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Original poster

Which would you buy?

51 replies

Everywhichway2018 · 25/04/2018 12:53

All houses were originally built the same, 3 bed semis, all within 2 mins walk from each other.

House A - £295,000 - converted loft to create 4th bedroom, with dormer, plus ensuite. In very good condition throughout could just move straight in. Conservatory but garden is overlooked and north facing.

House B - £235,000 - attic room with skylight, frustratingly the stairs go through the 3rd bedroom so these would need to be moved. In liveable condition but I would want to refurbish throughout eventually. Conservatory with an overlooked garden also north facing.

House C - £235,000 - needs complete refurbishment, loft potential, small extention accross the back of the property looking out on to a stunning private south facing garden. Has had a sale recently fall through so maybe a deal to be done.

Which would you buy and why?

OP posts:
eloisesparkle · 25/04/2018 15:29

C
South facing garden is soooooo worth it.

eloisesparkle · 25/04/2018 15:31

What way does the back garden face of House D ?
It's a deal breaker for me.

Original poster
Everywhichway2018 · 25/04/2018 15:43

I would say house D is NW, the garden is very long so the woods behind wouldn't impact the house. My thinking is that we would look to incorporate some sort of skylight/window to catch the sun in the extension. If that's possible!

House D would also mean a 20 min walk for the kids to school or a 5 min bus ride. The other houses are a 5 min walk. On the flip side house D would be much easier to get to the seafront - which was always high on our original wishlist (which has now become very confused!)

OP posts:
2cats2many · 25/04/2018 15:46

C for me. I love on a busy road and the noise is a pain. Plus if you don't dust regularly you get a horrible black film on everything.

AgathaF · 25/04/2018 16:06

How far is D from the seafront? I think if I lived by the coast being close to the seafront would be a huge plus point.

Guardsman18 · 25/04/2018 16:10

What appeal does D have? A, B and C are in same area and D further yes?

(I'm in SW by the sea, so this is really interesting!)

howabout · 25/04/2018 16:50

Just seen your update. Not D because of the dirt and noise potential from busy road. Also I would be concerned about security with the woods at the back and access to a quick get away via a main road.

On being near the sea I would be looking at traffic nuisance potential over the summer and also extra maintenance costs from sea weathering. If you are a gardener then the soil may also be very sandy. DH is also concerned about potential for erosion with rising sea levels - we both grew up at the coast so have this debate regularly.

Mrsmadevans · 25/04/2018 18:19

I think you should keep looking OP . Up until you introduced D I was going for C .

jazzandh · 25/04/2018 18:21

Does D have a safe pavement to walk on? Crossing a road is one thing, but walking alongside a busy road is actually worse - especially for kids who can be unaware of their surroundings.

Is it busy all the time - or are there peaks?

What is the speed limit on the road - is the house near a change of limit that motorists ignore?

DairyisClosed · 25/04/2018 18:23

D!!!

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 25/04/2018 18:32

C for me as a busy road is too intrusive for enjoyment of my home. I'm also not a big fan of conservatories.

Added to which, you get your own choices for the refurb works.

Betaday · 25/04/2018 18:37

C south facing garden to catch the late sun is lush

Notonthestairs · 25/04/2018 18:37

We live on a busy road albeit set back a bit - pulling out of the driveway can take forever. There is noise - kids have to have back bedrooms - and dirt.

You seem keen to do building work - make sure you have a budget (then have a ginormous reserve), I think it's rare that building works go exactly to plan.

I'm not sure you've found the right one yet.

Notonthestairs · 25/04/2018 18:42

We also have a long north facing garden but it's weirdly sunny - one end of patio gets lovely morning light and the middle and other end gets afternoon and evening sunshine. No need to move the table although I do sometimes change chair! Perfect for BBQ's.
Depending on shape, trees etc you might not need to write off north facing.

corcaithecat · 25/04/2018 18:50

Definitely C.
My last house had a north facing living room and despite being well decorated, it just felt drab and cold for most of the year. Orientation was massively important this time around and my current (final) house is big, has a huge sunroom, semi- open plan kitchen dining layout and feels light and welcoming. It was also one of the cheapest properties we looked at as it needed work and had tenants living there. We did all the design, planning and lived through the inevitable building site....but it was so worth it. I love, love, love it.

CountFosco · 25/04/2018 20:42

I think C. We've just bought a converted semi over a detached house purely because of the busy road the detached house was on.

LoftyLou · 25/04/2018 22:12

Of the first 3, definitely A, unless you have the cash to do up C or D before moving in.

D sounds really good as an investment though, and if it’s a 30mph it can’t surely be that busy a road? How many cars a minute?

LoftyLou · 25/04/2018 22:13

Oops sorry that should say unless you have the cash to do up B or C..

Original poster
Everywhichway2018 · 26/04/2018 06:49

We have a budget of £300,000 (for house plus works) and have the option to stay in rented so wouldn't need to live through the works.

OP posts:
Happycow · 26/04/2018 07:43

Definitely D! I was going to say C but D would win for me on being detached, nearer the seafront, massive potential to add value (over time, even if money isn't available now). Also 20min walk to school is fine. I would look into the likelihood of those woods staying woods though - would you still be happy if a housing estate went there in 5 yrs time? (If so, then no problems at all!)

Good luck 😁

Laineymc7 · 26/04/2018 07:56

I’d go c. We did this. Went for a Road we loved and garden we loved. We knew overtime we could change the inside of the house and what we didn’t like about it. You can’t change a busy road or a north facing garden.

TammyWhyNot · 26/04/2018 08:02

IF you are Ok with getting work done, doing your own decorating, C. Otherwise A.

Because potentially you can use the price difference between C and A to really add value and end up with a better house and garden than A.

If you are bad at DIY and coping with work going on in the house, A, because otherwise you will live in a tatty house forever more (ask me how I know...)

SingaSong12 · 26/04/2018 08:10

C/D as you have somewhere else to live during the worst of the works. Between those things I'd ask myself
Is the 20 min walk down the busy road? Would they be walking with anyone and would you be happy with DC walking home alone? (after school activities) How important is your garden, do you actually spend time there and like gardening?

moonlight1705 · 26/04/2018 08:24

Have you gone to House D and stood to listen to the noise of the traffic? We are on a main road and went at rush hour to see how much of an impact it had on us. Luckily our house was set back and I don't even notice the road now.

Otherwise I would go for C.

redtulip12 · 26/04/2018 08:33

C
Have had a north facing garden before and found it quite depressing that the back of the house never got any sun. Now in a south facing garden which I love. Would never get north facing again.

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