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Original poster

Did you immediately love your house when you viewed it and knew it was 'the one'?

56 replies

CrapBag · 20/03/2014 14:43

On a role with threads at the moment.

As the title really. Did you love it or grow into it? Did you immediately know? I have known the ones I didn't like straight away. Others are nice but not 100% sure. Do you make sure you are 100%?

Just realised this is pretty similar to my other thread. Sorry.

OP posts:

HaveToWearHeels · 20/03/2014 15:03

I bought off plan, but loved the plot and it's outlook. When I looked at the plans for the house they had 5 of the 6 must haves so went with a gut feeling, Good sized rooms and a large hall helped.

MrsBrianODriscoll · 20/03/2014 15:06

If I walk into a house and I know where my Christmas tree is going, then it is the right house.

Mandy21 · 20/03/2014 15:24

It depends (imo) what stage you are in your life. If you are young, free and single, well not necessarily single but not having to factor children into the equation, then I think you can let your heart rule your head a little more and wait for that 'makes my heart beat faster' house.

When you have to factor in schools / child care / community / independence etc for teenagers into the equation (or if you have other conflicting priorities that mean the house has to work for you / the family) then I think you have to be more objective about it does it tick the boxes (rather than 'will it make me smile everyday'?).

I didn't love our house when I first saw it, but knew it was the right house (because it ticked the vast majority of our boxes).

I love the life it gives us (location, neighbours etc) and there are elements of it that I absolutely love, but its not my dream house in itself iyswim.

Haahoooo · 20/03/2014 15:28

Yes, we loved the house immediately. Had to speak another language to each other to hide our enthusiasm from the estate agent

But then when we viewed it again post purchase, when the sellers were getting ready to move and it was a big mess, we suddenly weren't sure. Doubts continued for the first couple of months after moving in.

But now that it is properly pour house we are back to loving it again...

So ups and downs I guess...

Haahoooo · 20/03/2014 15:29

Properly our house even

HumphreyCobbler · 20/03/2014 15:32

yes

I wanted it passionately.

ormirian · 20/03/2014 15:33

Yes.

Knew it as soon as I saw the picture in the property pages on the local rag. Put out house back on the market just because of it at the lowest possible price. Sold it in 6 weeks, put an offer in and had it accepted in another 2.

It's not my dream home. My dream home could be very very small as I suspect it would be just me living it it (ie miles from anywhere) but this is my real home and I love it.

Leodensian · 20/03/2014 15:33

The house we're in the process of buying is by no means our dream home, nor does it have a huge wow factor. (Unless you count the naked mermaid tiles in the bathroom, but there more of a comedy factor!). But, it felt right to all of us as soon as we walked in. It feels like home even though it's currently unfurnished, blandly decorated and the weather was grey and miserable when we first viewed.

The flat we're currently in (rented) does have a good element of wow factor and people gush over it but, to me it's never had that gut feeling of being home that the house we're buying and the one we rented before the flat both had.

ormirian · 20/03/2014 15:33

Hey mrsbrian! That is exactly what I do

TimothyClaypoleLover · 20/03/2014 15:34

I knew immediately. DH wasn't so sure. House needs a lot of updating but I just got a real nice family feel to the house and could see us living there straight away. I have always been the worst for not seeing through bad decor/furnishings but none of that mattered when I knew the house was the one.

I think you can take a dislike to a house instantly as well!

Thumbwitch · 20/03/2014 15:35

Yes.
But only when I saw it "in the bricks" - the info sheet from the estate agent was black and white photocopy and it made it look pretty bad - the actual house was much nicer! Half-tiled in terracotta tiles, which looked terrible in B&W.

As soon as I got inside, I knew it was the one for me - and the lady who owned it before me had a name almost the same as mine, and some similar characteristics - I felt that it was "meant to be".

