Help me choose a house please!

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

House 1- 4 bedrooms, 2 recs,garden to front with parking to the side but on a private drive off the road. Beautiful cottage but will need about £2k spending for some extras we need (fencing/shower/shed for tumble dryer). Could potentially extend in the loft for a 5th bedroom, neither rec would be suitable. Will probably go on £150k.

House 2- 4 beds, 3 recs, enclosed back garden, big drive to front, garage, utility room, wc downstairs. About 20 years old, modern internally and needs nothing to make it suitable, bar decoration. 3rd ref could be used as a bedroom if needed. Will probably be £153k.

For background we have 4 dc between age 1 and 10, both houses are similar distance from work and school and in good areas where they will hold value (market movement aside).

I'm totally at a loss!

Any links?

House 2. Reason? Extra reception room, garden at rear. Who wants to have a bbq on their front lawn?

I would say 2nd option sounds more suitable for your family as it has more reception rooms and doesn't require loft conversion.

However, I would choose pretty cottage over modern box every day of the week!

I would go for house 2 due to garage, downstairs wc and utility. Also nothing much to do. With 4 DC between 1 and 10, I imagine renovations/work would be a bit of a nightmare!

It sounds like you love number 1, but number 2 is more practical? I always go with space and practicality, but I do understand the picture perfect dream!

I know this isn't what you were asking but - where are you living that 4 bed family homes cost £150k?

Wherever it is, I'm thinking of moving there .

Oh, and house 2!

I am a romantic at heart and will pick smaller but prettier house over modern larger house.

All the extras you get with house two might be convenient but it's not the things that make you fall in love with a house.

If go for house 2. Using one of three extra reception rooms for a fifth bedroom would be so much easier than a loft conversion. There should be less maintainence with a newer house and the enclosed back garden would be great. Added bonuses would be the garage, downstairs toilet and the utility room which wouldn't sway me on their own but would be nice to have.

Both houses sound great. If you end up with either you'll have done well.

House 2

House 2

I live in almost the cheapest part of the country and it's only in the rough areas that you can get houses like that for those prices.

I'd narrow it down to which is the best area.

Also, all bedrooms are not the same. We're looking at 4 bed houses and some have all of the bedrooms around 100 sq ft or more, while others are a poky "master room that's only just 100 sq foot plus 3 pretty much box rooms that might take a single bed and a chest of drawers.

I don't think you meant to say £2k for doing up house 1, anyhow - you could spend that on just paint and inexpensive curtains. You seem to be leaning towards house 2, but you need to look carefully at the immediate surrounding area - police website etc.

Sorry, I should correct that to rough and remote areas. We could get a corker of a house for £160K in a village with a bus every other hour - or one not nearly as good for £30K more in one a mile away with a few shops, its own school and several buses an hour.

House 2 would win it for me. I am not really a 'cottage' person though as I am too practical. Have you viewed both? Go for a 2nd viewing of both and see which you start to imagine all your belongings in!

House 1. Correct me if I'm wrong but the way you've written it sounds like you prefer 1 too! I'd always go for a smaller, prettier house over a bigger more practical house but I'm sure some people would call me an idiot Tough choice, good luck!