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#/

[Cocogreen]

I think the house is lovely but with the age spread of your children I think you need an extra bedroom.

[Whattheactual20201]

@StatisticalSense I did not want to leave any of my children on Xmas day.
DD7 was in hospital in the middle of a pandemic, where was isolated to a cubicle ( we luckily got out just in time )
She would have sat unwell in a cubicle mainly by her self apart from observations and IV antibiotics with an occasional health visitor popping in whilst my DS was at home with my DP and other DD.
I was absolutely heart broken that our family would of been spilt at Xmas.

[Whattheactual20201]

Why would my DD7 be sleeping ??? She would have been awake during Xmas day and fully away it was Xmas but not older enough to understand like my teen son that we were in a situation.

[Whattheactual20201]

My DS has NEVER had a Xmas or birthday missed, school play, sports matches. We have movie night just him and I every Friday night.

[Whattheactual20201]

Do you know what I am done with this rubbish.
You have no idea what sort of mother I am or how I feel about any of my kids.
I have got through this year with what’s best for them all.

[Whattheactual20201]

DD1 not 7 haha I don’t have Seven daughters thank god !

[katy1213]

I also thought it seemed cheap for the area - probably because of the odd lay-out. Your husband's right; you'll feel really cramped in one downstairs room.

[Greygreenblue]

Could you share with the baby then put the 2 youngest in the bigger bedroom (or master so you can separate them a bit more and you take the medium room until the eldest moves out. What is he planning to do after school finishes anyway? You might only have him home for another 4 weeks or so years anyway

[Whattheactual20201]

@Greygreenblue he is pretty settled on going to university.

[yoyo1234]

Not read full thread. Big no here. Rooms leading off rooms ( If you want a reception room as a bedroom), 1200 sq ft for 5 people seems a squeeze, most importantly you say in OP your DH might hate the house. On last post especially YABU. It is awful to life in a place you hate.

[yoyo1234]

Last point especially!

[comfycomfy]

Some of you are so fucking twisted and bitter. Get a grip. The anger over someone daring to own a three bed house while raising children is embarrassing.

Op I don't think the house works well but I love the idea of being mortgage free!

[Onedropbeat]

At least we now know what Kirsty’s username is thanks to this thread

@Thedarknightsaredrawingin please can you help me find a perfect place in budget?
I feel I’ve been looking years

[Whattheactual20201]

Who’s kirsty ? Sorry if I am being dumb 🤣

[Onedropbeat]

Kirsty allsopp

You’ve got channel 4’s finest on the hunt finding gorgeous houses

[Whattheactual20201]

after I commented that I realised you might of meant her 🤣

[Thedarknightsaredrawingin]

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

[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)

[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 .

[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)

[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.

[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.

[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.

[PickAChew]

2 boys, that is.

[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.