House advice (with link)

[Househelp2]

I’ve posted recently about another couple of houses we’ve now ruled out (lost my password so new account!), thanks to those who gave feedback on them.

House 1

Can I have opinions on this please and any improvements you’d be keen to make. We have viewed it and liked it, main sticking points are no garage/and conservatory not having a door, but was a fairly quick wizz round so don’t always pick everything up!

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/91760976#/?channel=RES_BUY

House 2

We are also toying with viewing this, any comments also welcome! Worried about garden overlooking.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89232156#/?channel=RES_BUY

I prefer the second one even though the first is slightly larger. The second has a nicer garden and feels lighter and more spacious inside. The decor is more bearable too. The first one has dated leaded windows which make it dark and the decor is a mish mash, can't decide if it wants to look like a farm house or ultra modern but is failing at both, for me it would need more work.

Layout of the second is better although I don't like that you can't get directly from the kitchen to the dining room. Bedrooms are a better size and it just looks like a nicer house. I don't know the area at all though

No.2 also looks like there is more scope to extend - either at the back or above the garage.

Both nice. House 1 kitchen is lovely, I like the whole house apart from the conservatory, which looks a bit flimsy and dated. Added benefit of an extra bedroom upstairs. House 2 the layout downstairs doesn’t seem to flow as well. If possible I’d want to put a door between the kitchen and dining room.

I prefer the 1st one. Room are much bigger. The lounge of the 2nd one is very narrow

Both are nice and have great potential with some changes for sure, but I think the garden would sway me towards house 2.

It think it depends which house you like more when you view, does it suit what you need and then consider if you can make/afford any changes you think are essential. Location is a big thing-you cannot change that. I know when there location x3 is in my city, and particularly parts I know well, there are comments about how people chose the wrong house- but it is not like for like due to the area.

Agree!

I think the narrow room in house 1 is listed as a dining room? It may look better on viewing but it is a very narrow space- and may work as a playroom/study. Is it a converted garage?

Yeah it appears to be an old garage, a lot of the houses in that area have done the same.

2nd one is much nicer.

Garden is awful in first one.
I don't like the idea of all my heating leaking out through a conservatory.
Bedrooms are tiny.
So odd to have what is set up as a main family bathroom, as an en-suite.

@Househelp2 I like the kitchen for the first one, but the garden seems to have that awful fake grass and looks really bad. Four bedrooms rather than three but they are rather small.

I think the second one looks nicer, and the garden is nicer, but I think it's quite close to the ring road which will be noisy? (Swindon traffic can be really bad!).

What about this one:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/91172469#/floorplan?activePlan=1&channel=RES_BUY

Or a town house style house:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/87809130#/?channel=RES_BUY

Or this is similar too (although small garden):
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90425406#/?channel=RES_BUY

1st one is much better, 2nd one you have to drag your food all the way down to the front door and into the living room.

With the 1st one either put a table in the conservatory, or remove the island and use that space for a table

Visually, I prefer the second house. However, you say the first one doesn't have a door to the conservatory where I can clearly see it having one on both pictures and plans.
If I were to go for the first one, I'd convert that horrid poky dining room back to garage.

I prefer thr 1st house. Better size and layout.

4 bed house.
If you make a cup of tea in the kitchen you have to carry the tray through -
a door into the rear lobby
another door into the dining room
another door into the hall
another door into the living room.

The only bath is in the ensuite.

All three smaller bedrooms face east so children will be woken up early in the day. The windows open onto a busy road.

The back garden faces east so will lose the sun early in the day.

The house is opposite a junction so every car that comes down that road will have headlights shining right into your living room, dining room and main bedroom.

3 bed house.
All your meals have to be carried into the hall, then the living room then the dining room. No link from kitchen.

Main bedroom faces south and has a fan. I bet that room gets very warm.

Fence looks in poor condition.

That's a lot of artex.

Decor in some rooms dated. Are the electrics and plumbing similarly aged? How old is the boiler?

Try this forum:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property?view=compact-view

AIBU isn't the whole of MN, and there are knowledgeable posters on the subject forums

House 2 for me. I wouldn't buy house 1 because of the garden.

I'm concerned by the lack of doors to the conservatory in house 1. You normally need external quality doors I'm between OR for the conservatory to meet building regulations, which they rarely do. Means you're going to be losing a lot of heat in winter and getting the heat from the conservatory in summer.

Yeah that’s a sticking point for sure with that one and struggling to overcome it as it’s a bigger space than a conventional doorway.