CuddyMum · 20/03/2014 17:01

Yes! It wasn't what we were looking for at all. We wanted a 4 bed 70s type detached house as a doer upper, large garden, big drive. Ended up with a 5 bed 3 storey semi detached Victorian property with an average sized walled garden, open fireplaces, Aga etc. and a drive for one car. We knew we wanted to buy it when we didn't want to leave when viewing!

ReluctantCamper · 20/03/2014 17:08

yes, DH and I got in the car after the viewing and both said to each other 'I want to live in that house'. It was the only one we liked. It has a stream in the front garden and we still love it!

Perfectlypurple · 20/03/2014 17:11

Yes. We looked at loads of houses. As soon as we saw the one we are in now we knew we wanted it. We put an offer in straight away.

Bowlersarm · 20/03/2014 17:13

No.

It had a lot going for it, but it wasn't my dream house. However, 10 years on, I am loving living here. Very very happy with it, although it wouldn't have bothered me at the time of vendor had pulled out, we had been gazumped etc.

Yama · 20/03/2014 17:14

This house - yes. However, as there were many interested parties and a Closing Date (Scotland) I couldn't let myself get too hopeful. However, I knew.

Nottheshrinkingcapgrandpa · 20/03/2014 17:29

Yes I did and but I had to persuade the other half who wasn't keen.

SwimmingMom · 20/03/2014 18:11

What do you do if you find that dream house when you first walk in, only to end up in a bidding war? How far do you stretch your pocket before you let that dream 'go'?

foxdongle · 20/03/2014 18:31

yes we both loved it straight away, as did dcs who went to second viewing

iseenodust · 20/03/2014 20:04

No. DH wanted it but I wanted a different one in a different area. I thought the rooms were pokey and dark though liked the location. My indifference probably got us a good purchase price because the estate agent realised I would walk away quite happily. We have since extended/rejigged and are still here 10 years plus.

minipie · 20/03/2014 20:49

No.

We were disappointed because it looked so much grottier than the pics in the details. It was also a slight compromise location and layout wise and at the top of our budget. We walked away.

A few months later it was still unsold and prices had gone up so it looked relatively good for the money. Also we'd realised we were being very picky and there wasn't going to be anything "perfect" available.

We bought and redecorated, it instantly looked miles better and I'm really happy with it now. Future plans to sort the layout issues (which weren't major anyway).

However I'm not a love at first sight type of person anyway, not sure I would ever "fall in love" with a house. I'm too practical and box ticky.

RuddyDuck · 20/03/2014 22:23

No, I didn't fall in love with my fugly 60s house at first site - but I did fall in love with the lane it's in, and the village. The location is perfect. The house is ok, it needed a lot of updating which we're slowly getting round to. But I love the location, and it's what we could afford at the time.

AngryFeet · 20/03/2014 22:41

Not really. But I am too practical for that and so is DH. We wanted something we could extend and do up, we wanted a specific location plus as much space as possible. We ended up with a bungalow. I really like it a lot now. The plans we have to extend are complex but it will be amazing eventually (I hope!). In the end the good secondary school half a mile away was the most important thing and still is. The schools were we were before were not great and since DD was born in a high birth year everyone is already worried where their kids will end up. Technically that worry is gone for us now (unless this weird lottery system for school places ends up happening!).

cheryl19843 · 20/03/2014 23:20

No but i didn't like the couples decor. House was everything that we had on specification list (flat garden,detached, 4 beds, two reception rooms) so too good to miss. Lived her 3 months now n absolutely love it. Totally different house to the one we looked around

BigcatLittlecat · 21/03/2014 00:33

We had seen loads of houses but we both loved this house. It was a really sunny day and there was a cat in the kitchen! Had viewing at 5 pm 25 mins in house with EA. The two of us then drove round to the actual EA office the long way round whilst discussing the price. have them out offer and went to pub. At just before 6 they phoned us back to say our offer had been accepted. So less than an hour from viewing to buying. You have to be quick in our area!
Still live house now!

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