Location Location??............but bloody ugly house!

[lostlilly]

I am trying to buy a home for me and dd as a result of divorce.
I need to be in a certain area due to dd school access and my work access.
I have a limited budget so as a single parent I can afford-
A reasonable 3 bed house and garden in a not great area inhabited by a LOT of students and industrial buildings, despite not being a great area surprisingly expensive due to student lets but my dd can walk to school and I can access road network easy to get me to work.
OR
An ugly house with small garden or a very flat but in a much more favoured, quieter, family friendly residential area, easy for me to get to work, a bus journey for dd to get to school?

What really is more important?

[Paperclipmover]

Ask them, my parents just wanted someone honest and nice to but their house.

I like the house, it has no pretensions. I'd see about painting the outside woodwork white as that would make it look better outside and brighter inside. I wonder what's under the pebbledash? Do up the inside then worry about the outside. And never apologise for your home :)

[MeT00]

I imagine you must be very insecure to be thinking that you'd be "embarrassed when people come to see me" but you've certainly managed to insult everyone that has a house like that one.

There's nothing wrong with it and you should be grateful you have the resources.

[Ploppie4]

Make an offer? Tell the estate agents you’d like to offer the asking price and you’ve put your house on market priced to sell. And can they give you a couple of weeks before showing others around

[lostlilly]

MeTO)
I think its more a case of working very hard and being in a marriage for best part of 20 years, working my way up the property ladder and through no fault of my own falling back down to something I started off in 20 years ago.
Its not about being insecure, its more about being gutted to be in this situation and trying to get the best I can for me and dd

[tentative3]

I currently have a 1960s semi. It's not pebbledash but it isn't going to be on the front of any chocolate boxes any time soon. I hate the look of my street.

However, the rooms are good sizes, the size of the windows mean it has stacks and stacks of light and we did a full renovation that has made it completely stunning inside (cough cough, not to blow my own trumpet). It was a blank canvas once we'd renovated but has higher ceilings than new builds which also helps with the light.

We were looking for a second project, cosmetic only rather than full works like this one and I was rushing to look at anything 1960s. As it happens we've gone for something completely different but I'd very happily look at that era of house again in the future.

[lostlilly]

anyway, Its a non starter, I have just been and after talking to the owners who are lovely and go to my church, seeing all the photographs and knowing it needed updating but looked very clean and tidy...it ABSOLUTELY STINKS of cigarettes and the poor guy has lung cancer which is why they are moving

This is so hard I was feeling all hopeful but my chest hurts just from walking around it !

[JoJoSM2]

When we viewed our last house, the stench of cigarettes gave us migraines within 10 mins... but it was honestly fine once the carpets and wallpapers were ripped out.

[grasspigeons]

The nicest area. You can't see the outside of your house once you are in it.
I used to live in a really ugly house that had a pretty view over some pretty houses and I used to think of the people in the pretty houses being stuck looking at mine.

[FlexTimeCheekyFucker]

You can get rid of the cig smell as PP said. But it will put off other buyers and if you get a new buyer quickly for your house you might get it for a lower price.

[lostlilly]

yes I am trying to think about that, but also a beautiful flat that is for sale just around the corner? really is spotless and is actually bigger now that Ive seen inside the house
I wanted a little garden really but beggars cant be choosers and both of these options would leva me a lot of money left over and be in a nice area

[lostlilly]

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/45230681?search_identifier=a3ece1a149a87191b755a3b1339da45d#4DwjODEmK5qAxZFZ.97

check this out, what a bargain!

[ShitOrBust]

i'd still take it. you can get rid of the smell easily.

[BreakfastAtSquiffanys]

The ugly house's neighbour house looks ok.
Just needs a bit of tittivating.

60s houses are usually much more generously sized than modern boxes

[BreakfastAtSquiffanys]

I wouldn't buy the flat.
One of the residents thinks it's ok to park blocking the front door

[Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar]

Area every time.

[Viserion]

Replace the carpets and curtains. Fresh coat of paint throughout (strip the paper if there is any), you'll get rid of the smoke smell very quickly.

We have a house which was occupied by a lifelong smoker. You honestly would not know it.

[Paperclipmover]

I'd live in a house rather than a flat if I had the choice. Flat living is so dependent on your neighbours and had restrictions such as not being able to put the washing machine on when you want. Also the extra expense of the various ground rents. Then the roof needs doing and the freeholder gets it done and it's over priced. I live in a flat...

If you get the smoky house wear gloves when cleaning the paint and wallpaper to avoid nicotine poisoning. I'd see if you could pay to get it professionally sorted before you move in.

[OlennasWimple]

We bought a house from a vendor who had an incontinent dog. Once the carpet was stripped out (day one project!!) the smell more or less disappeared. By the time we had finished doing it up there was no trace of smell left

[5rivers7hills]

@Ploppie4 I checked out those pins when I bough my 50s/60s house!

[PrimalLass]

The house is far better than the flat and you have the money to gut it.

[CamperVamp]

Check the service charge / ground rent on the flat.

[5rivers7hills]

Oh my mum and dad got the smell of a serious smoker out of their house purchase. Ripped out all the carpets. Striped any paper. Scrubbed and scrubbed with sugar soap. Painted and new carpets. Totally fine!

[GiGiraffe]

Just something to think about in the flat - have lived in a similar flat to the one you have linked too - if you are below someone with laminate/wood floor it sounds like a herd of elephants walking around - if you are above you have to be really mindful of the noise you might make.

Think the house has loads of potential, Neighbours all around in flats, not just next door. Given the choice I would have the smokey house, which is easily rectified. No service charges/ground rent/neighbourhood committee making communal living area decisions

[Ploppie4]

Can we have a link to the house.

Easy to get rid of smoke. Wash down. Repaint. New carpets. Give me a house above a flat.

That flat is quite dull and uninspiring sorry

[Ploppie4]

House should be priced appropriately considering it’s condition. Do you think it is