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Original poster

Would you buy a 5 bed house with only 3 bedrooms upstairs?

34 replies

Jas8085 · 16/01/2017 13:48

Its being advertised as a 5 bed house. But two of the bedrooms are downstairs (extension of a 3 bed house). We are a family of 4. So our bedroom and the kids bedrooms will be upstairs. Guest bedroom downstairs. Would this work?

Asking price is in the same region as other 4-5 bed properties with all the bedrooms upstairs.

Is there anything I am not considering or seeing here?

OP posts:

PovertyJetset · 16/01/2017 13:52

Noisy teens being downstairs late at night when you want to sleep? Little ones needing you on the same floor for toileting, nightmares etc?

MuseumOfCurry · 16/01/2017 13:53

Do you mean in terms of resale or usability?

We're also a family of 4 with a 5 BR house.

We have a basement guest bedroom and it is fantastic for when you have less than ideal houseguests. We also have an upstairs guest bedroom where pretty much only my sister stays because it feels a bit weird to have houseguests so close to our bedroom.

It's also good for your children in their teen years, they can have a bit more privacy.

I think the only downside would be if you had several small children all still waking in the night.

PovertyJetset · 16/01/2017 13:53

Why do you need 2 guest rooms? Would you not be better off ft with a second living room?

Helenluvsrob · 16/01/2017 13:55

We had ds downstairs from about the age of 7 when he went into his own room. No problem - well except the glass panels in the fire initially !

Original poster

Jas8085 · 16/01/2017 13:59

@PovertyJetset : We have 2 boys. So I thought DH&I have one bedroom, boys have 1 bedroom each. That's all upstairs.
The guest bedroom will be downstairs.
I'm getting drawn to this property because of that extra "bedroom downstairs". It can be a play room / extra living room / anything!

@MuseumOfCurry: I mean in terms of BOTH resale and usability.

OP posts:

ExcuseMeButtingIn · 16/01/2017 14:02

I have a 4 bed where 1 of the bedrooms is downstairs. I love it, I don't need a fourth bedroom so it's another reception room - mine is a playroom/family room. So definitely didn't put me off

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 16/01/2017 14:04

I'd love it. Ultimately the downstairs "bedrooms" are just rooms so for someone like me would be a games room, a playroom for the kids whereas a bigger family it could be bedrooms, guestrooms.

BackforGood · 16/01/2017 14:05

I would LOVE that - I'd consider it a real plus point.

specialsubject · 16/01/2017 14:06

I saw quite a few like this. I think it is a great idea especially if there is a bathroom (at least a toilet) downstairs.

MuseumOfCurry · 16/01/2017 14:06

Our downstairs guest room doubles as a movie/video game room. I have a bunk bed - double on top, single on the bottom - I've dressed the bottom bunk as a couch/daybed so it works really well.

If your children are younger, you could make a playroom. All plastic crap in one place.

CaroleService · 16/01/2017 14:08

Would be great for elderly visiting parents, teenagers, guests in general.

V v flexible too I would have though - one of the downstairs rooms could be a study or a playroom.

NanooCov · 16/01/2017 14:09

I'd love it. The two downstairs bedrooms would be (in my imaginary house) a study/guest room and a play room. Only caveat is if they lead off another room rather than having their own door - a room off a kitchen or lounge is (in my opinion) never a bedroom and it's just cheeky estate agents that think otherwise.

CanarySong · 16/01/2017 14:09

I think you're limiting your resale market.

There are fewer people that specifically go looking for a 5 bed house anyway, but with some of those bedrooms downstairs, there are plenty of people (including me) for whom it'd be an outright 'no'.

Newtssuitcase · 16/01/2017 14:11

Is the downstairs guest bedroom en suite?

It actually sounds like a 4 bed with one bedroom downstairs and an extra reception room (or a three bed with 2 extra reception rooms if the downstairs room isn't en suite.)

Babytalkobsession · 16/01/2017 14:13

We have a three bed house (all upstairs) but just about to commence a rear & side extension. The side bit will be an additional room, which we'll use as a study / guest bedroom.

