Please help me decide which house to buy!

[livinginabox1]

Just as the title says really! I haven't a clue anymore and would love some advice.

I'm a FTB, and buying a house by myself. I went to see a house and really liked it - it's done up to a lovely standard, and looks to be newly plastered and decorated, new roof on the garage - it looks really looked after and I wouldn't have to really do anything - maybe repair the driveway as it's a bit holey (?) and potentially I would move the boiler from the spare room to the kitchen in the future.

The only things that are putting me off are that there is a takeaway to the back and I'm a bit worried about noise etc, and it's a small kitchen so couldn't pop a table in there. I've met the neighbours and they're lovely (as is the lady selling). It's up for 140-145k guide and is a semi detatched with 2 bedrooms.

On an attached street is a 2 bed, semi house I went to see after - it's up for 127k but I was told they would accept 125k. It's a similar style, but the living room is smaller, and the kitchen is bigger so could fit a table, and it has a larder which I like. The living room has a nicer fire. The bedroom has one slightly bigger than the smaller one of the first, and then another much smaller than the first's master. Bathroom isn't as big. House needs replastering and redecorating. Needs a window made double glazed. The kitchen is completely livable but not to my taste. The garage looks to need replacing really. Garden isn't as big and is overlooked by a large business. The rendering to the outside looks patchy and has some cracks in. It's currently being let out but I've been told it's a rolling contract.

I've leaning towards the first more expensive house as I'm thinking that by the time I've had to make the changes it will have been much more expensive. I realise it's a bit of a rambly list, but does that sound right? I have no idea how much things really cost and obviously haven't had to spend money on doing up a house but any advice would be really appreciated! Many thanks

The takeaway would put me off.

Try not to be too swayed by liking the decor. We made that mistake in our first house years ago. From what you've said neither house sounds better than the other going by the prices they're asking. Unless you absolultely love one of them I think if I were you I'd wait a bit longer and view a few more houses. More usually come on the market after Christmas.

I’m afraid the takeaway would put me off too, OP.
You can’t really do anything about it, whereas with house 2, you could gradually make the improvements?

The takeaway would concern me, smells from the premises, noise, deliveries.

Thank you for all of your replies

Oh no, do you think it'd be that bad

I didn't even notice it the first time I viewed (the houses behind are higher and it's to the right so I only noticed when I looked out of the spare window and then had a google)

I'm just so worried that interest rates will go up and house prices will too and then I'll get priced out even more. This is so stressful!

I have seen another house that I love, but it's near a lake and I'm worried about flooding.

Just a warning about the takeaway... We use to live next door to a take away it was so gross. I hated it and moved asap (luckily we were renting) We couldn't open the windows at all ever or the whole house would stink of disgusting fried food. The restaurant had these huge industrial fans out the back which were so noisy and would run from midday to midnight every day. People would sit on our wall and eat their food then throw rubbish in our garden, a few times drunk people threw up in our garden too..
I would not recommend it at all!

Decor is cheaper than real estate.

Check out sold prices in the exact streets.

it doesn't sound like either house really floats your boat, though, so I would keep looking. The first house has probably reached ceiling value (if it's not overpriced) while the second would possibly cost you more to renovate than the renovations would improve it by.

You can make changes to the second property but you can not take the takeaway away. As PP said, wait for more houses to come on the marked might be worth it?!

The first house! You would be astonished how much simple repairs cost. Kitchen tables are overrated! Kitchens are EXPENSIVE! Bathrooms are extortionate for so small a space!

I'd be wary of cracks and you mentioned a replacement garage? You can't imagine how expensive that would be, about £20k. A decent garage holds a lifetime of junk and would win hands down for me.

It's a quandary. Is the first house to your taste - you can mould that with furnishings though. And if you're worried about the take away visit the area a few times at night, and see it first hand. Or even better ask the nice neighbours!

Interest rates will almost definitely go up, but house prices are in decline, if anything. We got the house we're moving into this month for 4% less than the vendors bought it for, 2 years ago.

DSis lived near a take away some years ago. It was unbearable in the warmer months because they really couldn’t open the windows.

As a FTB you should go low and add value. If you buy a house that is already nice inside - how will you be able to add anything to the value? And think how easy/difficulty it would be to sell a house backing on to a takeaway? How long have both properties been on the market?

Thank you - the first ones been up for a month, the second cheaper one for a few months.

We got a brick and block garage built for 7K, would have been 10K with a building company, rather than DH's cousin!

Neither of them, just be a bit patient.

Interest rates look to go up, but they'll go up slowly & wont have a huge impact on what you can buy for a while. It's worse being stuck with a problem house.

I've lived near a takeaway and NEVER AGAIN. Noisy, smelly & just generally a pain in the backside.

The second sounds in a bad way & generally not ideal.

How wide is your search area?

* Kitchen tables are overrated!*

I would never again buy a house without a kitchen big enough for a table.

Re house near lake. That shoud be fairly easy to find out about flooding. Ask the council. Ask the owners. Ask the Estate Agent. Insurance companies will have data. Flood planes are documented. You solicitor should of course do all this for you if you are serious about buying but there is no harm in doing a bit of research for yourself.

I too was gonna say neither sounds ideal .
Keep looking , there will be something more suitable out there !

Do lakes flood though OP? I would have that fear re sea and river but not a lake.

The things you can’t change should sway you more than the things you can - so location, aspect, layout, style of building are more important than decor, as that can always be improved over time.
Imagine them both plain white inside.
Which offers more?

I agree what others have said about neither seeming right. I would normally say go for the fixer upper and add value, however the second house sounds like it could be a money pit. Don’t panic buy because of the current situation with interest rates and house prices, neither are going anywhere fast at the moment.
Look into the house by the lake, there will be data available that will tell you if it has or could flood, it might be fine

In your shoes I'd wait till after Christmas, a good market refresh in the early spring. Don't panic buy!

Backing onto a restaurant is horrible: big greasy fans that stink esp on a hot day when you want to open your windows. Gopping.

Don't panic and keep looking

I agree with others and would hold off purchasing either property OP. You're in a strong position as a FT buyer. When you're ready to proceed, don't forget to get a full structural survey. Some surveyors allows you to be present and you can ask questions once they've completed. Make sure you ask the company first if it's okay and what time for you to be on site.

They do both sound not ideal, rhe garden of rhe second over looked by a large business would bother me. What kind of business and how often are they open?

Can uou Post a link to them?