Pretty or practical, what did/would you go for when buying your house?

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

I'm very excited as a house that ticks all our boxes has finally come onto the market: right area, three good size bedrooms, big child friendly garden, nice size lounge and potential to knock through kitchen and dining room to create a great kitchen diner and, most importantly, we can actually afford it

The problem? It is fugly. I keep looking at it and squinting, just trying to imagine it painted and covered in ivy! So what did you go for when buying your house, pretty or practical? And have you come to regret or appreciate your choice?

Pretty. We live in a stone cottage that is simply gorgeous but is too small. We want more space but we're struggling to think about leaving.

INteresting point Pinky. We currently live in a an estate of 1980's square boxes. To start with I was dead set against it but it's on the edge of the estate, backs onto a playing field and is actually really practical. We're about to move though and are considering a new Persimmons home estate (mainly because the thought of being in a chain at both ends fills me with horror!).
Anyone bought on a new estate and got any words of wisdom?

Our current house is so fugly the estate agent details didn't even show the front of the house (well, you could barely see it behind the decrepit evergreen hedge right in front of the window).

But it's massive, in a lovely village, and now we have removed the hedge, paved the drive properly and planted the front garden it looks much nicer. I reckon we bagged a bargain, as it had so little kerb appeal - it was on the market for ages.

practical. like a few other posters on here we are in ex council, got so much more space for the money than in any of the other slightly nicer looking, bay windows kind of houses in the area. the outside is a bit ugly but im sure we can do something to it at some point and inside is nice, and very spacious. the previous owner's decor was not great but that is easily changed! i would definitly go for practical if you get more space for your money, and an easier liveable in house. you can make it pretty yourself

I've gone for practical. Its not fugly, but its not charming either. There was a perfect charming property on the market last year. It was amazing. It was cheaper than what we have gone for by some way, despite being a thatched, grade II listed, amazing house. It never sold, I think, and was withdrawn from the market after several failed attempts so I suspect something BAD was in the survey.

Both houses were about the same size. The pretty house was closer to the train station, town centre, etc. and not as close to the railway line as the practical house. So it had advantages.

Problems with the pretty house (these explain the cheaper price):

• thatch is expensive and dim home owner had NO IDEA how often his thatch should be replaced and had never tried to find out so it could already be overdue
• next to a pub
• very close to a fairly busy road
• staircases were VERY steep
• kitchen lacked surfaces (but had loads of storage)
• part of the house covered in wooden facia boards (yet another expense)
• tiny garden

Could I have lived with these? Maybe. It was a WOW property. And it was huge. In comparison to what we thought we would buy, I would have compromised. In comparison to what we are buying ... I'm not sure. I think the cheaper price was a reflection of the expense of the upkeep.

What we are buying is something I had completely discounted online! We decided to look at everything up to our maximum in the right area with enough space for us or potential for space and that included this. I expected to look at it, go no and move on. Now I am buying it because the space has seduced us entirely.

I had to choose between two places in the end and one was a bit (but not a lot) prettier and one was bigger. We went for bigger. If the thatched house had been in the mix too I think I might have gone mad trying to choose!

We have practical. Will hopefully be prettier by time I've worked my way round, but the jobs required to make it pretty (windows is the main thing that springs to mind) are going to be just too expensive I think.