Missed out on our 'perfect' house so do we settle for second best?

[foreverhome]

Our 'perfect' house came on the market in Feb, we requested a viewing for the day after but it was cancelled as they had already accepted an offer of the asking price that day. I was gutted but was sure something similar would come up.

Three months have passed and nothing has come close. We have viewed a property that we really like but its slightly more expensive & is on quite a busy road. I'm sure we would be happy there but I don't know if we should settle for second best or keep waiting for another 'perfect' house?

We settled. Well dh did. We lost his perfect house and went for something else. I don't think he quite loves it and never will (although it has only been two months).

However we wanted a house in that location and houses come up so rarely so we had to go for it.... What are your reasons for moving and how realistic is it that a oerfect house will come up?

We've been looking since the start of the year so almost 6 months and this 'perfect house' is the only one that has ticked all the boxes. I'm starting to think this was a one off and my expectations are too high but I would kick myself if we went through with the second best house & something ideal came up.

We're moving as we need more space so can't stay here, our house sale recently fell through so we do have more time to look but I'm not sure what the best thing is to do.

I think my advice (from my own experience) would be to ask - are the things that make it second-best changeable? If so then go for it and enjoy making it perfect. If the issues are not changeable then wait if possible.

Best of luck moving!

'Perfect' house had a large garage & drive.
'Second best' house is a terraced with on street parking but we could potentially turn the front garden into a driveway & it has a cellar for storage.

'Perfect' house had a downstairs toilet, ensuite to the master & house bathroom
'Second best' only has a house bathroom but its big enough to take half for an en suite.

'Perfect' house had a beautiful attic coversion
'Second best' has attic space with ladder access.

So second best house could be made almost perfect but we don't really have the money.

The one thing we can't change is the fact that 'perfect' house was on a quiet street and 'second best' is on a busy street.

We haven't found a perfect house but we have had to settle on the one we are purchasing. It ticks quite a few of our boxes and nothing has beaten it since we have been looking so it is going to have to do. I think it is unlikely, for us, that our perfect house would come up in our price range anyway!

Keep looking. You aren't in a rush.

But if we don't find anything better in the next 8-12 weeks we'd have to look at renting which I feel like is throwing money down the drain!

It took us 2 years to find our 'perfect' house, and in the two years since we bought it about 2 others have come on the market that I would have been equally happy with. I'd keep waiting, even if it means renting - the next perfect house will turn up eventually and you'll be kicking yourself if you've already settled for second best when it does :)

You haven't sold your house yet, keep looking.

Renting isn't throwing money down the drain! Buying a house so you don't have to rent could potentially be a lot of money down the drain.

Sorry I should have said - our last house sale fell through but we got another buyer straight away, they're aiming for a completion date of mid July so we don't have much time left.

I sympathise, foreverhome. Nothing was coming on the market in my preferred location so, wanting to avoid renting, I decided to settle for second best - a terraced house in a not so good location with no parking. I've just paid out for the survey, searches etc etc and now a perfect house in the perfect location has just come on the market! I so wish I had waited..... Its definitely making me have a few regrets and I really wish I had cancelled my rightmove alerts so I could have remained in blissful ignorance! If you're not sure then I would wait. You'll only regret it otherwise and the perfect house will come on the market soon I'm sure.

I was you and ended up renting for 6 months. It was a complete pain, but whilst renting perfect house no 2 came on the market and being chain free and ready to move meant that our offer was accepted over a couple of others.

Oh that's exactly what I don't want to happen ! Mighty Could you go and view the 'perfect house' anyway and pull out of your current sale if it is what you were looking for?

foreverhome, I think I will go and view the house this weekend. And hope that its not as nice as the pictures suggest! I think I need to see it to put it out of my mind and, if I do love it, then I could pull out of my current purchase although I would lose around £2k which I have spent already on fees - not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things, I guess.

Good luck!