1930s semi on outskirts of nice market town or 300 year old 3 story townhouse in nice market town?

[Crikeyblimey]

We are looking to move from our small 1950's end terrace in a village early next year.

To get more house for our budget we need to move to the nearby nice market town (where ds will be going to high school in sept).

Our choices are mainly either 1930s semis on the periphery of the town or there is one 300 year old mid terraced townhouse in a quiet street in the middle of town.

This house could be beautiful - it has a fairly small kitchen but this could be extended into the current dining room. There are 4 bedrooms (all good sized) over the 1st and 2nd floors. We could extend the kitchen into the dining room and put double doors through to the current lounge to make a dining / family room in there. We could then relocate the sitting room to one of the big 1st floor bedrooms (chimneys run the full height of the house, so lovely fireplace on 1st floor not a problem).

This house, however, has no off road parking - but is down a quiet street and there is free parking v near.

It would be at the top of our budget and we'd have to save up to move the kitchen etc.

So - wwyd? Move to somewhere we could just spend out savings on furniture and finishings or buy the huge, old but beautiful terraced no parking house?

[GobbySadcase]

Pm'd you

[TheOneWithTheNicestSmile]

Help yourself, do you have your own drive? Or live in the middle of nowhere? In town centres parking is a HUGE issue!

[VivaLeBeaver]

Car park free now but council may well decide to start charging.

[Crikeyblimey]

Gabby - I don't seem to be able to message you back from my phone but, sorry it's not.

[Mattissy]

I'd want the townhouse, dh would want a new house, we'd compromise on the 30's semi and neither of us would be really happy!

[GobbySadcase]

You did

Sounded sooo much like it, though

[BackforGood]

Personally, I'd pay a premium for not having neighbours on both sides.
I'd also avoid like the plague houses without parking, if you are in an area where that is a possibility.
So, for those 2 reasons alone, I'd go for the semi not the terrace.
I live in a house built over 4 floors - believe me, those extra stairs become a bind after a while, I'd definitely be looking for a home with just 2 storeys next time I move.

That said, it sounds like you've made up your mind

[herladyship]

we live in a 1930's semi, in a village on edge of a nice market town

It has solid oak floors, high ceilings, real fires in living rooms & bedrooms, a big garden & plenty of parking
(we've extended it to make it 4 bed/2 bath & added a big family room)

I love the old 3 storey houses in town, but parking, maintenance & lack of scope to extend are the main reasons we didn't buy one

(I still lust after them on right move though )

[Crikeyblimey]

Thanks guys.

In the cold light of day I'm being a bit more realistic.

Where we are now is a nightmare in the parking stakes but as I sit looking out of the back door, over fields and only one lot of neighbours, I think I may be "swinging the other way"!

Thanks for all the advice.

[dashoflime]

300 year old house, market town with a high school? Are you moving to Colchester?

As the idiot who said "Oh what lovely high celings" and then froze through a Glasgow winter; my advice is to think about how you will heat the 300 year old house, what renovations it will need and will you be able to get planning permission to do them?

It does sound lovely though

[Trills]

I'd like to idea of the townhouse but realistically I'd prefer to have parking and a house that's made of straight lines, especially if it's only a 10 minute walk from the centre.

And being over 3 floors it may be bigger overall but is the living space actually bigger?

[beachyhead]

The number of floors will be an issue at some point. We used to live over four floors and it felt quite lonely as people would be on different floors in the evening. We moved to a flatter house!

[Crikeyblimey]

The renovations are currently being done (well, except from knocking the dining room through to the current lounge, that I'd want as a dining room eventually).

The builder who bought it has put an extension on the back, fitted a new (albeit small) kitchen. Put a downstairs loo in, a futility room, full central heating, a family bathroom and an en-suite to the master on the top floor. He's also raised the ceilings on the top floor and plastered the whole house. Oh and replaced both staircases.

I still love the idea of it but reality of lack of parking is sinking in. Also, it would take nearly all our available cash before we'd bought a stick of furniture, curtain or carpet (the builder is putting cheap laminate downstairs and carpet upstairs to sell it).

Oh - and not Colchester, it'sLancashire.

[MrsLettuce]

I love 30's houses, totally underrated IMHO. Would take a 30's semi in a heartbeat. Does it have m/any original features left?