To think pricing these houses the same amount is unrealistic and which would you buy!?

[Yorkshirebornand]

So there are 2 houses in an area I’ve been looking in, they are both sides of a semi detached. One is ready to move in to, quite neutral and doesn’t appear to need much work. The other is INCREDIBLY dated, needs everything doing, the only advantage I can see is that it is the ‘end’ plot and as such would have room to extend. The estate agent has put them both on at the same price, which is actually quite high for the area anyway. Is the potential to extend worth that much money? Im torn, I don’t need to extend tbh but would probably be looking to move again in about 5 years so thinking of resale price etc. WWYD?

I much prefer the doer upper it’s just brighter and the plot is huge in comparison. Unless there were significant reasons why I couldn’t do the work it’s definitely property one for me.

Much prefer the doer upper! So much nicer!

Could both be up because the done one lives next door to elderly parents who needed care. Elderly parent dies so selling both to get something bigger or just away.

Not everyone wants a mahoosive garden and all the work/time it would take to manage it.

That said, this is a no brainer for me.

My view is completely different.

Generally ex-authority houses on estates usually have a price ceiling.

Never under estimate the cost of high quality building work. Material prices have gone up by 25% and a skilled builder (not a have a go Joe), will also be very expensive.

If you want to move in 5 years because of the area - option 1 is definitely better. A few easy cosmetic changes and a hassle free 5 years, without spending tens of thousands of pounds and only breaking-even (due to economic crisis).

If you want to stay in the area very long term, and don’t mind a long term project (money depending), then I would go for the doer upper with potential. To realise your asset, you would have to wait for an up-turn in the economy, but so what it will happen eventually (there’s always a cycle), and you will gain in the long term.

Oh wow. The doer upper for sure. The ‘done one’ isn’t to my taste and not high spec so would have to be ‘done’ again anyway.
the doer upper has a fab plot.
blimey you’d add £200k to the price where I am. I need to move to Bradford

I'd snatch up the doer-upper as fast as possible. The "done" one isn't that great -- that horrid fireplace and kitchen, ugh, and the bathroom is naff.

Those old doors and other features in the non-renovated house are very charming, and the staircase seems nicer on that side. I would want a downstairs loo at some point though. Looks like there is room for one.

I'd get hard flooring throughout and use big area rugs. Those partial glass doors between the living and dining are charming.

For the toilet closet upstairs, get one of those cistern things that have a handbasin built in, or knock it all together when you can afford it.

I really dislike the done one, I would have to rip everything out. It’s certainly not recently done, more like 20 years ago.

I love the doer upper.

The doer up just needs decorating and a new kitchen bathroom, it's hardly full scale renovation. It also has the huge advantage of space to extend and significantly improve it's value.

A house is only worth what someone is willing to pay. Just because it's listed at a price it doesn't mean buyers think it's worth that.

I also think sometimes there's reasons it's hard for a seller to admit theirs isn't worth as much based on factors like how updated etc. Case in point near me a semi recently sold for more than a detached by about 100k. But the semi had really lovely features and a good layout, plus longer garden space and a closer walk to transit. The detached was a very in your face property, set closer to the road, smaller garden and just more difficult to update with features a family would want.

Out of the two I think the one needing updating has a far better layout, room type than the updated one. Far better.

Extra land. Buy it it’ll be a labour of love. Oh I’m v jealous!! Don’t buy the done up one. It’s boring AF.

The first one
I love a project and this one looks easy, it will be expensive as everything has shot up but it's habitable
The space is amazing

I much prefer the doer-upper! Coloured bathroom suites are on trend, especially an original one in a mid century house. The extra land is going to make a huge difference to the price and the garden is much nicer.

TBH, the decor is dated in both of them, it's just that one of them is 50 years dated, the other is 15 years dated. Maybe the estate agent thinks they are both doer-uppers...

I'm not sure I could live with the Axminster carpets but I suspect they will still be going strong for another 50 years, long after the carpets next door have fallen apart.

But if you can't live with the decor in the doer upper but could next door, it will save you a huge amount of money to buy the more modern one. That said, in 5 years time, the more modern one will be so very dated, it will definitely be a doer-upper when you resell. If you did nothing to either of them, I suspect the doer-upper would be worth significantly more than the modern one in 5 years time.

Definitely the fixer upper. The "done" one is so dark and ugly. I'd have to rip all that out anyway. The first one is a great house.

I also prefer the doer upper. The 'done' one would all need gradually renovating to our tastes and seems a darker property overall.
I'm surprised that the doer upper isn't on for more with the nice plot.

I wouldn't pay 250k for the done one if I could get that doer upper for 250k.
I would need to re-decorate the done one as I don't like it at all and the garden looks very rockery like. I don't like the front on this one either. But it does look like a nice view out of one of the windows. But nit enough to sway me

Definitely the doer upper, that space is great in comparison and I would re decorate.

Some of the stuff in the doer upper is so old it has come back in fashion, like the pastel bathroom suite and the minty green paintwork in one of the bedrooms. You could make it a Wes Anderson dream house! The 'done' one looks much more dated TBH.

The done one needs fixing up too.

I don't think it's a case of the other being able to be extended. I suspect the plot may even be big enough for planning for another house .

That done up one is awful! Looks so bland and cheap.

Definitely the first one.

Im honestly not! 😂 they’ve both come up in one of my search areas and got me thinking. However/ this thread has completely changed my opinion tbh. I was making the more dated one into a huge project in my head and thinking the other would be ‘livable’ but I don’t like the style of it, just the location! And I can see now ppl have pointed out just how different the plot sizes are that I was thinking on the wrong lines….

The plot looks amazing, that's why

Another vote for the doer upper here, far better plot and position.

I don't like the done one somehow they've managed to make it look small.

Honestly there isn’t. I think I was just thinking, move straight in, same location, easier life. I’m so glad I started this thread. Thanks to everyone’s input I’ve done a complete 180 and realise I was barking up the wrong tree (house!)

I love your vision!! Sometimes it’s good to talk it out and get opinions! As I’m the only adult I get a bit stuck sometimes and need people to bounce off!! Thank you

I have kids and pets who would love it!!!