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Original poster

my husband loves one house, me the other.

153 replies

SeasonalVag · 15/11/2015 16:41

After six months of intensive house hunting, I fell on love with one house, my husband with another. Each house is similar to our respective childhood homes, so one is a 1930s detached, the other 1970s.

Based on location, we chose my husbands favourite...it's significantly nearer my son's school, but I'm so disappointed and upset, I've actually taken to my bed to get my head around this house which is nice enough but my one stab of buying a house and really loved the other one.

Is it normal to feel so upset....I just wanted a house I loved and would be disappointed if my husband was this childish.
Secretly I'm hoping the offer gets rejected

OP posts:
Original poster
SeasonalVag · 18/11/2015 14:17

Yes same place...only has three houses....that was formerly a bungalow, total Renovation job.

OP posts:
Bearbehind · 18/11/2015 14:51

Ah, that makes more sense.

Your post at 13.06 read as if it was the first time you've been and that the weekend viewing was your first- it doesn't mention 'again' anywhere.

I still don't get the 70's house winning on location when the 30's house will be in a better location when your children are at secondary school- is this not a long term move?

Bearbehind · 18/11/2015 14:54

And I got the bit about the offer from your OP

Secretly I'm hoping the offer gets rejected

Are you now saying you've not made an offer on the 70's house?

longestlurkerever · 18/11/2015 17:10

Bear the op's children are 6 and 3. It would be a bit unusual to base a move on the basis of proximity to secondary school now wouldn't it? Anything could happen and there's a bus the children can get once they're secondary age. That said I don't know how the areas compare otherwise. I am from the north west and always thought West Kirby was the posh bit of the wirral and has seaside but not sure I've actually ever been.

Wolfie2 · 18/11/2015 17:27

I'd be happy with that house as it has tons of potential but I'd have to rip the insides out, rejig, redecorate, landscape it. It's a soulless box otherwise

Wolfie2 · 18/11/2015 17:38

Like the idea of the 30's property but can't find link

Bearbehind · 18/11/2015 17:46

I see your point about the children longestlurker but the OP referred to this purchase as her one stab of buying a house which made it sound very long term to me- like they are never planning on looking to move again.

I agree no one knows what's around the corner but it seems strange to me basing the location of your 'forever' home on its proximity to primary school when one child is already at primary and the next not far behind.

longestlurkerever · 18/11/2015 18:23

Sorry bear I reread my post and it sounds far snippier than I intended. The "wouldn't it?" was a genuine question. Do people generally plan that far ahead? One reason I'm staying in our house is that I can't afford to move twice but secondary catchments seem too early to call as schools and catchments change so much but then part of me worries that if I leave it much longer we will be priced out.My dcs are 4 and 6 months.

Jux · 18/11/2015 18:39

Bear, the offer is from other buyers, not op. Grin

Bearbehind · 18/11/2015 18:51

Don't worry longest I didn't read your post as snippy.

Strangely I think we are making a similar point from opposite angles. You can't afford to move twice therefore have decided to stay put until secondary schools are the priority.

On the other hand, the Op has decided to move and it sounds like they can't or don't want to move again in the medium to long term yet are prioritising a short term situation.

jux I must need to hit the Wine as it makes even less sense to me if the offer was from other buyers! Why would the OP want that to be rejected?

longestlurkerever · 18/11/2015 19:00

Yes I suppose to me it doesn't make sense to make this particular location call on the basis of schools at all as they're either prioritising the convenience of the shortish term over the longer term or they're prioritising the theoretical future over the reality now. I think those are evens unless the op is prepared to change her dcs' primary school and they can look at other factors. But it sounds like they'd be in catchment for their preferred secondary school either way if they pass the selection exams - it's a question of transport to school. Personally I think I'd find the longer commute more of a pita at primary level. Everyone else will be local to the school and parties etc will all require lifts - car pooling etc not an option. A grammar school will be drawing its students from a wider area and they'll probably think nothing of getting buses to meet upsomewhere mutually convenient

longestlurkerever · 18/11/2015 19:02

I read it as the offer they're planning to make but have not yet made

Jux · 18/11/2015 19:47

I think at the time, the op wanted the 30s house and was going to dig her heels in over it, but that then she heard someone had made an offer, so she was hoping that it would be rejected.

