactual20201]

@Jojobar would you like to know what I do for a living ? I can even post my work card if you wish ?

[TatianaBis]

Great price OP sweet little house, but not appropriate for your family. The layout will drive you nuts. And it’s on a main road. You really need 4 beds.

The 750k house on Plevna Road would be a much better fit for you - and a total bargain for SW London.

Would you consider hopping over the river to West Molesey?

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/56673215

[Whattheactual20201]

I had financial success which I have admitted is partly though luck. I was also lucky to have family support when my middle DC was sick which of course I was very lucky to receive and very thankful so it didn’t effect my financially.