help!!! Which one would you choose?

[flatbread]

We are house-hunting and have found four suitable properties, all very different, not sure what to go for. Which one would you go for?

A bit of background, DH has a work contract in Scotland, and we have bought a small one bed flat near his work place. It is too small for us and our dog, so we are looking for a larger place. We are also ttc, but it is likely that nothing may come of it.

Neither one of us is from the UK and long-term, when we are retired, we would like to spend 6 months in France and 6 months in the UK (assuming we can afford that lifestyle then). Also, my work is flexible, so can work from really anywhere as long as there is internet and an airport close-by.

Of all the places we have seen, these are the ones we are torn between. In no particular order -
a) Modern 4 bed detached house in an estate. Pros: Very close to DH's work, secluded garden and nice conservatory, and a 20 minute train ride into Edinburgh city centre. It is comfortably within our budget plus we can rent out the one bed flat. Cons: Boring and if DH has to move to another part of UK for work, we would feel no pull to come back to this house. Requires a bit of work to make it suit us, but wouldn't add value (e.g., combine two small bedrooms into one master suite)

b) Four bed cottage with a good amount of land, in the middle of western Scotland. Pros: Absolutely charming and beautiful with loads of windows and cross ventilation in every room. Open views. Requires little work - mainly changing carpets and a lick of paint. Within budget. Cons: Would need to keep flat for weekdays and live in the cottage on weekends as it is one and a half hours from DH's work. It is 45 minutes from a major airport. It is really not walking distance to any shops, and the nearest village is a 10 minute drive. Also, it has a long half km driveway that will need gravel to make it easier to drive over winter.

c) Four bed period home with a good amount of land in west Scotland. Pros: Very beautiful, high ceilings, lovely cornice work, lots of space and nice woodland views. 20 minutes drive from two major airports. Walking distance to a small village/town. Short drive to the coast and some nice coastal towns. Cons: Would need to really stretch our budget, requires work, village closeby needs a face-lift, although it does have a large Tesco. It is one hour commute to DH's work, so might need to keep the flat for weekdays..although we probably should rent it out to cover the extra mortgage required on this.

d) Two bed modern detached house in a coastal village in west Scotland. Pros: Amazing sea-views from house and garden, low heating bills, nice looking home. Lovely garden and two beds and two bathrooms, pretty much all we need at the moment. Within budget and will require only a lick of paint and removing carpets. Nice area and close to to a lively coastal town (5 minute drive). Train links to a major city. Cons: Small, expensive for its size and may be difficult to sell later on. It is one hour and ten minutes commute to DH's work, so might need to keep the flat for weekdays...

Which one would you go for and why? We don't have family or friends close by for help/advice and really don't want to make the wrong decision. So any perspective we can get would be enormously helpful.

Sorry for the long post and TIA

Can you make a lower offer on d? Why do you think it would be difficult to sell? c also sounds as though you think it's nice trying to pick up on which you have sounded most enthusiastic about! I guess it depends on your priorities, including around commuting / your DH living away. Which would you be most disappointed about if it sold?

C or d. If you can work from anywhere. A sounds like it is convenient but nothing word much going for it, b sounds too far away realistically from an airport or eh's work.

B or C, deff not A

I'd say C. You sound most interested and excited about C. The commute isn't too bad so you could still rent the flat out.

A - and sell it if you need to move.
No need for anyone to live in 2 places, best financially as you get income from the flat & not a stretch.

Or - even better - look for a nicer house in A's general location.

House d is priced 20k less than what the previous owner paid 4 years ago. Don't think they will be willing to take a 50k hit, but think that is where it needs to be, in this market. I love the location and the views are amazing. But then, it is a small house with relatively tight spaces.

I love the large rooms and looks of b and c and they are truly one- off properties. They have both come on the market after 50 years so know that they have been well loved and lived-in. But location does puts me off a bit.

I wonder if I will ever walk into village c for a coffee or whether I would just drive to the coast instead? Does the village matter, given that house is a bit set back from the village?

With b I am a bit scared of being isolated. I wish I was an artist or writer. It would then be the perfect house!

Oh ho, what to do...

Thanks so much for your opinions!