Or it might be the other way round.

I can't remember now, and need to dish up so amn't going to search for it. Grin

OP, hope you get one or the other!!

Original poster
SeasonalVag · 20/11/2015 08:03

We haven't made an offer on anything, sorry, I can see why it looked like that from my post. This will be our home for the next ten years. Ironically the seventies house feels like a happy home and I guess tarting it up from the outside would be fairly simple...

Immediate views are of other houses which depresses me a bit, I like to be private

OP posts:
IssyStark · 20/11/2015 08:50

There's always leylandii Grin

LondonKitty · 20/11/2015 09:12

For me, it would have to be the 1930s house. There is no competition. Sure, work needs to be done to it, but it is a far nicer house, with lovely outlook and much more privacy. I'd happily take on ferrying the kids and their friends to and fro to have a better house, and one that I could imagine being a long term home for them.

Can't imagine my DH being all happy about a house that was making me take to my bed either...

Tell him get back to the drawing board and keep on looking until you are both happy.

CocktailQueen · 20/11/2015 09:14

I liked the 70s one - it's very similar to ours! we didn't love LOVE ours, but chose it for practical reasons - location, space etc. And now we love it!

I didn't like the bungalow at all. Was it really 1930s? Sorry.

Good luck with the house hunting, OP...

CFSsucks · 20/11/2015 14:50

Your is so much nicer OP! Surely your DH can't go ahead on a house that you aren't that keen on? You're the one who will spend more time in it!

I'm so glad my DH just wanted a space for his TV and was happy for me to offer before he'd even seen it Grin.

MorrisZapp · 20/11/2015 15:00

Link to the 30s house?

SonjasSister7 · 20/11/2015 15:00

Mmmm - I can see why you are charmed by the older one, but I would worry that is might be cold -especially those attic bedrooms and dormers. They are sometimes prone to condensation/damp in my experience. And as someone living a bit rurally myself, I wish the kids were within walking distance of more of their friends, too. Tough for teenagers too, no buses. The newer one looks lovely and light and bright to my way of thinking.

FinestGrundyTurkey · 20/11/2015 15:43

Has anybody mentioned relative build quality? 1930s houses generally are much more solid than 1970s ones.

Morris, this is the 30s one

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52006432.html

MorrisZapp · 20/11/2015 15:47

Thanks! Gorgeous house.

Original poster
SeasonalVag · 20/11/2015 21:24

Having spent a week moping, then pestering you all, then Getting On With It, I was researching ways to sort out the seventies house....because if you lot are anything to go by...Come resale time....ill never get rid of it without sorting out the front.

So four bay windows and a rendering would probably be all it would take to make me happy....plus, stylistically, it's clear that the thirties one has much less scope for improvement. At these prices you HAVE to consider resale I think. Am I right?

Being overlooked is a pain in the ass but at least being in the burbs will help my kids make friends which is really important to me.

I told husband that we should offer but I get to renovate.

OP posts:
LondonKitty · 21/11/2015 09:49

Re resale: actually older houses tend to appreciate more as people pay for the original period features.

There are also a lot of things you could do to improve the 30's house, including getting rid of the awful PVC windows and the cheap flooring, a side/ rear extension, attic conversion and putting in an en suite. Overall, it seems a much more solid house with more space around it to grow.

Sorry - I feel I'm playing devil's advocate because I can see that you are trying to convince yourself that you are happy with your husband's choice.

And if you have come round to it, that's great. I'm sure you'll make it lovely.

But make sure you are not just settling and will regret it later.

My husband and I only once disagreed on houses we had looked at - he was really keen on one and I on another. We agreed to keep looking and sure enough we found one we both really liked.

Original poster
SeasonalVag · 24/11/2015 18:21

Thanks everyone for all the advice. We had our offer accepted today on the seventies one....after a bit of soul searching, I knew it was far better for everybody....but we have ringfences cash to do up the exterior which is the most offputting thing about it.

Now searching windows n render and feeling really excited

OP posts: