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Original poster

House or location?

50 replies

blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 17:26

House 1 - 4 bed semi. No kerb appeal. Old cottage extended in the 80s. Massive garden. Double detached garage. Dh can walk kids to school and still cycle to work in time. Suburbia walking distance to our preferred town. 30 min commute for me.

House 2: beautiful Edwardian 4 bed semi in beautiful conditon on a main road. Slightly bigger house. In centre of a town I like but dh less so. 20 min commute for both of us. Good garden but no garage.

Wwyd?

OP posts:
TheCrowFromBelow · 14/08/2018 17:38

House 1 sounds better but:
What is the road noise like at house 2? How main is the main road, could DCs play out?
How will DCs get to school from house 2?
How does sq ft compare?

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 17:43

Thanks. I think square footage is comparable for both, although house 1 probably has a bigger plot. The road is an A road but there is a school opposite so it's slow, and the house is above the road. The kids would have to go to breakfast club in House 1.

OP posts:
BeauticianNotMagician81 · 14/08/2018 17:44

House 1.

We have a similar predicament at the moment and have decided on the pretty house just outside of desired town which is only a 10 minute drive. Well that's if we ever sell our house Sad

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 17:45

Sorry, breakfast club for House 2 only.

OP posts:
Alexalee · 14/08/2018 17:53

1

Alexalee · 14/08/2018 17:53

You can make it look prettier... you can't add land to 2

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 17:59

Thanks. This is encouraging. I have had an offer accepted on 1 but have fallen for 2! It's a head vs heart thing!

OP posts:
TheCrowFromBelow · 14/08/2018 18:07

Stick with 1.
2 May look good but it isn’t the right location and Alexalee is right- you can change the kerb appeal of house 1 but you can’t increase plot size or location of house 2.

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 18:09

Thank you.

OP posts:
Darkbendis · 14/08/2018 18:18

I'd go for 1 any time.

ianbealesonwheels · 14/08/2018 18:52

1

JustLurk1ng · 14/08/2018 18:57

1 - but there is also a lot to argued about going with your gut. What do you like about 2? The curb appeal? Or the inside? You will forget the former in no time, and the latter is easy to fix

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 19:13

2 is really beautiful. Parquet flooring, high ceilings, big windows, original fireplaces etc. 1 is just a house... with good proportions and space, but a lot more boring!

OP posts:
Bamaluz · 14/08/2018 20:06

1
Location, location , location every time, hence the saying.

And having a double garage is so useful for storage.

House one without a doubt.

Bamaluz · 14/08/2018 20:07

You can steal some ideas from house two to improve house one

MovingThisYearHopefully · 14/08/2018 20:21

I'm not sure which one is your prefered location tbh. Both houses & locations seem to have fors & againsts. For us, with having kids it came entirely down to location & which one would enable us to get the DC into our prefered school. The house didn't come into it, it was all about location. Now the DC have left school we are looking for the dream house that suits us rather than the location that gets us what we need!

FadedRed · 14/08/2018 20:33

Is house two the one opposite the school? Has the house got off road parking, even though no garage? Because when the school is open the parking and traffic will be horrendous for the hour around school start and finish time. You've only got to look at some of the CF parking threads that are about school parking.
I'm with the house 1 crowd - you can put your own mark on the house.

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 20:37

Thanks all.
House 1 is location as we prefer the town, would only need one car, and wouldn't have to use a breakfast club.
The location isn't amazing, just better for us.
The school opposite House 2 is secondary and our kids are small. Both houses have ample parking.

OP posts:
EmmaC78 · 14/08/2018 20:40

1

NadiaLeon · 14/08/2018 21:15

House 1 for me, but only you can decide.....

If you really cannot decide, toss a coin. If the result of the coin toss makes you feel relieved, choose it.
If you feel disappointed, choose the other house.

serbska · 14/08/2018 21:37

Would need to see links really.

MeMeMeow85 · 14/08/2018 22:00

House 1. You can change the facade and interior. Look at “back to front” for inspiration. Their exterior transformations are fabulous

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 14/08/2018 22:17

If house 1 was in a beautiful location with amazing views when you threw the curtains open in the morning then I would say go for that one but it sounds nothing like that at all, if you are going to buy a house that does absolutely nothing for you the location for me would have to be stunning to make up for it. I would definitely without a doubt go for house 2 it sounds gorgeous, the features of the Edwardian house will give you so much pleasure so long as you can come to terms with its main downfall of the road.

Original poster
blinkineckmum · 14/08/2018 23:06

Indeed Bettyboo!

OP posts:
ianbealesonwheels · 15/08/2018 07:38

House 1 is an old cottage though. Surely it has the potential to be beautiful too?