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Original poster

Which House? Help me decide

52 replies

Crocodileclip · 22/06/2014 06:53

DC2 is due next month and our landlord is selling our house so we might have to be out mid August. We need to put an offer in on a house asap.

We have seen two houses. One is on for 135k <a class="break-all" href="//,www.propertynews.com/Property/Lisburn/FDPFDP5705/9-Oxford-Avenue/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">House one has four bedrooms and much more storage space. However it needs a lot of work, mostly decorative but likely to include rewiring. The other is on for 150k, House 2 its smaller, 3 bedrooms, but imaculately done up with a new extension with open plan living, dining, kitchen.

The cheaper house would definitely end up being more expensive in the long term but would always have the extra space. The more expensive house would be easier in the short term, especially with a new baby.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 22/06/2014 08:46

I want to say house 1 because it is cheaper and has lots of potential, but house 2 is just nicer externally, which wins it for me. Check whether the brick paving at the back can be removed easily, and grass over what is left.

PrimalLass · 22/06/2014 08:48

However, the white plastic sh*t on the windows in house 2 would have to be removable for me to consider it. I feel claustrophobic just looking at it.

And the mirrored wardrobe doors would have to go.

Maybe I am changing my mind Grin

DontPutMeDownForCardio · 22/06/2014 08:50

I'd probably have house two and redo the garden. House one isn't beautiful as someone said and that spiral staircase would put me right off. I wouldn't be keen on a shower room but I guess there is ways around that. I think I'd rather have the house which is easier to move into with a baby in tow.

PrimalLass · 22/06/2014 08:51

For the 15k I think you could rewire, change the staircase and put proper dormers upstairs (we were quoted 2.5k + vat per dormer).

treaclesoda · 22/06/2014 08:54

I love it when I click one of these links and it's somewhere I know! Grin

Gas heating would be great wouldn't it? Not sure it would be enough to make it the entire decision but it would definitely be nice. I dream of having hot water all year round. Envy

Original poster
Crocodileclip · 22/06/2014 09:01

Unfortunately, i don't think the square bits in the front windows of house two are removable. The glass fronted wardrobe would have to go though, I agree.
The one thing against both houses is the lack of bath. Both bathrooms probably originally had a bath but they've been removed, I suppose they could be put back. We are probably more likely to do that with house one as we would be redecorating anyway.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 22/06/2014 09:06

TooSpotty no baths is definitely a "thing" now, lots of houses we looked at had no baths but power showers instead.

FellReturneth · 22/06/2014 09:11

Obviously I can't comment on the location, but based on the house alone I'd say the second, more expensive one, by a country mile.

It will cost you an awful lot more than the 15k difference in price to get the first one up to the decorative standard of the second, and that spiral staircase will be an absolute nightmare with small children.

PrimalLass · 22/06/2014 09:22

Unfortunately, i don't think the square bits in the front windows of house two are removable. The glass fronted wardrobe would have to go though, I agree.

That's a shame. Sometimes they are just stuck on, but often they are in between the panes.

HenI5 · 22/06/2014 09:32

House 2, I wouldn't even consider house 1 to be honest as I wouldn't want DCs sleeping on the ground floor with us up on a higher floor. I also think it needs an awful lot more spending on it than you might think.

TheHoneyBadger · 22/06/2014 09:37

in terms of economics house 1 has a lot of potential to increase it's value whereas house 2 has probably maxed out it's value with the finishing.

i guess it depends if this is a house on the way to bigger houses in the future or a real settle in and live for decades place. house 1 has a lot more going for it if you want to move again in the future i think as minimal spending could add a lot of value AND you're paying a smaller mortgage in the interim.

ContentedSidewinder · 22/06/2014 10:03

As you have been serial movers have you renovated before?

We have done parts of houses in the past and did our last house from top to bottom. We had, at the time, just one child but then added another mid renovation. It takes a lot of time and effort to renovate a house, even just decoration.

