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Original poster

which house....

18 replies

EdlessAllenPoe · 20/03/2012 21:35

house1

big, ex council, no ORP or potential for it - and stairs up to front gate from street parking...
ofsted 2 primary, Ok secondary, 25 min commute

or..

house2
estate house, backs onto car parking another new build estate..
Ofsted 1 primary ..same ok secondary...40 min commute

or...

buy a slightly larger house in our street...

decent primary (where dd1 already goes) crap secondary.

asking price £210k for a fixer upper 3 bed. (had weird low ceilings in loft extensions - how normal is that? would that put you off? also slightly spongy feeling floor in the loft rooms.) ..15 min commute...

we need to get round these houses and see them - what should we be looking for? I have been previously very opposed to new build/ estate location/ ex-council houses but that may be purely prejudice on my part... and budget dictates a different approach!

how important is it to keep kids with the same bunch as they go up to secondary?

OP posts:
Chippychop · 20/03/2012 21:48

If it was me.... Go for the most prestigious location, look at transport links...personally I'd avoid ex council but you need to go with what you can afford

oreocrumbs · 20/03/2012 21:53

In reverse order:

I suppose it depends on the 'bunch' of kids by the time your DC get to that age - you might want them to move away from them, equally you may have DC who need the reassurance of their friends at that time of their life, so from a young age I don't think you can really make that judgement.

The fixer upper - is the loft extension passed by building regs? Low ceiling and dodgy floor are red flags, ask the vendor for information and certificates.

House 2, has parking, looks dated in the few pic there are. You would have to have a look around but my guess is at least cosmetic work, possibly updating electrics and heating, but all could be done as you go.

House 1, I like the look of this one more than house 2, but where is parking? Again not many pics so you would have to judge when you are there but from the pics looks in better condition than the other. Is it empty? You could get it for a good price.

On all houses you should check the house out at different times to see what traffic and parking are like, and if there are kids hanging around on a night.

If you are torn between the primary schools I would make an appointment to go and see the head and the school and see what they are like, I would use Ofsted as a guide only - ask about the pastoral care in the school, see the children in the class rooms that sort of thing, is it a nice school. You will know when you are there.

Hassled · 20/03/2012 22:01

I prefer House 2 but can't really say why - House 1 just seems a bit bleak.

You're focussing a lot on the practicalities, which right and proper - but what are your instincts telling you? You'll have to live there - you need to be able to come home and feel like it's home. Don't dismiss your gut reaction to a place - it's important.

Also - how far off secondary is your DD? Schools can change quickly - your crap secondary may not be crap in a couple year's time. Re staying with the same bunch - not important at all. Only one of the 3 of my DC who have gone through the transition has stayed in close contact with primary friends - DD and DS2 both had a totally different set of friends certainly by the end of the first year, and they had moved with old friends.

greentown · 21/03/2012 09:42

House 2 looks like an ex-council estate to me too. I'm probably wrong, but it has that type of brick finish and window layout, plus the nearby bungalows for older people which makes me think of council 'community' planning.
I would say no to both of them and would look for alternatives.

Chippychop · 21/03/2012 10:00

IMO if you need to ask mn then none of them go out and find a house that gives you a good feeling when you walk I the door

Original poster
EdlessAllenPoe · 21/03/2012 19:39

I was looking for thoughts chipping :) other people perspective can be very good. this will the second time we choose a home and there is loads more to consider with children in the mix.

when we bought this house the things i was looking for were very basic, and actually it feels like luck that the house had much more to offer in terms of practical living space than others i'd have been just as happy to buy (that is, we just wanted one with a porch, and access to fields...we got one with a 20' kitchen - luck! )

i seem to go round houses liking everything and seeing the potential and not the difficulties ...DH tends to more decide he wants X and then not deviate from that at all...

OP posts:
Original poster
EdlessAllenPoe · 21/03/2012 19:42

"The fixer upper - is the loft extension passed by building regs? Low ceiling and dodgy floor are red flags, ask the vendor for information and certificates..."

they should be online, will have a look..in one of these it was that they had put laminate over carpet (stupid, but fixable) which of course made the floor spongy!... i think the low head height may be because of the limitation of the peak of the roof...

OP posts:
Original poster
EdlessAllenPoe · 21/03/2012 19:44

Go for the most prestigious location, look at transport links..

transport best where we already are... prestige...I don't think we can afford prestige without seriously compromising on house!

OP posts:
NewHouse · 21/03/2012 21:22

I like the character of house 1, the light is not great, check to see if back garden is north facing, it may just have been bad weather when photo was taken.

Original poster
EdlessAllenPoe · 21/03/2012 22:15

back garden is south facing - i think the streetmap picture is better! looks lovely and bright...

i think i will screen our house shots really carefully when we come to sell, they make such a difference...

OP posts:
NewHouse · 21/03/2012 22:36

Even better then, go for 1.

welovesausagedogs · 21/03/2012 22:38

House 2

RedHelenB · 23/03/2012 18:47

Is house 2 now sold????

RedHelenB · 23/03/2012 18:48

If all the house are owner occupied the fact it is an ex council house won't matter one jot & it will probably be more substancial than a newer property.

Original poster
EdlessAllenPoe · 24/03/2012 16:17

House 1 was lovely. Huge, in fact. Nice area.

ugly school building can be obscured with trees, and there is plenty of space in the garden to plant them (especially since the previous occupants removed the garden shed, foundations and all!)

there's no heating, radiators and pipework all taken. Architrave and skirting gone from some rooms, as well as carpet.

But i think throwing money at a plumber and B&Q could rectify this within £10k...and perhaps a few months.

there is a car park at the end of the road that could be used (though need to check peak time - it was a lazy saturday) for offloading children - the road past the house is a bus route and you park well into an embankment.

only problem is they have an offer and will probably sell before i can get my house on the market (pictures to be done tuesday!)

OP posts:
Original poster
EdlessAllenPoe · 24/03/2012 16:18

we didn't like the area of House 2 (though it is gone STC , there were others in the area...) when we looked round.

OP posts:
serin · 24/03/2012 20:54

I think house 1 looks lovely Smile

Good Luck.

bibbityisaporker · 24/03/2012 20:58

I also think house 1 is fabulous. Are you going to go for it?

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