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Original poster

talk me out of this house

53 replies

TremoloGreen · 08/12/2014 10:59

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48826346.html

It will be cold and a maintenance nightmare won't it? And the parking is weird. And there's no downstairs loo...

We live in an old house now and I am sick of fixing the leaky roof and ancient plumbing. We found a 70s house which is perfect for us, but the house that the vendors were buying has fallen through and there is nothing else coming to market. The above house has a complete chain and they just need a buyer. I actually like the look of the house and really like the garden and location, so now I'm considering giving up my Saturday to drive there from S London and go and see it. Should I just stick with the house where we've had our offer accepted? Is it madness to make a decision based on the readiness of the chain? I hate property chains, I'm losing my nerve already!!

OP posts:
Blackeyez09 · 10/12/2014 07:54

I don't think it's that bad
Floorboards though colder at this time of year are lovely, look better and more hygienic.... Just get beautiful rugs!
Those sashes don't look original could be modern and ceilings not high, small rooms could be cosy!

The kitchen and bathroom is not to my taste and think they should have put in a more sympathetic to style of the house shaker type kitchen which I think always looks better in galley kitchens... But there may be opportunity to extend? and then it becomes a better house

Yes I'm not sure most single 30 year olds will struggle to get on the proper ladder which is worrying... I'm 30 in Midlands have a house twice that size worth half of that... I think it gives me better quality if life

Somethingtodo · 10/12/2014 09:28

Good call - I am a fan of modern houses - they are designed with the correct amount of space, light and storage that we need for efficient modern family living.....you would go cuckoo bananas in a house not suited for children....Hang in there and plan the exciting updates - can you share a similar house to the modern one you are buying?

Original poster
TremoloGreen · 10/12/2014 15:39

m.zoopla.co.uk/#/property-history/41-tennyson-avenue/hitchin/sg4-0py/17702551

Similar to that but with an extension on the back, so smaller garden but an extra study, downstairs loo and little bit of kitchen space. Similar location, estate on the edge of town, 10 min cycle to station, drive or bus into town. But fields etc behind. We will spend about 10-15k updating all the decor - new kitchen, wood floors throughout downstairs getting rid of stubbly ceilings.

I do like it I'm just nervous about the chain. Bad experience before has put me right off Grin

OP posts:
BumWad · 10/12/2014 15:46

That last house is fugly op

ouryve · 10/12/2014 16:59

That's the sort of thing we're possibly going to end up looking at, when we move on. Uninteresting, but mostly good space and layout for the money.

MrsCakesPrecognition · 10/12/2014 18:06

I rather like the fugly one, it reminds me of houses I happily lived in as a child.

DreamboatDaddy · 10/12/2014 18:51

Tremolo, Tennyson is very close to me and is a really nice location. Is the 70s house you're looking at in Hitchin?

Original poster
TremoloGreen · 10/12/2014 18:57

Yep. We like both Hitchin and Stortford (think they both have strengths and weaknesses for us) so considering both, wherever has the right house really.

OP posts:
DreamboatDaddy · 10/12/2014 19:02

Then feel free to PM me if there is any help I can provide. If you were looking at something in Tennyson or near here I could easily pop round to check the location. It is literally a sub 5 minute walk!

Somethingtodo · 10/12/2014 19:25

I think that it is a lovely home for a family - bright, spacious, quiet street - good parking wait for one much better for a family than some cramped old Victorian number....I am sure loads will come up - take a look at "sold house prices" on rightmove and you will get an idea how many are sold each year.

wormshuffled · 10/12/2014 20:11

House prices are crazy!! how can that house cost that much?!?! look what that money would get you around here........ I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/38178901

Original poster
TremoloGreen · 10/12/2014 21:11

Thanks worm, I feel like I've achieved MN Property board bingo now... Look at what I could get in Lincolnshire! That'd be a lovely house for us if I wanted, or indeed, it would even be possible for us to move to Lincolnshire! Xmas Grin Xmas Wink

Dreamboat Thanks for the very kind offer. So the house we want to buy is on the street named after the author of 'I must go down to the sea again'... Ha ha, sorry to be so cryptic, but just fearful our vendors are on here and start freaking out that we're getting cold feet.

OP posts:
VanitasVanitatum · 10/12/2014 21:18

Ooh I love it OP..

VanitasVanitatum · 10/12/2014 21:19

Your first one that is!! Not the second.

Pelicangiraffe · 10/12/2014 21:22

Two problems I can see. The rear gardens overlooked a lot. The kitchen is narrow and isn't so kitchen diner

roneik · 10/12/2014 21:50

Blimey you could buy five of those up here and still have change
What an ugly looking hovel
Blimey If I were younger I would start a wonderful life in the sun with those bucks

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 10/12/2014 22:03

you could buy five of those up here and still have change

But why would you want to? They could be ten for a penny and still be useless for someone who needs to live in the South.

OP, I too shouted BINGO! :o

roneik · 10/12/2014 22:13

Well good luck, the north is not quite as bad as people think. Thats some serious money for that house. I think there must be something in the water down southGrin

roneik · 10/12/2014 22:18

We may never call bingo up here but if that's what you lot pay for that type of place then for goodness sakes stay down south. If only you knew what some northerners say about the rat run that is now the south you would be booking the van to the north

Original poster
TremoloGreen · 10/12/2014 22:20

SoupDragon Not talking about this thread specifically, because I actually asked people to put me off... but yes, it generally goes:

Oh dear, what a pathetic house, what a very sad existence you must lead, how ghastly.
Have you not tried, y'know, being richer?
Failing that, why don't you just dissolve your business, rearrange your life and move Oop North? We bought a mansion last week for 2p!
I'm just so glad I live in The Midlands, I have a considerably better quality of life than yow!

Where's the festive 'shoots self in head' emoticon when you need it? Xmas Grin

OP posts:
CaulkheadUpNorth · 10/12/2014 22:21

I really like it. Could you buy it fully furnished and rent it to me? Thanks.

Original poster
TremoloGreen · 10/12/2014 22:25

Also when I started a thread asking what things you could possibly compromise on when buying a house, or what order people prioritize things in, loads of posters piled in and said, oh god no, you can't possibly compromise on schools, location, commute, bedrooms, bathrooms, having an eat in kitchen, separate playroom, garden size OR parking!! Have you not tried being richer?? Xmas Grin

OP posts:
ArgentinianMalbec · 10/12/2014 22:38

That's a lot of money for 3 beds, and I live in that area. You could find something much better value, even in Stortford.

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 11/12/2014 06:47

If only you knew what some northerners say about the rat run that is now the south you would be booking the van to the north

Er... No we wouldn't. Personally I don't pay much attention to what people like that say.

Do you think you could try to make your point without being rude about people who live in the South?

The point was made on another property thread recently how it's ridiculous when people from outside the SE come and express horror at house prices here and say we must be stupid. It's not a surprise that house prices are higher her - they always have been.

Are people who live in more expensive areas outside of the SE stupid because they don't live in one of the far cheaper areas of the country?

I bet the £400k could buy am entire road in some shithole somewhere. Maybe you should move there.

meadowquark · 11/12/2014 08:51

OP only recently I posted a dilemma of mine whether to buy 'ugly' 1970s house or one similar to your other old house option. In the hindsight it was some sort of panic mode and I am glad it is over. I decided against the ild house because even if it had kerb appeal, reallistically it was too small for me, and the 1970s house is just so airy and practical, and beautiful in its own way. I also cannot wait to design the interior as there is so much that could be done with it. Wait it out, have peaceful Christmas, and you will be back to where your original decision was