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Original poster

Have I watched too much Location, Location, Location?

30 replies

Forgottenmypassword · 27/03/2018 19:37

So, we didn't get the house that we looked at 2 weeks ago. It was a fixer-upper and would have meant compromises on several things, but I could see us living there the second we walked in.

Looked at another today, great for our current situation, roomy, close to family etc. Garden was a little smaller than I'd like but the massive hedges could come out which would make quite a bit more.

Trouble is, I just felt a bit meh about it. There isn't very much in this area in our price range and it would fit with what we need, but I didn't fall in love with it like the last. I just thought it was ok, although I can see we could make improvements.

We're renting and not needing to move, it's just we feel we should buy before we get too old to get a mortgage. We love our rented property which doesn't help!

Did you love your house straight away? Or have I been Kirsty and Phil-ed?

OP posts:

ItsAllDoomAndGloom · 27/03/2018 19:41

On my third house. Have never felt like that. Hated one of them and loved the other two to live in.

Accepted "the feeling" is not a thing I get, has helped me not worry about it!

midgebabe · 27/03/2018 19:46

On one hand, it's a lot of money to buy something you don't much like. Although renting means you are buying something for someone else. On the other hand, most of what you see and feel about a place will be heavily affected by the decor and such. If the house basically works, and you can't really put a finger on what you don't like, it might just need to be made into your home with your style. Worked for me anyway.

JoJoSM2 · 27/03/2018 20:13

I use both my head and heart when viewing. None of the stunning houses I ever viewed seemed practical enough or good value for money. We're in our 'forever home' now but it took a lot of work to make it right for us + we compromised on style for the right location.

sausagedogsmakechipolatas · 27/03/2018 20:13

We just about to buy our second house, which has several features I really like.

Our first home was a different matter - bought back in 2006 when houses were selling like hot cakes and was the only thing we got to view before it sold. We’ve improved it but I’m still not really in love with it. Despite that, we’ve brought our babies home here and it’s been our home for a long time.

Arapaima · 27/03/2018 20:15

I did get a 'feeling' about ours, yes. It wasn't the one I was expecting to love either!

Figgygal · 27/03/2018 20:19

Moved house July 2016 it was £350k which to me in south Gloucestershire should get you something with a bit of wow but it's a small 3 bed detached with stairs in the lounge, small kitchen, small garden, only reason we have a proper dining room is because garage was converted by previous owners. We do have double detached garage and plenty of space out front and live in a village but I actually actively dislike the house. I look now though at what's on market and even 4 beds in this area which costing £400k plus I wouldn't pay it.

RumAppleGinger · 27/03/2018 20:42

I loved the first house we bought from the second I saw it. It wasn't spectacular in any way but I did get "the feeling" that it was meant to be our home.

When we had a DS2 we needed to move to a bigger house. I loved the area we were in and didn't want to leave it or for DS1 to change schools so we bought the only 4 bed house that was for sale in our area. 4 beds are like hens teeth and the only reason we got this one I because I pestered every agent in the area every day about properties coming on the market. It is a nice house and we have loads of space. It ticks all the boxes and we have done a lot of work to it to make it feel like ours but I still don't love It, I like it but I don't love it. That was my compromise; location over house.

If you don't NEED to move immediately I would bide my time and wait for a house that I loved. There will always be some compromise but I think as long as you are realistic about your expectations and your budget you will find it. Make sure all the local agents know what you are looking for and see if you can get into view properties before they officially hit the market.

Original poster

Forgottenmypassword · 27/03/2018 21:10

Sometimes I feel like we have the luxury of waiting for the right place, other times I think the prices will go up and we'll be even more out priced for the area we want to stay in.

Decisions decisions.

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wherewithal · 27/03/2018 21:10

Any amount of LLL was too much (though I used to watch it too, if only to marvel at their supposed savvy but actually quite shocking negotiating skills).

Only you know if taking on a mortgage makes the best financial sense for your future, but
life is too short to spend years, perhaps decades, in a meh house or houses thinking that’s what you’re supposed do. People go on about renting being wasted money. It’s not. If you rent well, you’re buying quality of life.

Original poster

Forgottenmypassword · 27/03/2018 21:15

Hi wherewithal I think you posted when I was fretting about moving from my lovely idyllic rented house!

Made the decision that I could - for the right house. So perhaps I've just got caught up in RightMove 😁

OP posts:

wherewithal · 27/03/2018 21:40

Hi there – I probably posted the exact same thing last time!

I also get caught up in rightmove. Unfortunately it’s filled with the wrong houses.

Feezles · 28/03/2018 09:41

I loved my first and second properties from the moment I stepped through the door. I did NOT love my third (and current). In fact, when we walked away from the first viewing, I told DH I was sure it wasn't going to be the one. It was only with his persuasion that I agreed to a second viewing, when I decided I liked it more. I didn't love it until we moved in, then I fell massively out of love with it for a couple of years when we had DD and had neither the time nor the money to fix the things we didn't like.

It's only now, 4 years after we bought it, that we're finally starting to make it how we want it, and suddenly, I adore it. It isn't perfect, and there are things we'll never be able to fix (the garden is tiny, there isn't enough parking) - but there is so much that is fantastic, we're going to make it beautiful, and the location is wonderful. I don't think I would want to be anywhere else.

Lucisky · 28/03/2018 15:30

I always know if I don't like a house, but my last house I was a bit indifferent to (it was 'okay', and fulfilled my personal list of wants), but I grew to love it and still miss it, even though it was tiny and on a busy road. I think if you view a house and start imagining yourself living there (in a good way) you are half way there.