I'd say C.

It sounds lovely. A 1 hour commute is doable and worth it for a lovely home. Woodland views sound nice and the fact it's a shirt drive to the coast.

A sounds boring.

D wouldn't work if Ttc Is successful

B is too far from your dh,s work and I don't see the point in spending money on what will effectively be a weekend home. Plus whatwould you xdo if ttc is successful. Would you and dc end up living there apart from your dh who would come for weekends? Doesn't sou d good.

Hi
Where is your husband working and do you know the west of Scotland well?
it is MUCH drier in the East. people I know have moved to the west of Scotland and thought they would have an outdoor lifestyle that did not materialize because of the weather. Where are you moving from? If your husband is working in Edinburgh, he might be depressed when the rain hits at Harthill services. We do not have those evening in Summerwhen you can sit out. Midges or the cold will get to you!
Need to know these actual properties before a comment

Viva, c is very beautiful, but does need work (new kitchen, upgraded bathrooms etc), but I guess these can be done over time.

7to25, we don't know much about Scotland at all. Dh works in west lothian, and most of the towns around there seem a bit drab. The commute from Edinburgh city centre to his work is around 40 minutes because of all the traffic. On weekends it is as little as 15-20 minutes.

The places we are considering are near Largs (Skelmorlie, Kilbirnie). The furtherest one is near Turnberry, although considerably inland. What do you think?

I'd keep looking and find a smaller place, with the character or location you love, but near enough to the workplace that it doesn't have to be a weekend home. And near a town of moderate size and striking distance of Edinburgh.

As someone said, a nicer house broadly in the A area?

Various relatives of mine have lived in Scotland (as incomers) and reception from locals has ranged from very kind to polite but distant to an outright falling out with the town. I think small farming type communities can tend to be self sufficient and a bit suspicious of incomers who come and go, unless you are lucky enough to really hit it off with a neighbour. If you don't know anyone, don't isolate yourself from your DH for 5 days a week, especially if you don't have DC to break the ice. If you are near a slightly bigger place there will be things going on and you will meet people at the gym/pub/through DH's work.

I'd keep looking, I think. You don't sound totally convinced about any, and it seems that the compromises are too big for them - I wouldn't want to be squashed in the flat 5 days a week to only spend weekends in a house, however gorgeous. It seems to make most financial sense to rent out the flat and buy somewhere near enough to your DH's work that you can live in it all the time. That said, property (A) doesn't sound ideal as you describe it as 'boring' - is there nothing within a few miles of there that is in budget and more appealing?

hi Flat,
sorry for the delay but I have been thinking!
I agree wholeheartedly with pootlebug. here is no need for two properties. My first thoughts, unlike some others, is to avoid C like the plague.Sounds a bit of a money pit in a dodgy area that will be hard to sell. Those one-off large houses near a small village are deadly!
I would avoid the west of Scotland because of the weather
Do you not think that you might be too isolated in some of the properties if you work from home?
I live in the west and my husband is just about demented with the weather.
Good luck, but it sounds as if you haven't got there yet.

7, which part of the West are you in? The house we felt most comfortable in was d, the sea-facing one in Skelmorie. But it was also the least value-for-money. We could possibly extend a bit later on to add another room, if we are successful in our ttc efforts and maybe that would make it more sellable later on to other families.

But the thing is, at pootlebug, you and others have said, that will mean keeping our current flat and not getting a rental return. My head says no, but my heart had an instant feel of 'ah, home', when I was there. And I know dh felt the same. Also, it is the only one of the places we have seen where I would be happy to be alone working, without feeling scared or too lonely. But my head says too small, too expensive for what it is and too costly to keep two places.

Is the weather really bad on the west coast? Fortunately or unfortunately, every time we have gone to look at places, it has been sunny and clear. I really do want to go house hunting on a windy, stormy day. I wonder if a west, sea facing house will get totally hammered by winds...

We will continue to look in West Lothian, although, to be honest, I find it all a bit wet and grey and depressing here. Lots of old mining towns. Linlithgow is ok but the high street is a bit boring. Edinburgh is nice, but it is quite noisy, touristy and still a bit of a commute for DH during peak travel.

