What do you think of this house?

[Monkeymagic1]

Haven't been to see it yet but really like the road.

What do you think of it?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-31990066.html

Tatty at the front

3rd bed tiny

Kitchen tiny

Link

I quite like it. Nice bathroom, nice kitchen, inside recently "done". The boards on the front need a bit of attention and the owners are obviously not gardeners but I think Alpha is being a bit harsh.

Perfectly nice 3 bed house.

The garden would be to small for me though.

Nice inside. Possibly scope for loft conversion - the house two doors down has rooflights.

IWhat's the parking situation like? Would you need to pave over the lawn?
The shared driveway would be a deal-breaker for me, but might not be a problem for you.

Do you need to consider school catchments? Sutton primaries are notoriously over-subscribed.

Dh and I lived in that road for a while nearly 13 years ago. We lodged with a friend for 3 months after selling our flat and waiting for the purchase of our house to come through. (in fact it may even have been that exact house, can't see what number that is)
I remember it being a pleasant road. The house was fine, the exterior is not the prettiest but can be fixed with some potted plants and some tlc for the front garden.
I think the third bedroom is a standard size for 3 bed houses in that price range in that area.

I love the kitchen in that house. The living room is a bit bland for my liking but will enable you to make your own mark on it.

All in all, I like it. Are you going to see it? (if so, let me know what house number it is, am very curious if it was our friend's house...)

numberNine what a coincidence! It's number 14 (did a drive by) - was it the same one?

There are loads of bungalows so I am assuming (possibly incorrectly) that lots of elderly people live down there and therefore that it is quiet.

Chippy there are lots of drives down there so not many cars parked on the road.

Is the rear garden just too small?

OMG - it was indeed number 14.... Wow, small world!! It was far tattier when we lived there with our friends though, whoever lives there now has updated it beyond all recognition... But dh thought it was 14 but was not sure (this was before you said it was 14) and then confirmed it with a quick look at google streetview...

It was indeed a very quiet road, lots of elderly people in the bungalows and a mixture of families of all ages in the semi's.

The garden was indeed small. But it would entirely depend on the ages of your children and how much you intend to use your garden...

Don't you sometimes just want to shake EAs! Why put a floor plan and leave out measurements. Bunch of friggin amateurs.

Is that someone looking out the bedroom window in the first photo?

She doesn't read Mumsnet does she! I'd love to take a microfibre cloth over her mirrors and windows.

that is not a small kitchen!

The garden looks very thin and with those high fences to each side I would have thought it would be dark unless the sun was near direct overhead. Shame as rest of house looks nice.

Agree, I'd have thought that was a pretty good size kitchen for a 3 bed house!

Is garden too small is main question I think but then I guess price reflects that?

It's very overpriced. They bought it for 219k in 2006 - just before the peak of the market. Why would they think anyone would pay 300k now when prices are coming down in areas like Sutton.

The outside IS tatty but nothing that can't be easily fixed. The garden is too narrow for me. But I love the rest! Kitchen is great, bathroom obviously modernised, lounge lovely.

I quite like it. The bedrooms are a reasonable size for a 3 bed and the kitchen is a good size too. The only things that would put me off slightly is the size of the bathroom and the garden. However, the garden would not be a deal breaker and I would want to view it to get the feel of the size of the bathroom.

You would definately need to do the boards on the front of the house.

I don't know the area so cannot comment on price.

Looks really nicely done inside. The shared drive which you could only use to access the garage at the back, so otherwise parking on the road, could be a source of friction, and means the garden is really compromised because of where the garage is. That would be very negative for me. The cladding at the front needs maintenance, if not replacing.
Have you thought of/researched what it might be worth? and how that fits with your budget?

Thanks for your opinions, totally agree that the front of the house does look a bit shabby and I'm a bit concerned about the size of the garden but I have seen other local houses in the same price range that have bigger gardens but smaller rooms so it seems to be swings and roundabouts. I'd rather have more room on the inside than the outside though. Wish I could move the house forward 20 feet!

With regard to the price, I have seen that it sold in 2006 for £219,000 but I'm guessing (hoping) the current owners have refurbed it a lot since the one next door went for £286,000 the following year.

at floor plans without dimensions - how unhelpful!

The only thing that would put me off is that you have to walk through the living room to get to the kitchen. So basically your living room becomes a bit of a corridor.

the outside lets down the inside which is rather nice. garden very small

Hi Monkey :o
great rule of thumb for these sort of opportunities (I've learned the hard way!!) is as follows:

Mortgage payment = 2x borrowed amount. (based on 6% interest rates over 25 year mortgage)

Therefore £300,000 mortgage = £600,000 payment to the bank over life of mortgage

How long would it take you to save up six hundred thousand pounds in cash?

If its more than 25 years you cannot afford the mortgage, if its less than 25years then every year you don't buy! I'm joking of course, but only slightly as for every £1 you're saving, you're reducing the amount to the banks by £2.

This is without factoring in maintenance costs of home 'ownership'

The BIG con trick at the moment is that historically low interest rates make mortgages seem affordable, which they are. but what if they return to 6-8% what does that do to the payments.

Renting is no longer 'dead money' in 2012 renting is very much the smart money!

Home ownership is an illusion! the banks own your home!!

take care and best,
Sarah