If it was going to be a proper bedroom, as in a permanent one I think I'd want a shower downstairs too, if it's not en suite. We're positioning our utility room next door so it could easily be converted to a shower room should we ever start using the downstairs room as a permanent bedroom

Original poster

Jas8085 · 16/01/2017 14:17

It has a proper bathroom downstairs. Its not an en-suite though.

OP posts:

LillianGish · 16/01/2017 14:26

it doesn't really matter what estate agents are calling it the question is would it work for you? If you have two dcs then I would have thought this configuration is far more useful than having more rooms upstairs. Spare bedrooms are just wasted space imo unless you have guests every weekend and often end up becoming dumping grounds. Much better to have extra space downstairs which ca be used as a study, playroom, music room, den or whatever doubling as an extra bedroom as and when necessary and much nicer having guests in a different part of the house for them and for you. I'm living in France and interestingly here noone talks about number of bedrooms - estate agents' particulars tell you how many square metres and how many rooms (which is all rooms not including kitchen and bathrooms) you decide what you want to use the rooms for.

Original poster

Jas8085 · 16/01/2017 14:32

Thanks everyone.

@LillianGish
Thanks for your post. That's what I was thinking too but needed validation
We will have guests often. Grandparents visiting from another country for a couple of months each every year. I'd love to have my own space upstairs where MIL has no business whatsoever to come to that part of the house

OP posts:

Magstermay · 16/01/2017 14:39

Can you link to the layout at all? I'd be quite happy to have a guest bedroom and playroom downstairs (as long as bathroom near bedroom), but we have two children so only need 3 bedrooms for us. It sounds perfect for our needs.

It would be a bit annoying if one of the upstairs bedrooms was tiny, and if I had more children I would want all their rooms upstairs (in terms of resale). If I wanted a 5 bed house and was using them all as bedrooms, I think I'd prefer them all on one level and would be looking for a corresponding amount of living space. It sounds as though you have the living space of a 3 bed if you use those two rooms as bedrooms?

strangehumour · 16/01/2017 14:39

For me it would depend what on other rooms are downstairs. I would expect a 5 bed house to have a kitchen, living room, dining room and possibly a study downstairs. If one of these rooms is missing and instead being labelled as a downstairs bedroom then I wouldn't class it as a 5 bed house.

Especially if the other 5 bed houses in the area for a similar price have these downstairs rooms plus 5 bedrooms upstairs.

There is a house near me listed as 4 beds (2 upstairs, 2 downstairs) but in my opinion it is a 2 bed house with a dining room and a room which should be a utility. Yet it is on for the same price as other 4 beds, been for sale for 2 years now.

Thing is though, it's what suits you. Only you know what's best for your family & lifestyle.

PossumInAPearTree · 16/01/2017 14:41

I would love it and consider it a bonus.

You can use the downstairs rooms as a teen den/playroom/study and have a sofa bed in one room to convert into a guest room on the occasions it's needed for that. Much better use of space than a spare bedroom that's rarely used upstairs.

Great for teens when they're older if you'd rather they had a room downstairs if they're up late at night and you don't want disturbing.

Floggingmolly · 16/01/2017 14:47

Rooms are just whatever they're used as... That house really should be advertised as a four bedroom property with two receptions (which is perfectly normal)
Calling it an extra bedroom isn't. I'd expect the overall floor space to be far bigger in a five bed.

RTKangaMummy · 16/01/2017 14:47

Having a downstairs extra room/bedroom downstairs with a downstairs bathroom/toilet etc is an excellent arrangement IME and IMHO

Use it for guests to give you and them privacy

Use it for children to play in or an extra sitting room or games room or music room for a piano or gym

Loads of possibilities

RTKangaMummy · 16/01/2017 14:52

JAS you deffo should think about it for PIL as per my above post

It would deffo mean MIL and FIL stay downstairs and you are upstairs especially if they stay for extended time 🙂🙂🙂

BackforGood · 16/01/2017 16:54

It has a proper bathroom downstairs. Its not an en-suite though

It gets better and better, in terms of flexibility.

There is a house near me listed as 4 beds (2 upstairs, 2 downstairs) but in my opinion it is a 2 bed house with a dining room

Well, yes, I - and I suspect everyone else - have been answering assuming it has normal living space as well, and is not a student house-share where all living space except kitchen and bathroom is let out as a bedroom

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