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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Talk some sense into me . . . need property advice.

22 replies

nothingnatural · 03/09/2011 08:40

We (family of 4, 2dds + dog) live in a 3 bed house, walking distance to school, nice area, some niggles (ie house open plan which irritates me) but fundamentally large enough and perfectly "nice".

If anything I'd like an extra room or ideally a granny flat as have family overseas who come and visit which always almost causes imminent divorce with dh, but I've just seen the MOST BEAUTIFUL old cottage, which although 3 also beds, is much smaller than our current house, not in such a convenient area ie would have to drive to school and shops. But has a lovely large garden and is in a pretty idyllic party of the countryside.

So has anyone followed their heart and moved to a smaller house out of choice? Oh, I forgot to mention, it's WAY more expensive than our place so we would be really extending ourselves to afford it. WWYD?

OP posts:

AlpinePony · 03/09/2011 08:49

How are your hopes and visions for your future? Taxi driver to daughters who want to visit friends/clubs/shops/blah and full-time gardener extraordinaire?

Original poster

nothingnatural · 03/09/2011 08:54

hmm good point Alpine. I would guess that the kids would be old enough to ride bikes into the village by the time they're um . . . say 8ish, 10ish (another 4 years)?

DH and I could manage the garden, dh is pretty good at that kind of stuff.

It's one of those heart/head decisions. In practical terms it's all a bit daft, but it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOO pretty. I absolutely love it.

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Tommy · 03/09/2011 08:59

it entirely depends on your priorities. We live 1/4 mile from school and whenever the opportnity to move as come up, we've always said that being able to walk to school is top of our list - bearing in mind I have 3 DSs and we'll be going to school every day for the next 7 years (and have done for the last 5

Your cottage sounds idyllic - you have to decide as a family what is best for you all

AlpinePony · 03/09/2011 09:04

I bought the idyllic cottage in the countryside. The garden lost its appeal quickly - getting home from work the last thing you (I!) want to do is spend hours and hours mowing, hoeing and pruning. Of course if that's your hobby, brilliant! A sit on lawnmower can cost a couple of grand too.

Spending 5 times as much on petrol as the value of your shopping loses its appeal.

Don't know about the girls, but my aunt bought a lovely farm a way from town when her 3 were under 5. It was paradise, until they hit teens and wanted to hang out at the mall with their friends.

ChitChattingaway · 03/09/2011 09:10

Take a photo of the house and garden - and keep the idea as your dream garden should your finances every be capable of supporting that sort of environment WITH a house that's big enough for you. If you are stretching your finances just to buy it, you won't have the money to build any annex or anything (plus if it's a really beautiful area it could be an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and you planning permission for outbuildings could be a nightmare).

Original poster

nothingnatural · 03/09/2011 09:16

You see, I think my problem is that every time I think about the house (approx 1,000,000 times every minute) I can see myself sitting in the beautiful Provencal style lavender garden sipping a g&t whilst gazing at the majestic old trees, and hearing the tinkling laugh of my children playing on the sweeping lawns.

I am definately not thinking about mowing the sodding lawns every weekend in summer and being cooped up in a small house with annoying dds and grumpy dh.

I am also not thinking of petrol costs or miserable teenage children sulking about living in the sticks.

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MatLeaveForever · 03/09/2011 09:17

It does sound like it's a dream of yours to live out in the country, but if you already feel that you need more space then moving to a house with less space (costing more money) does sound a bit mad. I'm guessing that as your girls grow up they'll need more space and may not appreciate the countryside as much as you - although I'm sure the dog wouldn't mind! Realistically too, if your house isn't even on the market yet, by the time you've sold your house and are able to offer on this one, someone else could have snapped it up...

Personally I'd wait until your finances allow you the house with more space in the countryside...

Original poster

nothingnatural · 03/09/2011 09:36

The other thing is that in 5 years or so we could put an extension on the back of the cottage to give more room (providing we win the lottery of course).

OP posts:

Gonzo33 · 03/09/2011 09:55

Where are you going to put said overseas relatives in the mean time though?

ChippingIn · 03/09/2011 09:59

You know it's a non starter really don't you!

It does sound pretty and your fantasy sounds great.

The reality is fecking hidious.

Original poster

nothingnatural · 03/09/2011 10:03

Gonzo the o/s rellies could rent a b & b in the villiage at HUGE expense. or camp in the garden (not such a good solution for the over 65's tho). I would be happy for them to bunk up in the 3rd bedroom as per normal - it's my parents I'm talking about - but I do rather think it would be the absolute end for dh and I not such a disaster

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Original poster

nothingnatural · 03/09/2011 10:07

I really is pretty, like a pretty little story book house with a enormo fuck off graceful garden.

Did I mention that it's pretty?

And I love it.

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mylovelymonster · 03/09/2011 10:56

You know what the answer is, don't you.
Living in a house like that and downsizing to squeeze into it is very different to the aesthetic ideal.
Can you not buy the enormous 70's house across the lane and just gaze at it every day?

mylovelymonster · 03/09/2011 10:58

Put the details/choccy box pictures into a scrap-book and use the ideas to create your dream interior/garden at whatever new home you end up in?

PigletJohn · 03/09/2011 11:21

an old cottage is lovely, as long as you don't mind the cold and damp, and lack of space, and can afford the constant repairs and enormous heating bills.

Original poster

nothingnatural · 04/09/2011 08:41

I've just done another drive-by of theworldsmostlovelycottage.

Anyhoo, there was a MAN OUTSIDE VIDEOING THE HOUSE. Clearly he was another prospective buyer.

So I ran him over.

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40notTrendy · 04/09/2011 09:04

Lived in a place like your dream cottage as a teenager. I loved it. My parents loved it at first and then grew to HATE it! Mud and dirt in winter, dark and scary coming home in winter, endless repair bills not to mention the driving lessons for me that had to start as soon as I was 17 as they were sick of driving me around everywhere, which in turn kept them awake every night until I got home as they were terrified i might crash on one of the country lanes.
I loved it tho

ChippingIn · 04/09/2011 09:41

That was clearly the only suitable response to finding someone else looking at your house.

Come on you mad thing... put it in the dreams box & save yourself a shed load of money and years of never having enough room & a leaky roof.

kitsmummy · 04/09/2011 11:55

Well I think you should do it! It sounds gorgeous, you will still have a bedroom each and you can extend in the future, what's not to love! It doesn't sound like you'd be that far from the village, so might not be too troublesome doing the kids running around stuff, I think if you're obsessing over it this much then you should go for it. It sounds idyllic

Honneybunny · 04/09/2011 14:49

It does sound lovely. You could be me 6 months back.. We fell in love with theworldsmostlovelyhouse back in February, put our house on the market, only to see theworldsmostlovelyhouse be under offer then bought by someone else... Fortunately we have since found an even lovelier house, that we hopefully will complete on within the next couple of weeks,

So... if your house is not yet on the market, how likely will it be that theworldsmostlovelycottage will still be available when you receive an offer? If this really is theworldsmostlovelycottage chances are that there will be more people that will love it (although I guess you have taken out at least one of the competition ).

racingheart · 04/09/2011 17:40

Sounds like you have itchy feet. Look around. It isn't the perfect house. You won't see how pretty it is when you live in it. You'll be driven nuts by the lack of space and the mess of clutter without room for storage and the expense of maintaining a very old place that is damp and slopes and creaks and having to get the car out to ferry the kids around all the time.

(How'm I doing at making you feel better where you are?) :)

lalalonglegs · 04/09/2011 18:58

Keep it as a dream - nothing beats being within walking distance of everything you need.

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