If ttc I would avoid d - you need space with a baby or two.

fingers crossed - I tend to think these things can be self-fulfiling prophecies, psycologically maybe. We were ttc for 18 months in our 2 bed flat. I got pregnant the month we moved to a 4 bed house (everyone though we were mad buying a 4 bed when was just the 2 of us) and 7 years later we have 3 dc and are in the process of buying a 6 bed house! Space has become all-important to us.

Have you considered looking towards Stirling? Commute wouldn't be too bad and as a foreigner you may find it that bit more cosmopolitan (university with lots of overseas students); I think many parts of Scotland can be a bit tough to incomers - although children are a great icebreaker. I've lived happily in many parts of Scotland, but tbh that part of the west coast doesn't appeal at all. I'd keep looking if I were you

befuzzled, lucky you! I would totally be daunted by a six bed, although dh would love it even if it was him alone rattling about in the space.

Ori, what a coincidence that you mention Stirling. I just bookmarked a property in Larbert, near Stirling. It is a 40 minute commute for DH. Do you know anything about the area...? We will probably view over the weekend and also drive to Stirling.

Most of the people we meet from Glasgow seem to love the west of Scotland. It is all a bit alien to us...any reason why you don't like it? Is the weather really worse than than West Lothian (and how is that even possible )

befuzzled, I meant lucky you about the ttc bit. I try not to focus too much on it, but both dh and I are so mentally ready for children. Glad to know it all worked out for you

Not so sure about Larbert/Falkirk; we stayed in Dunblane for a few years - and it was lovely (though quite a while ago now)

I love the West of Scotland and kind of know my way up northwards from Argyll to Lochinver (it's a big West Coast )- but I think visiting and living somewhere are two very different things; the Ayrshire coast somehow just never appealed, but I couldn't tell you exactly why. Possibly to do with the fact that it's too far away for proper highlands....

Hope it does for you too flatbread . Moving house worked for us so maybe it will for you too! Don't get too fixated and stressed about it (like I did) is the key if no known medical issues I think. I know it may seem like it is taking for ever now - those 18m seem longer to me almost than the 7 years he has been here, but hang in there!

I love the west coast but if your DH is working 5 days a week in West Lothian I think you woud be mad to move there. On paper the commute may be around an hour, in reality it will take longer, especially in winter.

I like Linlithgow and South Queensferry. I dont like Larbert or Falkirk really. I would go further towards Stirling itself. Also check out Bridge of Allan, Dunblane and Causewayhead. Kippen and Balfron may be commutable as well. The good thing about this area is that you are really well placed to get to the rest of Scotland. Loch Lomond, Perth, East Neuk, West Coast all near enough to visit on the weekends.

The East Neuk of fife is a lovely area, drier, gorgeous beaches and not too far from Edinburgh. We also have firends who live near Kinross and its lovely round there...v. friendly too.

yes, the weather in the west is worse than West Lothian. Please do not google rainfall, we have totally dark dank depressing days both winter and summer where it never gets light.
I live north of Glasgow.
people here are friendly and cheery, they have been brought up with this weather and can tolerate t better than incomers.
I am worried that you are making strange decisions! Linlithgow is nice, Dumblane is nice. the high street may be boring but so it will be, only Glasgow and Edinburgh are shopping destinations.
Edinburgh is only touristy in the summer. It can be freezing cold in the winter.
The vibe of the two cities is totally different.
I do not like Stirling because it seems run Dow, but that is personal.
I am going to try and look on line at the Skelmorie property.

Thanks for suggestions regarding places to look on the East side. It is really helpful! We are a bit 'all over the place' because we really haven't found a place we love near DHs work.

I am not into shopping, but if we are in a city, I would love to have independent shops, cafes, good restaurants, bookstores etc. on hand. If we are out in the country, then I would like good views, reasonable weather and places to take good long walks, free from traffic.

7, these are the four properties in the order I described above

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-19169460.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34484405.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31256701.html

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31901758.html

I don't think the East Neuk would be doable due to the delays going over the Bridge. If you want a place near the coast maybe you could sell the West Lothian flat and but a holiday let somewhere. It would still give you some income and you could use it too.