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Original poster

Soul Destroying House? Is this one?

159 replies

Lillipuddlian · 09/04/2018 16:58

Hello, apologies in advance if this irritates anyone. My husband and I are dual Canadian/ British citizens. We currently live in Canada but are considered moving to the UK. The big push is climate and what my husband describes as "soul destroying houses with no character and no garden." Below is an example of the homes in our price range (350,000 UK)... this is very, very typical of housing near our jobs. Tell me your opinion, please! Are we picky, or is my husband right, these houses are soul destroying... (not an advertisement!)

premierottawa.ca/property/651-birchland-crescent/

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LillianGish · 10/04/2018 18:34

Born in Yorkshire and also lived in Maidenhead (now there is a place with eye-waveringly expensive property prices for what is essentially a commuter town). In fact my DH is also English which in a way is easier - we are either both abroad or both at home so no one has the advantage over the other.

DialMforMordor · 10/04/2018 18:46

OP, this is what £600k would get you in one of the most sought after towns in Shropshire...

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53818695.html

Or the prettiest town in Herefordshire

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64840318.html

All within a short drive of the Brecon Beacons, Wye Valley, Wales for scenery; the Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Green Man, etc, for culture; Ludlow, Abergavenny, Herefordshire for food; and still only three hours from London. For everything else.

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 20:16

@DialMforMordor.

Christ on a Cracker!

Please excuse my language. If I show him that Shropshire house, he will fall into a depression.

Shropshire is his pick. Unbelievable. Hertfordshire is one of his picks, too. I am afraid to look.

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DialMforMordor · 10/04/2018 20:18

Ah, Herefordshire, or Hertfordshire?! There is a WORLD of difference in that one T...

PasstheStarmix · 10/04/2018 20:18

That house is gorgeous and I take it in Canada? Are you meaning you can’t get that level of house in the UK for the same price??

DairyisClosed · 10/04/2018 20:21

That is soul destroying! Only because it has been horrible decorated mind you. With a boy if creativity it could be lively. But most British houses at that price are just horrible.

PasstheStarmix · 10/04/2018 20:45

I don’t agree that most £350,000 British houses are awful Confused

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 20:55

Herefordshire, Welsh borders, my mistake @DialMforMordor

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TerfsUp · 10/04/2018 20:56

Oh, heck. The houses on those first two links (Shropshire and Herefordshire) are gorgeous.

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 20:59

@PassTheStarmix. My argument more that there is nothing to do in my town, except move to a suburban tract house and buy a new SUV. Not of interest to me, the older and uglier I get! They don't even have independent cafes here. It's a big box life. Big house. Big car. Big stores....

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LillianGish · 10/04/2018 20:59

This thread just gets better and better - it’s like an episode of Escape to the Country. My problem is I’d love a house like that,but I also want to live in Paris - which sort of illustrates my point that you can’t have everything so you just have to settle for loving the thing you have (happiness is not getting what you want, it’s wanting what you have as someone once said) No one is saying £350,000 houses are awful Starmix - just looking at the house posted in the OP and wondering where in Britain £350,000 would buy you that much space (certainly nowhere in London or the South East).

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 21:00

@DialMforMordor am going to show the husband that Shropshire house right now...

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TerfsUp · 10/04/2018 21:01

Just finished looking at the houses in the other llinks - they're gorgeous, too. I just want to weep - I could sell my house in London and have only a small mortgage to buy one of those properties.

DialMforMordor · 10/04/2018 21:05

Actually, it's my mistake lilli - that first Shropshire house is in Orleton, not Ludlow, but it's near enough.

My DH and I have been househunting around this area for ages and it's amazing what you can get for your money in Shropshire/Herefordshire/Monmouthshire. OK, so you're not as close to London as Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire and it's not as 'pretty' as the Cotswolds but there are some beautiful houses hidden away, and you're still near enough Cardiff/Bristol/Birmingham for major city stuff. The only problem is that people don't move very often once they're settled in, so bigger family properties coming to market often need a bit of updating.

Delilah21D00LoT · 10/04/2018 21:14

Soul destroying - Are you serious???

You get a hell of a lot more for your money in Canada and the USA.

There is nothing soul destroying about that house. It's beautifully finished, it just needs a family, possessions and some colour - it's what you make of it.

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 21:52

@LillianGish wrote This thread just gets better and better - it’s like an episode of Escape to the Country.

Ah hahaha! So true.

Just read my homesick husband your responses, all, and he is fascinated!

He told me we should look at the Welsh borders, that we might get good value for money... looks like he might be on to something.

Great responses, btw...

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Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 21:54

@DialMforMordor my husband wants to focus on exactly the same area in which you are looking. He tells me I would love it...

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TulipsInAJug · 10/04/2018 21:57

Really interesting thread. You sound very balanced and clued-in, OP. I think you'll make the right choice. I do find the original house soul-destroying, yes. It wouldn't be if it was perched on a hill-top surrounded by moorland and amazing views (like one of the links) - it's the suburban setting, the small, claustrophobic garden, being overlooked by identical houses, no views from the windows, that's what I'd struggle with.

Funny, DH and I are just back from spending a few days in Yorkshire. We loved it. Some gorgeous houses. Tons of history. And the people are so warm and friendly.

PasstheStarmix · 10/04/2018 21:59

@LillianGish actually somebody did say: ‘But most British houses at that price are just horrible’ and I didn’t agree hence my comment.

PasstheStarmix · 10/04/2018 22:03

I do agree however that you get a lot more for your money elsewhere.

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 22:03

You can get this within commuting to our capital for 150,000 GBP

hopefully the link works

oreb.mlxmatrix.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?L=1&k=4612990XVc5J&p=ALL-0-0-F#1

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Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 22:06

sorry, link broken, please ignore above

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DrCoconut · 10/04/2018 22:10

£350,000 to spend on property is a very nice problem to have round here. For example
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-61586485.html

Original poster
Lillipuddlian · 10/04/2018 22:12

@TulipsInAJug wrote "You sound very balanced and clued-in, OP."

I assure you, I am not! lol. Bit messed up, indecisive... trepidatious, etc. Not terribly clued in, husband has good perspective!

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