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Original poster

Convince me not to view this house!

23 replies

shelldockley · 10/10/2013 11:40

DH and I are just starting to look at moving to a bigger house. A beautiful Art Deco semi has come up in our budget, but in a town that we had vetoed. The location is just no good for us, the main reason being that it will add another 40mins a day onto my commute, making a 11.5 hour day for me, probably worse for DH.

Other Cons: we were hoping for a decent size garden and it doesn't look very big in the pics, 36 foot it says, is that big? It is on a main road, although not that busy, very overlooked from the rear as there are two roads either side of it iyswim so overlooked from all 3 sides. It also needs a lot of work.

Pros: I've always loved art deco houses and it would look beautiful once done up, it has the extra reception room that we wanted, large bedrooms, faces a park to the front so is unoverlooked to that side.

I know if I go and see it, that I will fall in love with it (and will have to convince DH to buy it). Convince me that the cons outway the pros, they do say location, location, location don't they!

OP posts:
ObtuseAngel · 10/10/2013 11:49

Don't go. A 36ft garden is tiny, you would probably find that it doesn't get much direct sunlight if it's anything other than south facing. I like Art Deco houses too, but tbh they are generally pretty cold and draughty and if you have the original windows it can be hard work to make them airtight and warm. Also, if it needs doing up you will need time to organise that so losing an extra hour and a half every day to commuting would be doubly annoying.

PatoBanton · 10/10/2013 11:50

Go and look just to get it out of your system and then weigh it all up. It might be you find you just don't like it, or maybe the other issues will be negligible in the light of its beauty but don't dismiss it till you've seen it.

icravecheese · 10/10/2013 11:50

The only thing that would put me off is the commute - everything else sounds totally fine & acceptable (to me anyway).

If you truly feel that it is your dream home, then you must go view it - you might find that you don't fall in love with it after all, but realise that it definitely is NOT the place for you, therefore decision made and you don't have to dwell on it everyday thinking 'should we have bought that amazing art deco house?!'

Or you might view it and fall in love....in which case, viewing was worth it!

Pick up the phone & book the viewing! And let us know how it goes!

Original poster
shelldockley · 10/10/2013 11:56

Thankyou ObtuseAngel, the garden is actually north facing so that is a very good point!
You other two are not helping! I know what I'm like I will fall in love with it, but my head is saying it's not right for us, my heart will win out if I view it though!

OP posts:
lighthousesea · 10/10/2013 12:10

I put location first. We didn't proceed with many houses that I loved more than my current house. However the one we went for was in the best location.

No regrets now. I love the house and the location is amazing. I think living in your dream house in the wrong location would be ok to start with. But I'm sure once the novelty of your new house wears off you might regret your decision.

I love saying ' I live in x'.

lalalonglegs · 10/10/2013 12:23

Location really is yhe key. No amount of architectural flourishes can vompensate for a long commute.

mistlethrush · 10/10/2013 12:24

The houses I know that face a lovely looking park all get broken into as people loiter with a football or frisbee, scoping out the overlooking houses...

mawbroon · 10/10/2013 12:26

Nope don't do it.

We went for a nice house in a not so perfect location.

We were there for 3years, 2 of which we spent wishing we hadn't moved there and trying to move where we wanted to be.

Original poster
shelldockley · 10/10/2013 12:34

Thanks mawbroon, it's good to hear your experience, like lighthousesea said, I would love it at first, but then it would become a bind. It is such a shame there aren't more art deco houses around!

OP posts:
nobutreally · 10/10/2013 12:34

I would rather have an OK house that I got to spend 40 mins more a day commuting. But I do work from home :-)
Perhaps if you think about the fact that you'll be able to have an extra 107 HOURS a year in a house in the better location, that would help? So, over a year, you'd spend a whole extra WEEK of daylight hours in a more sensible location.

I wouldn't want to live that near a park, too - lots of dog shit, annoying teenagers....

You had vetoed the location for a reason. Stop looking at houses there - or you'll drive yourself bonkers!

Original poster
shelldockley · 10/10/2013 12:41

Ha ha, nobutreally you are right, I shouldn't have looked! I have to say though, none of the towns we're looking at are dream locations, we have narrowed it down to the nicest areas we can afford, that give us a good commute. The town with the deco house is on an equal footing to these towns, except for the commute.

OP posts:
Alwayscheerful · 10/10/2013 12:45

North facing is not good, a south facing garden will bring you so much more pleasure. I would try and aim for a Property with a south facing garden and a desirable location. Avoid houses next to alley ways for security reasons . The house you mentions seems vulnerable at the rear, I hadn't thought of the park as being a security issue but perhaps it is vulnerable at the front too.

quoteunquote · 10/10/2013 12:49

The location is wrong for you both,

The extra time, times five days a week, times how ever many weeks a year you work is how much you will paying into this house for ever.

Nice idea, too small a garden, and a busy road, unless it comes with a free house keeper and butler to compensate for the hours of your life you waste commuting give it a miss.

There always other houses,

Drop some polite letters through the letterboxes of houses in the area that does suit, asking them to contact you if they are planning to sell, it sometimes works.

Aethelfleda · 10/10/2013 13:36

We moved just to get the location for DH's commute. He shaved off 45 mins each way when we moved and it is HUGELY better for us as a family now. The house sounds lovely but the time benefit of not being there sounds better!

Original poster
shelldockley · 10/10/2013 13:37

Thank you so much for all your comments, I think you have convinced me! I think the garden is the deal breaker, coz it means it's not a 'forever home'

Whilst I've got you, which would you choose from these locations we have narrowed it down to.

Town A: which is where we live currently, but move to a sixties estate 10 mins walk from station and town centre. However no pubs or restaurants nearby.
Town B: older town with a village feel, mixed age of houses, mostly bungalows come up for sale near the station (10 mins walk) No shops to speak of but lots of pubs and restaurants.
Town C: 10 min shorter commute each way, could only afford a 2 bed bungalow if we were 10 mins walk from station (but would look to extend)

OP posts:
Pinkje · 10/10/2013 13:41

11.5 hour day, and longer for your husband !!!

You'll never have time to enjoy/argue over all the little things you might love about the house.

Original poster
shelldockley · 10/10/2013 13:51

I know Pinkje, what's the point of living in a nice house if you have no time to enjoy it!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 10/10/2013 13:52

Probably B.

Floggingmolly · 10/10/2013 13:58

Town B.

Talkinpeace · 10/10/2013 13:58

You can change a house, you cannot change the boundaries of the plot ....
if the garden is small and overlooked it will drive you potty

you can always redecorate or redesign the inside of a house

Town B

Original poster
shelldockley · 10/10/2013 14:38

Seems to be town B then, I agree, just waiting for the right house to come up! Might try quoteunquotes approach.

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 10/10/2013 17:12

Town c

Alwayscheerful · 10/10/2013 23:07

B. Have your shopping delivered.

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