what's wrong with this house?

[hoorayforharoldlloyd]

Decided to take the plunge and move north so we can buy a house and live by the sea.

Having a look today and saw a house that isn't perfect but is a 3 bed semi, near coast, by park and nature reserve, big garden. No bath and conservatory is ugly but we would have a tiny mortgage so would free us up to make all sorts of different life/career/training choices.

We've one toddler and won't have anymore so small 3 bed is fine, it's a tree lined street and near the metro.

But it seems to be about £15k under what I'd guess they'd be asking - anybody with more house buying knowledge know why - likely just not great area? Smaller than looks in pictures?

I don't know the area well, we were visiting different coastal areas and both fell in love with Whitley Bay/Cullercoats. We could go up to house worth around £260k if it was a better fit for us.

All thoughts appreciated!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-95145782.html

Peoples snobbery about ex council is wierd, they are often very well built and perfectly pleasant.

Gosforrh is nice but not close to the coast if you don't drive and will cost £££ to live there. Whitley bay up towards st Mary's lighthouse is nice but again you would need to spend more than the house you posted the link to. Being walking distance to a metro is also going to put value on a house. I'd consider a smaller coastal town/village and running a car but it really does depend what is priority for you.

Have you looked at the crime stats for the area, and compared it to where you are now? For me theres 10x more crime near this house than where we are, which would certainly put me off

I prefer this in Gosforth at the upper end of your budget www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80837848.html Gosforth is a nice area, close metro to get out to sea and you can cycle over the town moor into Center etc

I have no problem with ex council houses. They are always solidly built, mine was lovely. However, it is a reason why the house costs less than some comparable houses and why it won't increase in value as much.

Liking the idea of cycling across the moors!

Think we should do another visit and look at tynemouth side of north shields, gosforth and maybe south shields.

When we first looked there was a lovely house right by cullercoats beach but the woman decided to stay and not sell so am hung up on it being possible to live in that kind of area but gosforth is what, 20 min from the beach?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-95129042.html

The fact they have a no parking sign on the gate indicates that they may have issues with people parking over the drive. Aside from the outside looks awful, it doesn’t look bad for its money.

It’s a moor, not like the moors in Yorkshire etc

In our area we would call this a common as in common land

But living in Gosforth ( which is a “posh” area) you’d be able to live easily without a car, get the metro to Whitley bay to visit the seaside

The high street is good

Remember though - it’s cold up north 🥶

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/property-news/guide-living-gosforth-11835885

Ex-council. Has had a lot of work done, but looking on streetview neighbours haven't so reduces local appeal.

Opposite a middle school. Kids on cusp of needing to be picked up/horrible traffic/parking nightmares vs pre-teens given new freedom to get themselves home/run amok at 3.30.

Looking behind the house, big industrial area to the rear - what is that? Likely to suffer from noise/traffic etc?

You'll pay a premium for proximity to sea/metro but you should really take time to explore the area fully rather than just look at individual houses on rightmove

Description says it's a 4os semi. Lots of council semis were thrown up cheaply and quickly after the war so can be non-standard construction and materials and can have problems because of it but equally, plenty are good, solid houses and have been standing for a lot of years. A family member lived in one and the walls were paper thin, so lots of neighbour noise and poor insulation. They also had trouble getting insurance due to it being a non-standard build although this was quite a few years ago now.

It's right opposite the school with associated selfish/dangerous parking issues. It's also end of terrace, not semi-detached. The 'drive' has no dropped curb. Also, it looks like it backs onto a rugby club, could there be parking issues at weekends as well as weekdays? A house down my kids' school road only ever went up for sale during the summer holidays.

Also, I'd wonder why the black blind is down in the kitchen. What's it hiding? Normally agents open as many blinds and turn on all the lights possible...

It's ugly so it's cheap

What about something like this? This town is just up the coast, about 10 mins from Whitley Bay. Lovely beach and the house is in a fairly new estate across the road from the beach. There's buses that will run direct up to Whitley Bay and Newcastle. It's not classed as being as 'posh' as Whitley Bay or Tynemouth but you get a lot of house girls your money and there's decent schools too.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-81269647.html

grisldas house is a lot more house, utility, lab, extra bathroom, detached, garage, for £60k more, added to which its got a better location and not an "ugly" house

That looks like a bargain, I'm from the area and went to the school nearby so know the area well. I'm actually shocked you found something in the area with that amount of space for the price.

The rugby club apparently doesn’t cause any parking problem.

It's quite spacious inside for the price. No bath wouldn't be good with a toddler. And it's quite scruffy from the outside. I'd give this one s miss if you can afford better.

It's because it's not a particularly nice area of Whitley Bay and some of the houses around it look a bit run-down. Have you visited that specific area?

We have visited around that area, saw a house the other side of the ice rink.Not a great area but think the garden, metro, space and incredibly affordable mortgage just really got me for a moment - we've decided not to go for it but do another trip up to explore a few more areas and hopefully there will be more to look at. Our jobs have become remote, partners entirely and forever, i have an opportunity to persuade that i can stay remote, so now seems the time to do it!

I really liked one right by cullercoats metro but it wasn't to be.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-72094569.html
Just added today, pretty good location for the beach and nice area of North Shields

It does look ex local authority which possibly could be reflected in the price. My current house is the same, I did not even realise it until after I had bought it.
The house and the one attached really does have no kerb appeal which would have put me off viewing. However pleasantly surprised by it internally. The conservatory looks really poorly constructed.

Just to say I adore this area. Just back from a break there- Tynemouth, Cullercoats, Whitley Bay, Seahouses and Bamburgh- we go a lot as the beaches are, like you say, mind blowing. I'm so envious. Wherever you stay will be bloody great.

I just goggled the Art Deco house for sale (I look at them in awe every time) and it is stunning ( if you have a spare £550,000!). I can dream.