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Original poster

If you had to buy a house again

149 replies

labamba007 · 15/01/2025 18:24

Okay cheekily putting this here for traffic, but if you had to buy a house again what would/wouldn't you do this time round?

I've never actually bought a house before and I've just had a mortgage agreed in principle. So I'd love to ask, if you were/are going to buy a house again, what would you do differently or what were you pleased you did right the first time?

Thank you! 🙏

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 15/01/2025 18:29

Not leave the previous house before the buyers money arrives.

DH didn’t see fit to tell me the funds hadn’t arrived until we arrived at the new house to find the agent couldn’t hand over the keys. It only took another 2 hours, but in the meantime we technically handed over our old house free of charge.

Frowningprovidence · 15/01/2025 18:40

I wish we had bought something that could expand in at least one direction. No options for loft conversions, side returns, box on the back or even a garden room in our first house. (If prices were the same)

I dont regret buying an ugly house that had much more space than a similar price pretty houses(especially as our view was of the prettier houses)

3rdCoffeeThisMorning · 15/01/2025 18:42

Not viewing when owners were in and showing us around. Missed few things like that. Pretty sure that was the intent.
I left my buyers to it and sat in a garden.

Itsallgonesideways · 15/01/2025 18:45

I wish I'd bought the cheapest house in the more expensive, desirable area so the value would increase more rather than the opposite. Don't buy the more expensive house in the less desirable area as there'll be a price limit on the value increase.

Remember to choose the desirable location first if you can afford it.

Gardendiary · 15/01/2025 18:47

Look very carefully at the neighbours. Fortunately my dad did this for us, but without him we nearly bought a house where the neighbours were backyard dog breeders, with the dogs in cages.

Merrow · 15/01/2025 18:49

Not planned an extension. Prices have risen like crazy, so it's no longer viable for us to do. It's not essential for us, but I think we'd have gone for a different layout if we'd known.

Ladybaga · 15/01/2025 18:50

I went with my gut feeling both times. I knew at the first viewing straight away despite there being things that we had to compromise on that it was the house we wanted. Nearly went with a house that ticked all the boxes technically, but I didn't have the gut feeling with and I now know it wouldn't have been right.

usernamesaretoohardtothinkof · 15/01/2025 18:52

Don’t agree to keep any of their appliances without looking inside them properly.

Check travel times and public transport times properly.

usernamesaretoohardtothinkof · 15/01/2025 18:52

AdoraBell · 15/01/2025 18:29

Not leave the previous house before the buyers money arrives.

DH didn’t see fit to tell me the funds hadn’t arrived until we arrived at the new house to find the agent couldn’t hand over the keys. It only took another 2 hours, but in the meantime we technically handed over our old house free of charge.

To be fair, you need to get out of your old house before you get the keys to the new one.

Row23 · 15/01/2025 18:52

I’d go and look at the area at different times - eg at 7pm when everyone is home are there loads of cars on the road as there isn’t enough spaces / more cars than driveway spaces.
If it’s a slightly older property or one that has been used as a rental then I’d pay extra for a more in depth home buyers survey, so any issues can be identified before fully committing to the purchase.
I’d also get something that has space for an extension in future. Somewhere that value can be added.

Techno56 · 15/01/2025 18:53

Don't even consider an online solicitor. Choose one that has an office you can go to if you need to.

Get packing as well as moving service.

ForRealCat · 15/01/2025 18:57

Get on and do it. Prices may have a blip down, but the overall trajectory has always been up. The market fast outpaced us on our first purchase because we were convinced there would be a rate change- there was, but completely outstripped by what we ended up paying.

TheBoysAndTheBallet · 15/01/2025 19:01

I would buy a house without an ancient conservatory.

Seashor · 15/01/2025 19:02

I would never buy a house that didn’t have a downstairs loo, an en-suite, parking, was on a main road, near a river or didn’t have a door that opened onto the garden.

As others have said, buy smaller/ a doer upper in a good area rather than lovely in a grim area. Don’t use an online solicitor and do visit at different times of the day.
I absolutely LOVE my house, it’s a detached new build, with loads of parking on a lovely estate and I can hear and walk to the sea.

Whotenanny · 15/01/2025 19:03

I would call the solicitors every day for an update. I didn't, and 5 weeks went by when nothing was done. It meant that our original plan to move before Christmas fell through, and it ended up being a complete childcare nightmare.

Crojo · 15/01/2025 19:04

I wish we had stretched the budget a little bit. We played safe and bought at the lower end of our budget and have now outgrown the house. It would have been cheaper in the long run to stretch ourselves a little more at the time rather than the expense and upheaval of moving now.

I am glad I stuck to my non-negotiable wants. Some things you have to compromise on, but if there's something you really need or want, stick to them.

As someone else has said, listen to your gut. You will know when somewhere feels right.

alphabetti · 15/01/2025 19:05

Dont go for house needing full renovation when you have a young child. Things took longer than expected and we ended up stuck at my mums for months (although my mum did let us stay there rent free) Was a expensive pain having to decorate every single room at once but least the house is all done now.

FutureFry · 15/01/2025 19:06

Wish I'd bought a garden that gets some sun

Wish I hadn't bought next to a train station. The blimmin noise!

Dotto · 15/01/2025 19:06

I would never again buy a terraced or a semi. Detached detached detached. Preferably as far away from other people as I can.

Boing98 · 15/01/2025 19:07

Consider an online solicitor. I found a very good one, who happened to be based in my home city. Never once needed to do anything in person. Everything was handled online and at less than a third of the cost of a high street solicitor

Burntt · 15/01/2025 19:09

Row23 · 15/01/2025 18:52

I’d go and look at the area at different times - eg at 7pm when everyone is home are there loads of cars on the road as there isn’t enough spaces / more cars than driveway spaces.
If it’s a slightly older property or one that has been used as a rental then I’d pay extra for a more in depth home buyers survey, so any issues can be identified before fully committing to the purchase.
I’d also get something that has space for an extension in future. Somewhere that value can be added.

Edited

Absolutely this!!

My road is ok in the day but evenings the parking is mayhem and people get so angry there have been cars keyed and wing mirrors smashed off. It also stinks of drugs after work hours. I knew it was a bad area when I viewed as it's all I could afford but wow day and night madly different

SweedieLie · 15/01/2025 19:12

Drum into yourself that paying more for the area is worth it. Don't be seduced by a fabulous house, then talk yourself into the area probably being 'fine'. If you don't have kids but think you might, consider catchments highly on your list of priorities...don't tell yourself well we'll probably move before schools are a concern.

Dotto · 15/01/2025 19:12

Boing98 · 15/01/2025 19:07

Consider an online solicitor. I found a very good one, who happened to be based in my home city. Never once needed to do anything in person. Everything was handled online and at less than a third of the cost of a high street solicitor

Agree. Have done this many times and never any problems as long as you know when and how to push them, like any other sols.

Movinghouseatlast · 15/01/2025 19:13

Wouldn't buy a north facing house, or if I did I would not paint two rooms in Pavillion Grey! We have to have lights on all the time, only the bathroom and spare bedroom get any natural light at all.

AlmostCutMyHairToday · 15/01/2025 19:14

I would ask to attend the survey in person so any issues could be pointed out on the spot, and to make sure any access issues were communicated beforehand so the surveyor can bring whatever is needed to safely gain access.

We had a surveyor not go into the loft, claiming unsafe access, and after we moved in we found problems in the loft / roof - funnily enough several surveyors and builders were able to access no problem after we moved in.