Which house would you choose?

[TheVeryHungryPreggo]

House A: modern and well-thought out finish, small but neat garden, recently renovated. On top of a hill, stunning views. Parking for one car. Backs on to one of the best primary schools in London so you would never be out of catchment. A bit of a hike to the nearest stations, coming home would be a 20 minute walk uphill at this end. 2000sqft, 6 bedrooms - 4 double and 2 small singles. Slightly overpriced for the size.

House B: old and half again as large and needs some TLC, but not in need of significant work besides plumbing (new bathrooms) and wiring, the rest is paint and carpet jobs. 6 huge double bedrooms with original fireplaces in each. Large garden with pond, patio and greenhouse, end of terrace and on a corner so not really overlooked - also has parking for 3 or more cars (we only have one car btw!) Right on the edge of catchment for an excellent school - you may or may not get in - but other primary schools in the area have recently been Harris'd or had a change of leadership so there are options if a bit further away or wrong religion. Costs 150k less than House A and is closer to two stations - and on the flat!

We are torn. House A is beautiful and neat and modern and is next to a great school. We wouldn't have to touch anything, it's perfectly finished already. But House B is exciting, the exact layout we like and somewhere we could really make our own - and when we went to see it my two year old loved it and loved running around the garden. We could spend less money on it and on stamp duty and have more to do it up... DH and I really want it for ourselves! But we are supposed to be moving for primary schools and there probably isn't much point moving to a house that isn't guaranteed a good primary school close by, especially with the cost of moving.

WWYD? Either? Neither? Keep looking for one that ticks all the boxes of schools and style and space? Children are 2 and not-yet-born but due in summer... I'm also a bit of a nervous driver and worried about driving up in the hilly area, lots of narrow residential streets and sharp too-high speed bumps.

Ooh, that's a lovely house too. Would need a bit of work and you'd have to make sure the owners took those dolls with them!
Still prefer B though.... If you buy it please can I move in with you?!!!

Wow. It's all about house B. Absolutely gorgeous

TinCanSally of course you can, we'd have room to spare!!

House B is definitely better than House C but I like the Penge house too. The garden is amazing. It's so big you could build your own school in the backyard!

I don't know London at all but I'm loving looking at the houses. I spent part of this morning Googling houses in Forest Hill as a result of this thread .

APlaceInTheWinter I know, I've become a total Rightmove addict in the last couple of months, I've started getting alerts delivered to me and customising searches so I don't miss anything added in the last 24 hours... I'm totally getting my money's worth from it!

DS loves looking at houses, he gets really happy running around empty houses or if the family are still living there, investigating other children's toys can't turn your back on him for a second to look at some feature of the house or a little voice pipes up "Look what I found Mummy!"...

B by far.

House C leaves me cold.

House C was really more about the area. Close to shops, close to the station, closer to work, close to Blackheath which is stunning and we had great fun playing chase with DS out there today, good primary four doors down with a lovely play area and sports facilities we could see through the fence, on a quiet leafy street... The house was only ok, but if I could put another slightly bigger house & garden (not even necessarily as large as House B) on the same spot, the deal would be done already!

Apparently the Penge house is stooped in history .

House B is very lovely , the one in Penge looks like it needs shed loads of work - has it got ceiling tiles ? .

Shortlands has some lovely houses but as I work in Canary Wharf and DH works in the city, it's got to be close to a station that suits both of us, and will get us home in time to do nursery/school runs despite early starts. New Beckenham will take me to Lewisham and DH to Cannon Street, and there is a nursery very near to the station.

With that budget there are some STUNNING houses in Tulse Hill that I've seen, but public transport is such a big factor for us both...

House B is really fab. But you sound as though you prefer Lee?

Is it worth keeping looking in Lee?

I don't really know myself tbh, I wasn't even looking in Lee until today - DH found that one this week and booked us in yesterday. I think I like the precise location of that particular house in Lee, I don't know if anything else would suit!

Before that I definitely preferred Beckenham - at least, that particular side of it. Close to Crystal Palace and close to the naice bits of Beckenham... have some friends around there too and would be nice to be closer to them too.

I am aching with longing for House B. But local community and schools are all-important when you have kids (to me, anyway - I chose to live in the ugliest house in South London in order to get into this neighbourhood). And you really don't want to be uprooting your children in primary just to sort out the secondary issue.

(www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50906210.htm) within spitting distance of one ot the best primaries. (Http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33229743.html?premiumA=true)again near outstanding primqry.
(www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-51016412.html) would need extending e.g. loft conversion if needed but withing catchmemt and walking distance of 2 superb primaries and the most sough after secondary for boys and girls. Allwithin a shortbus ride tobromley south station which goes eveywhere amd about 1.5 miles walking distance to the station. What doyou thisnk ofthese?

Oh i cant do these bloody links!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50906210.html this one is a few mins walk from shortlands station and valley primary/st marks and now clare house primary catchment. www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-51016412.html www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33229743.html?premiumA=true these ones near (spitting distance of) HIGHFIELDs infant and junior schools and within catchment of thesecondary Langley schools much sought after. There are loads on in a better location tnat B as much as you love it and with lower price tags which you could then extend if need be. I personally wouldnt touch Penge/clockhouse with a bargepole if you are looking to spend as much as you are there are nicer places to live unless you want to go private imho.

House B, without a shadow of doubt. And if you think that's a fixer-upper, you should see some of the kips I've lived in!

Do look at bromley south stationas it does go to a lot of places. My friend lives in shortlands who works in the city she has once change onto the city train (no idea what its called ) but shes done it for years with noprobs. There are buses every 7 mins the 227 for example in shortlands that get you to the bromley station in around 10 to 12 mims.

B

No brainer for me.

2000sqft for a 6 bed sounds tiny.

This house is very very close to the Lee house apparently and is quite a bit gorgeous and good price too.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/36102993?search_identifier=5848138b1cd7342df93e625904e2060b#XyDyhUwuYtIbIxvh.97