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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Which one of the two houses?

20 replies

littlecrystal · 05/04/2013 10:25

Can dear mumsnetters help me choose between the two houses please?

House 1: Better looking from outside, entrance and kitchen to the front (east facing); dining/living room and the garden to the back (west facing), 2 bedrooms (west facing) and 1 bedroom (east facing). The garden backs on to a residential road with some traffic noise but overly not bad ? I could compromise with that level of traffic noise (I think).
Slightly worried about that bit of traffic noise and more worried about most of windows facing west, could it get terribly hot. Of course there are solutions: green hedge, awnings, curtains etc.

House 2: Oddly looking and totally not appealing from the front due to corner plot, kitchen/dining room and the garden to the side (east facing), 1 smallest bedroom east facing; living room and 2 bedrooms (south facing). In a quiet spot. Like the double aspect of living/dining.
Worried about the oddly looking front (what people will think when they approach it) though you totally forget it after you enter the house. Love the double aspect.

So basically the decision is between the very odd/not appealing front and possibly hot west side/slight traffic noise.

P.S. Similar houses without those drawbacks are above my budget, so I really need to make the compromise between the two?

Please help!

OP posts:

Willow36 · 05/04/2013 10:28

House 1. You'll get more enjoyment out of a west facing garden.

Bunbaker · 05/04/2013 10:35

I agree with Willow. A west facing garden would win it for me.

Bunbaker · 05/04/2013 10:36

Also, living on the edge of the Pennines the heat wouldn't be a factor for me as we very rarely get extremely hot weather.

PastaBeeandCheese · 05/04/2013 10:37

I think house 1 too. You might forget about the odd looking exterior when you're inside but you'll have to look at it every time you walk up your drive.

Agree re west facing garden too.

Original poster

littlecrystal · 05/04/2013 10:46

I should add that my current house?s garden is facing west, however I have lived there for almost 4 years and sat out perhaps for a dozen of times and we only had a BBQ once. My skin is prone to skin cancer, perhaps that is why I am not so keen. I am also worried about the fact that if it is sunny, there is no escape unless you go to the small kitchen, small bedroom or bathroom. The best thing about west for me is seeing the sunset but that?s about all.

I am leaning towards the House 2. myself, having kitchen/diner facing the garden. It is practical. However the front is a big ugly ? I am worried what people will think!

But I already made a mistake in the past by buying a Victorian house because that is what people liked and adviced and said beautiful, however I was never happy there.

OP posts:

PastaBeeandCheese · 05/04/2013 10:49

I wouldn't care about what other people think. How do you feel about the exterior of house 2? Is it that convention says it is odd or that you feel it is odd and ugly?

Original poster

littlecrystal · 05/04/2013 10:56

PastaBeeandChees it is perhaps to explain so I send you a PM..

OP posts:

Original poster

littlecrystal · 05/04/2013 11:01

House No. 1 makes you feel more house proud, when you walk around it. House No. 2 works better with the internal layout.

OP posts:

MovingOut2013 · 05/04/2013 11:03

Can you upload or link to a picture of the front of house 2? Maybe we could suggest ways of improving it?

iseenodust · 05/04/2013 11:25

House 2. Odd outside can be addressed with hedge or new windows? You like the living/dining and they are the rooms you will use most. The traffic noise would be my concern with house 1 as roads are just getting busier.

mistlethrush · 05/04/2013 11:28

Yes, can anything be done about frontage? My parents have recently redesigned a 60's house and it looks so much better. I have an east facing garden - it has sun until the sun goes down due to its length, so its lovely. I like having a kitchen that overlooks the garden - and double aspect sounds nice.

wendybird77 · 05/04/2013 11:39

If your concern is about what people think, then get over it and go with house 2 as that is the one you prefer. What is odd about it? You can do a lot with exteriors. The 'frontage' of my house used the be the back of the house and is quite odd (part of the reason no one else wanted it and we got a very good deal). I'll be adding a small pitched-roof porch in stone, repainting the yellow to a chalky white and adding a new door, windows, and exterior lighting. This will totally change the look of the house. I agree with PP - if it is truly hideous plant some nice climbers and paint the door a nice colour.

CuddyMum · 05/04/2013 12:04

Send me a link littlecrystal :)

fussychica · 05/04/2013 13:09

House 2 - you sound like it's the one you really prefer so go for it (I think it sounds nicer too)

PastaBeeandCheese · 05/04/2013 13:31

Ooo! I shall look as soon as I'm home!

Ponks · 05/04/2013 22:41

House 2.
Being in a quiet spot is lovely.

Original poster

littlecrystal · 06/04/2013 22:35

Thank you to everyone. House No. 2 now is out of the game, as I just found out there is a substation nearby. House No. 1 is also.not perfect so really I am not sure what I am going to do, as there is nothing else that interests me..

OP posts:

Jaynebxl · 06/04/2013 23:06

Maybe sit tight and see what else comes up in the next few months?

Original poster

littlecrystal · 07/04/2013 00:16

Jaynebxl do buyers normally wait for that long? Mine has not rushed me but I am not sure if she will wait until something crops up on mt side.

OP posts:

Jaynebxl · 07/04/2013 07:17

Ah have you already got a buyer for yours Littlecrystal? If so all you can do is talk to your agent and see. We had an offer accepted on a house at the beginning of Jan then put our house on the market a few days later. It sold in a few days but since then we have all been waiting for the people we are buying from to find something they can move into. This has now happened and we are hoping to move mid Mah but for about 8 weeks we were all just sitting around waiting to hear. Fortunately for us our buyers are in rented so no chain beyond them pushing.

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