LillianGish · 28/03/2018 15:45

Looked at another today, great for our current situation, roomy, close to family etc. Garden was a little smaller than I'd like but the massive hedges could come out which would make quite a bit more Well it sounds like a ticks a few boxes. IMO there's no such thing as the perfect house - you have to choose from what's on the market when you are buying. If you definitely want to buy and you are renting at the moment I would also think in terms of the sooner you buy the sooner you start paying off your mortgage instead of someone else's. Not sure where you are looking, but prices are generally going up. I always buy with my head - could never justify spending that amount of money if it wasn't a head decision - and once I move in I love it.

LoveManyTrustfew · 28/03/2018 16:11

On my second house, in thirty years.

On both occasions I knew exactly where the Christmas tree was going as soon as I walked in the door.

MrsJoshDun · 28/03/2018 16:19

I would happily buy a house with my head if it ticked enough boxes. So location, price, size, layout, general standard of upkeep.

But some things I suppose I wouldn’t compromise on which I suppose you could argue are more of a heart thing would be stuff like small windows, not liking the flow/layout.

But I do think you can buy a house you don’t love and make it a home which you do love as long as there isn’t stuff about the house which you dislike which you couldn’t ever change.

MessySurfaces · 28/03/2018 19:02

We had a very similar experience to
@RumAppleGinger - instantly loved our first house, but outgrew it, and then bought the one and only option available to us. In many ways house 2 (current home) is much more of a this-will-do choice, which ticked all the practical boxes and was less of a heart choice. We really didn't want to move! However, as soon as we viewed I felt very looked after by it, kind of "this will be ok". And it is ok!

FellOutOfBed2wice · 28/03/2018 19:08

I wasn’t in love with our house when we saw it. So we could get the most on Help to Buy (we are in London) it needed to be a new build so not very inspiring, the garden isn’t as big as I’d like (but then I grew up with my parents garden which is massive) and the location was probably half a mile beyond where I wanted to go. But you know what- it’s a really decent sized house, good sized, square bedrooms, four loos and three showers as well as a bath, good transport links to central London, schools are decent.... so whilst I didn’t LOVE it I knew it had some big pros.

And now we’ve been here a couple of years, settled in and decorated, I really love our house. The garden has enough room for a slide and a climbing frame and a trampoline for the kids, they love having their own bathroom (as do me and DH), good sized drive for two cars and we’ve made it our own. And the feeling of getting somewhere with a mortgage as apposed to buying a house for a landlord is nice. Feels more worthwhile.

There are pluses and minuses either way but you may well learn to love your compromise house.

SuitedandBooted · 29/03/2018 12:48

I didn't love our house at all when we saw it.
Stank of cat pee, rancid fat up the wall in the kitchen behind the cooker - and no kitchen, beyond a sink and a couple of cupboards.
BUT, it is in a very smart village, has a huge garden and decent sized rooms. I have an arty/design background, so I prioritize things into a can/can't be easily changed list. Decor is irrelevant, and the things I notice are, in order:

The location.
The height of ceilings.
The size and location of windows.
Where supporting walls are.
Roof height and landing size (conversion potential?)
Where the stairs are.

Prior to buying, we had been renting a fab, huge Grade 2 listed house, so buying a run-down 1920's terraced 3 bed was quite a shock!
We have worked on it, extended it, and it is now a lovely home- and has doubled in value. We bought it in 2005.
You have to play the long game, and see what you can make of it. Very few of us can buy a dream house, that ticks every single box.

MiaowTheCat · 29/03/2018 14:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Redglitter · 29/03/2018 14:18

I bought my first house last year after years of renting. I had an area I was searching and a list of must haves. Then I spotted a house in the village I was brought up in which was a total bargain. I wasn't looking in that area because the house prices are ridiculous because of where they are.

On paper it ticked none of my boxes. I went to view it anyway more to rule it out than anything else. Literally the minute I walked in I knew it was THE house for me. I phoned the EA the moment I left and put an offer in. I actually offered 10% over the asking price but it was still within my budget. I absolutely love my house

Kismett · 29/03/2018 14:27

I didn’t love our house but am hoping I will with time. I’m not British so everything seems small and cramped to me, and I’d never feel like I was getting great value even if we had a lot more to spend on space. So I tried to be as sensible as possible and feel lucky to have the house that we do.

We did both get a feeling about another house, but I’m so glad that we didn’t go with it. It had a lot of charm but would have been wrong for us in every other way.

I think it depends a bit on the type of person you are. I think I could be happy in most places and it’s one of the reasons I was willing to move countries. Not everyone is like that though, and might be a bit more sentimental.

Original poster

Forgottenmypassword · 29/03/2018 16:05

Thanks everyone. Going for a second viewing with a practical head on. I'll let you know how we get on.

OP posts:

JoJoSM2 · 29/03/2018 17:47

Good luck!

Original poster

Forgottenmypassword · 31/03/2018 20:29

Seen it again today.

It's ok. It's just so..... Boring.

There is lots we could do, new kitchen, bathroom, floors etc etc. It is liveable as is however, so needn't be a huge rush.

I'd definitely want to pull the huge hedges down, it would give so much more space and light. Dh isn't convinced the neighbours would agree, because of privacy, but we would put a fence up.

It's just ok. It's sensible. Slightly over budget so may not be able to offer enough anyway if the vendors don't want to drop the price. I'd almost be glad if they didn't!

I just wish there was more choice within our budget in this area. The kids are settled at school etc (7 and 10). Family are here, otherwise I'd relocate because there is so much more house for money everywhere else!

OP posts:

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