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Original poster

Two completely different houses - please help me choose!

94 replies

CocoNutter · 02/03/2013 21:29

I'm going round in circles.... DH and I finally viewed the houses we've been drooling over on Rightmove today. Narrowed our three down to two because DH refused point blank to live in one which is a shame as it was the biggest . Both are detached.

House 1: on at £190k. 1960s 3 bed, lounge, dining kitchen, study, garage, reasonable garden. Bedrooms roughly same size as our current ones, kitchen a bit smaller, lounge bigger. Would want to extend (though planning office says no to two storeys). Lovely condition. Very practical and could move in straight away though would need some sort of extension or move in long run.

House 2: on at £250k. 1930s 3 bed, lounge diner, galley kitchen, downstairs wc, sun room. 3rd bedroom smaller than our current 3rd bedroom. Lovely views and stunning, huge garden. Lounge a bit smaller than ours. Planning permission for rear extension to give big kitchen (expires soon but could get it again I imagine). We'd want to make this a two-storey extension as we'd need an extra bedroom. Could be our forever house with work. Wouldn't be able to afford extension for some years though.

DH has fallen head over heels for house 2. I am so confused!! Please give me your opinions! Can link later if that helps (on phone now).

OP posts:
flatbread · 03/03/2013 08:55

Hmm, I like house I but it seems all the big windows are north facing? As is the garden...? That would rule it out for me.

House #2 is ok (is it on a busy road?). It seems to have high ceilings, which is a plus, but doesn't seem very bright. Also not clear whether it has a clean flow between rooms. The garden is lovely though!

NotADragonOfSoup · 03/03/2013 08:56

House 2, absolutely.

justaweeone · 03/03/2013 10:32

House 2

piprabbit · 03/03/2013 11:27

Yes - there are some detached houses.
Here's the search I did on Rightmove. Obviously houses are really personal and so is area etc.

Original poster
CocoNutter · 03/03/2013 12:12

Thanks piprabbit. Some of those we've viewed, others aren't in quite the right location, but there are a couple that I hadn't seen that have come up since I last looked that I may investigate.

I cannot believe I missed this though!! Same age as house 2, same size, lovely garden, and £25k cheaper! Doh!!

OP posts:
piprabbit · 03/03/2013 12:19

Ooh - 25k would be a big help towards the extension. Sounds good.

Bilbobagginstummy · 03/03/2013 12:23

Going through this at the moment and all I can say is go with the one that feels right, even if it's not the one with the most ticks on paper.

Good luck - it's massively stressful.

JulesJules · 03/03/2013 12:25

New link doesn't work, unless it's just me.

No. 2, no question.

MrsBucketxx · 03/03/2013 12:28

2 is lovely

one isn't my thing the outside is bland and the inside needs work.

your dh has taste

Original poster
CocoNutter · 03/03/2013 14:03

linky

Clearly I am crap at this linking lark.

DH still likes other one. I keep pointing out that on paper they are almost identical and £25k is a LOT of money!!

OP posts:
MrsBucketxx · 03/03/2013 14:47

I'm still number 2 being detached is really important to me, also looks nicer more curb appeal.

flatbread · 03/03/2013 14:53

Number 3 has a good flow of rooms.

What is the orientation though?

If the garden is south, it would mean most of the windows are north facing...

Also, is it an open outlook from the garden?

I love the fact that it has been with the same family since it was built!

Bilbobagginstummy · 03/03/2013 15:03

I would go and see 2 and 3 back-to-back and see what you think. The decision may make itself. I hope it does. Good luck.

Original poster
CocoNutter · 03/03/2013 15:08

Garden faces north west-ish I think whih isn't so great - but it's big so should still get a fair amount of sun. It also doesn't look as overlooked as house 2.

OP posts:
peggyblackett · 03/03/2013 15:13

I'm still in the 2 camp. Number 2 just has a better feel to it than 3.

pictish · 03/03/2013 15:14

Number 2 without a doubt.
Number 1 is overlooked and in a suffocatingly bland road. You couldn't have a get together in that garden without all the neighbours overhearing and seeing every little thing. Claustrophobic. No way would I choose that house.

the second - YES! It's secluded and affords you privacy. You cannot put a price on that. Plus - it's far more attractive.

There's no competition for me. Number 2!!

DCIlouisemonroe · 03/03/2013 16:04

Number 2 looks more substantial..kitchen small but huge plot .

Original poster
CocoNutter · 03/03/2013 16:20

Thanks. I think we may keep no.1 as a 'backup' - because it is lovely (photos don't do it justice I think), the vendors are lovely, and it is a lot cheaper (though we'd have less to spend on it as mortgage company wants a bigger deposit if we go for that, depending on what price we got it at).

House 2 is still in the running, but I am actually leaning towards house 3. It is cheaper, has a separate dining room, would be easier and possibly cheaper to extend given its layout, and the garden isn't overlooked, which house 2's is a bit given that it's surrounded by houses, and has a newer kitchen and a marginally bigger bedroom 3. I also like the layout.

DH isn't convinced yet but he hasn't seen it and I think he should give it a chance! Once he has set his heart on something it is very difficult to get him to consider other options. We are sending MiL to view house 3for us as we live miles away and can't get there for another fortnight, which is very frustrating. She has seen house 2 so can compare. Gah!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
CocoNutter · 03/03/2013 16:21

And why do estate agents never give sizes of the garden? That would be SO helpful!!

OP posts:
Meringue33 · 03/03/2013 16:25

2 is gorgeous
Houses from that time tend to have been better built
And more likely to keep its value

SquinkiesRule · 03/03/2013 16:40

I like this one. Probably in the wrong area LOL
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36308752.html/svr/3108

Original poster
CocoNutter · 03/03/2013 17:30

It has a lot of potential, squinkies, but we don't like bungalows (no offence to any bungalow owners, just not our thing!) and it's right at the top of our budget and would need a lot of work.

We are getting excited about house 3. Also found out it has been on the market since Oct 2011 so either there's something massively wrong with it or other people just don't share our taste..!

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 03/03/2013 18:08

I like No3 house and it has a lot more potiental than the other two houses - the sunroom/kitchen could be extended int he future to make one big sunny kitchen with doors out to the garden

GreenEggsAndNichts · 03/03/2013 18:12

Have been lurking. Now I'm curious why the 3rd house has been on the market since 2011!

edit ooh actually, it seems as if it's been on since 2010? Hmm Link here. You have to ask the EA when you speak to them. And report back, of course!

Yfronts · 03/03/2013 18:14

number 2! So lovely. It would cost about 400k where I live

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