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Housekeeping

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Original poster

would you buy an UGLY house?

64 replies

lostintransit · 30/04/2012 21:35

House has come up for sale that we could afford and would be big enough. In an area we like and seems like very good value for money.

It is however UGLY and both myself and Dh seem to have become house snobs.

Is this ridiculous?

OP posts:

pictish · 30/04/2012 21:36

We'll be needing a link, as one person's ugly is different to another's.

sh1t · 30/04/2012 21:37

You can make it pretty.

Cladding, new windows/doors, landscaping?

Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink

Posey · 30/04/2012 21:37

Yes. If it ticked every other box then I would buy it.you can change the inside decor if it is ugly. If it is just the exterior, well, how much time do you spend sitting outside your home staring at it?

Steth · 30/04/2012 21:39

Link please :-)

thestringcheesemassacre · 30/04/2012 21:39

No.

Old our house was ugly and we did a lot of work inside to make it nice, but to me it was always ugly.

We moved into a pretty house now and I love it.

(probably not the answer you want, sorry)

sh1t · 30/04/2012 21:50

really need the link please

rubyrubyruby · 30/04/2012 21:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sidge · 30/04/2012 21:57

Our last house wasn't pretty. It wasn't hideously ugly but it was a bog-standard plain 1960s semi.

However the rooms were ginormous, the corner plot was big, there was loads of storage and it ticked all our boxes.

And once you're inside you can't see how ugly the outside is.

BloooCowWonders · 30/04/2012 21:57

Yup. Have done it twice in a row. And we look out at the prettiest houses in the road. Ha!

Posey · 30/04/2012 22:01

We spent 14 years in a flat in an ugly 60s block, on the 4th floor on a hill. Overlooked one of the area's "premier squares" (to use estate agent speak)
We have now moved because we needed more space and although I don't regret our move for a single moment, I do miss the view!

Pannacotta · 30/04/2012 22:03

Yes, because, as another poster says you can make it look better by cladding it, changing doors/windows and good landscaping etc etc.
Here are some good examples
www.backtofrontexteriordesign.com/gallery.html

TheCinnamonGiraffe · 30/04/2012 22:29

2 theory's on this one, 1 was in a magazine recently where one of the 'readers' was showing off her house, it was a bit ugly on the outside (she nearly didn't buy it because of it) but very lovely on the inside.

...other theory from watching an idiot abroad, he pointed out the there is no point living in a house that is nice to look at, you want to live over the road from the house that is nice to look at so that you have a nice view from your window. He's not far wrong, my house is pretty, I quite enjoyed looking at it from my neighbors kitchen window while I had coffee.

flatpackhamster · 01/05/2012 07:29

What's "ugly"? We bought a 1960s semi in December. It's not 'pretty' but it's not 'ugly'. The rooms are large, the windows are big so the house is bright, there's a good-sized garden. It's a good area, plenty of off-road parking, the neighbours are nice.

Mrs FPH spent months staring at romantic Victorian and 1930s houses with period features before finally accepting that we could afford all those lovely things if we didn't want to own a car or eat or ever have a holiday again.

Maybe you've spent too much time watching Relocation and Grand Designs.

Original poster

lostintransit · 01/05/2012 08:38

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37600265.html

not sure if this will work as i am crap at links!

Despite the low price this is a good area and good school nearby. My best friend lives in a 2 bed version and paid 15k more than this for hers. It will fetch more i would imagine.

I think its the fact that there are literally no windows at the front. The back is much better looking!!

ugly?

OP posts:

flatpackhamster · 01/05/2012 08:42

Looking at the satellite photos, your back garden would back on to the school playing fields? Am I correct in thinking that?

Original poster

lostintransit · 01/05/2012 08:47

Yes thats right although there is a lane in between. So can go out back gate into lane. Would this put you off? I like the thought of a two second walk to school. Nursery primary and sec all in same location.

OP posts:

Himalaya · 01/05/2012 08:49

Wow, that is ugly (at least on this side). I'm not sure what you could do to pretty it up (other than putting in a window!). I guess it depends on how much you care about aesthetics. If your heart would sink whenever you get to the front door, don't do it. If you want the value-for-money then do.

Or paint a mural all over the front?

Original poster

lostintransit · 01/05/2012 08:52

given all the other houses look the same it might just look odd if anything was changed at the front. A window would just look straight into a fence, id imagine this is why they were designed like this.

They are good houses inside. Area is good. My bf has lived there for over 6 years and never has a bit of bother. Id be a two min walk from her which is the most appealing bit!

OP posts:

pillowcase · 01/05/2012 08:53

or a trompe l'oeil of a person looking out a window?

would you consider putting a window in?

flatpackhamster · 01/05/2012 08:54

No, I think that so long as your back windows look out on to trees and grass, that's a real selling point. School playing fields are a good view.

I think that part of the problem is that the estate agent is such a dreadful photographer. Look at the angles they've taken the photos at. Why didn't they turn any lights on? The only problem is the ghastly pebbledashing which, ISTM, literally every house in Scotland has. The weather doesn't help, of course, but it doesn't take much to flick the lights on.
I think it needs repainting in pale colours. That would make it much brighter. That green and purple (?) room makes me think of a mint choc ice.

That's a south-facing garden, too. I know it's never going to be the Costa Blanca but it's got a huge garden and you could do heaps with it. It should get the sun (even in Scotland) almost all day.

FairyPenguin · 01/05/2012 08:58

Are you planning on staying there for a while? The only reason I say is because 'ugly' houses are much harder to sell. If you are expecting to live there long term then not so much of a problem. If you might have to relocate due to job then I probably wouldn't risk it as the worst thing is having your house on the Market for ages when you really need to move.

FairyPenguin · 01/05/2012 08:59

By the way, I can't click through to link right now so in can't comment whether it is ugly or not!

Lulabellarama · 01/05/2012 09:02

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

BloooCowWonders · 01/05/2012 09:12

Having looked at the photos, I'd say there's so much you could do with it! (and hopefully the bad photos will put off everyone else... I've moved into a house that was decorated entirely in red and pink and fortunately for me, other people couldn't see past it)

Some decent planting at the front would go a long way to improving things. And once you're in, the house will have a lived-in feeling and will be a million times better.

ninja · 01/05/2012 09:16

I live in an ugly house - not that ugly admittedly! But in a nice area where I couldn't afford one of the period properties

But the inside of that one looks great, nice kitchen, the rest of it ould do with some brightening up but good size. Wouldn't necessarily put me off.

IKWYM though

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