To spend more on a bigger house or not so much on a smaller one?

[LadyEatsCrispsALot]

Currently separating and looking for 3 bed house to buy for myself and dd and DS.
I could buy small ex local authority which needs a lot of work and loft conversion as third bedroom is tiny. But is 30k cheaper than larger house.
Or spend an extra 30k and get a larger three bed 1930's terrace house which will need minimal work.
I just need to move out of family home as decision is made that we are separating.
My feeling is go for larger house, but ex DH thinks I should go for cheaper house and do it up. He is offering to help me do that.
We are amicable but I am feeling annoyed that he is trying to dictate what I should buy! Grrrrr....

I would go for larger house. In my area there would be a price difference of around 100k (40 per cent) in properties similar to your description.

Go for the bigger house. It is really easy to spend 30 grand on doing up a house and having a loft conversion. Even if you budget well it is so easy to go over when it comes to houses.

Also, do you really want to be relying on your ex for that help? What if you meet someone else and your ex still feels like he has some say over you and your house because he has spent so much time in your home.

I have a very good relationship with my ex, and even then, it's dangerous territory. I have been exactly where you are at!

Unless you are experienced in property development, and provided you can afford the more expensive, I would get the second house.

A good loft extension and general refurb will set you back about that much anyway and you will have all the extra hassle and upheaval on top of what you and your DC already have to deal with.

Thanks for your responses. That's my feeling exactly. It's my house. Or rather i want to buy what I want, not what he thinks I should! The refurb just adds another month at least before we could move in. I just want to move on with our lives.

I would be scared of undertaking a loft conversion - I saw one of those crappy daytime tv shows showing a woman who had got cowboys in to do her conversion, they made a mistake and the whole property was unsellable and worthless because of it...

I would go for larger house too as you won't need to worry about conversion as others have said or moving at a later date as the bedrooms will be big enough iyswim.

Go with your gut instinct

Go for the bigger house, you will enjoy more space and it will probably cost you less in the long run.

Yep I'd spend the money on a bigger house too, just because you'll end up spending the same sort of money on the smaller one including having all the issues of doing work to it.

Good luck

Oh yeh and as much as your ex would like to have a say in what you buy, this would be you making your first big decision without him.

Start as you mean to go on.

Renovating is a PITA and usually costs more than you think it will because they always find something that needs fixing when they get to work.

Just buy the bigger one and move straight it.

This time around when we were buying a house we just flatly refused to have anything to do with a fixer upper. The only thing in this house is the kitchen, and it will last for a few years before I have to sort it out.

DH and I have words over DIY at the best of times.
A soon to be xH and large scale house improvements does not sound a good plan.

The whole main benefit of no longer being part of a couple is that you no longer need to compromise on important decisions, especially ones that far and away affect and impact on you. Do what you think is best.

Go for the bigger house.

It may well be that the cheaper house has a value 'ceiling' which would mean that you could spend 30,000 on renovation but not increase the value by that much

I would generally only get the cheaper one and renovate if at the end of the project, you would have as good a house (for your needs, and re-sell value) for LESS overall money. if you're going to have to spend the price difference doing up the house, I'm not seeing the point! A do-er upper needs to to make you money!

I agree with everyone else. Buy the bigger one, move straight in and set it up how you want it without having to rely on your Ex for anything. I can see so many pitfalls having him help you do up the other one, however amicable you are at the moment!

Do what you can afford and what you'll be happy with.

Your ex sounds alright and amicable, but even though he's good to offer to help do up the smaller property, he's not your partner anymore so doesn't get to have a say.

I wouldn't discuss it further with him to be honest, it'll only lead to argument.

Good luck!

go for the bigger house as it will need less work imagine the hoha, of a loft converstion although a little box room is better than nothing , and its your decision not your EXes and he would help you do a smaller place up do you really want him hanging about if you have seperated ,

If you can afford it, go for the bigger house, the last thing you need is to be worrying about doing a house up and having to rely on your ex to help out should be avoided, men always turn shitty at some point during a seperation.

Stay where you are and ask you're soon to be ex to move out?

I would definitely go for the bigger house too, you don't want to rely on your ex, what if he started being shitty halfway through the work?

How ironic. He started being an arse today...grrrrr!

I'd go for the bigger house too. He can buy what he wants.

The idea is I come off our joint mortgage. He selling a flat he rents and giving me the equity so i can get my own mortgage to buy house.
He now tells me he has been refused a solo mortgage for the family home. Weird as he has one already on the flat he selling. He now wants me to stay on joint mortgage. Surely this will scupper my chances of getting my own mortgage? Aaaaggghhh!
By the way I don't want the family home. Too big and expensive. I want my own little house.
Advice?

Sounds like you need legal advice.