We are in our forever house, we are very good at DIY and the cost of the new bathroom alone is £4k. We are fitting it and tiling it ourselves or it would cost a hell of a lot more. I am a SAHM with two sons 11 and 8 so I have a lot of time to research, visit shops and then get DH involved for his opinion Grin

Re-wiring is awful and builder's dust gets everywhere. So if you do go for the cheaper house, you would really want to do that with an empty house.

Don't underestimate the amount of time just choosing stuff takes, actually getting it done with young children and the cost. You will definitely spend far more that £15k on the cheaper house. I know you are low on time but just work out replacing the carpet in every room and cost that up.

I would opt for the move in right now option, as I believe the other one will drain a hell of a lot of money and your time.

casparthecat · 22/06/2014 10:09

I'd go for number 2.

Do you really want to renovate with a small baby? Have you done it before? It takes an awful lot of time. effort and £££.

r2d2ismyidealman · 22/06/2014 11:31

Ooh, I think house 2 is cuter from the outside. And if the style suits you so that you wouldn't need to change anything then it would be a lot cheaper. The first house, at only £15 cheaper, could easily take £25 to modernise and do the repairs you're talking about.

BalloonSlayer · 22/06/2014 11:44

My first - and only - thought is:

Spiral Staircase + Child under 7 = Constant anxiety

LondonGirl83 · 22/06/2014 13:28

If house 2 will be large enough for you in future and you mostly like the decor then definitely house 2.

House 1 will cost more than 15k to put right- easily the double if not the triple of that. Doing work if you have to live in it is more than most can bare with small children.

NinetyNinePercentTroll · 22/06/2014 13:32

I'd buy house 1.

RainbowsStars · 22/06/2014 15:42

The staircase would rule out the first for me as it would be a magnet for toddlers - been there, done that! I wouldn't want the hassle of a new staircase or bedrooms on different rooms. Also, it'd be expensive replacing all the red carpet unless you like it?
With the 2nd the same problem with the bedrooms but presumably you don't mind that, at least you could have you and the children upstairs if they shared a room? The rest of it is lovely :)

lazydog · 23/06/2014 05:43

House 2, even though I was planning to say #1 before I followed the links. It's better than house 1 by far more than the price difference, in my opinion...

HenI5 · 23/06/2014 16:02

We need a report back from the second viewings Smile

I've looked again at house 1 and I'm not sure I'd be happy to renovate based on the extensions already done. The staircase would be a definite out for me, the ceilings in the rooms in the roof and the fact that they've only put in Velux windows, no dormers, which would've added character, the back porch bit with the chalet style wood and whatever that bit is that sticks out between the bins? I'm not convinced of the quality of the work that's already been done, let alone everything there is still to do.
It looks like a nice, tidy and quiet road, but what's that building at the end of the T junction? it looks like some kind of stadium?

I've been looking at another bungalow in the postcode and price range, but don't know if it's appropriate to throw that into the mix if it's still available?

Original poster
Crocodileclip · 23/06/2014 16:08

HenI5, we wnt to view another one round the corner from House one today and I think it is probably the one you are talking about. It is the same as House one but with an extra bathroom upstairs and no extension on the kitchen. The stairs are also proper stairs rather than the spiral ones. Also doesn't need rewiring. Beginning to think it might be the winner although we still have the second viewings of HOuses one and two this evening.

OP posts:
minlillehus · 23/06/2014 16:08

House 2 as you have named it. (although it was the first house I viewed). It looks lovely.

Nice to see some houses that don't cost a million pounds on mn.

OatcakeCravings · 23/06/2014 16:12

You'd need a bath with small children I would think. When we bought our current house, lack of a bath made me discount lots of houses.

OatcakeCravings · 23/06/2014 16:13

Sorry House 2 definitely. House 1 will cost more than 15k to put right.

burnishedsilver · 23/06/2014 18:54

Is there by any chance a house 3?

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