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Original poster

Did you know it was “the one” when you viewed your house?

55 replies

Ofitck · 04/10/2018 18:13

I think I’ve phrased the title badly. We are FTB with an ok deposit so can afford a decent size fixer upper or small ready done.

Everyone keeps saying “you’ll know when you see it/you’ll walk in and fall in love” etc.

Did you have a feeling like this when you saw your house for the first time?

Each house I’m viewing is good for the budget/market but nothing takes my breath away, but it couldn’t really without a massive budget, could it?!

Maybe part of the problem is that my parents are very wealthy and so my childhood home where they still live is my idea of a perfect home.

OP posts:
user1484830599 · 04/10/2018 18:18

I didn't believe in the idea of a 'one' more a right house right moment scenario. I do love my house, and fell in love with it instantly, but it isn't a forever home, more a perfect for right now.

Are you looking for a forever home, or somewhere for just a few years?

Maybe focus less on whether you love it, and more on will you be happy there, and does it suit your needs.

Original poster
Ofitck · 04/10/2018 18:18

I mean, we should just be practical and make an offer on the best one rather than waiting “to feel like I’ve come home” right? Or wrong?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Ofitck · 04/10/2018 18:21

I hope not a forever home, I dream of a garden one day (can only afford flats!) I’ve been looking at duplexes as they feel more like houses.

Did you get that feeling in any of the other places you viewed user?

OP posts:
Inferiorbeing · 04/10/2018 18:23

I hated the house we're buying (ftb too) but my partner loved it! We went back to view it again as he thought it was perfect and I fell in love with it too. i don't really think the one exists, it's the one that you can see yourself in and is the best for you!

Echobelly · 04/10/2018 18:24

With my first place, no - I'd had somewhere fall through. I settled on one that had potential, a downstairs bathroom, less 'character', was cheaper, a bit larger and was nearer the tube, though in a less nice area. I totally loved that house in the end.

Second place - yes, we both loved it straight away and it was on a road we really liked. Decor was all way outdated, but it was very spacious.

Current place - no, again, we'd had somewhere fall through and we'd seen this one before and it was the only one that fit the bill out of all the others we'd seen. DH initially turned it down as needing too much work and being too dark and narrow, but it was still on the market when other place fell through. Actually on the same road as the place before, so we knew we liked the area, and we've been able to do a lot of decorative/structural work and really make it to our taste, so no regrets!

RicStar · 04/10/2018 18:25

I got a nicer feeling in this house than others but it was mostly that it ticked more of the practical boxes - like you we knew that we wouldn't get our 'dream' house.

Rebecca36 · 04/10/2018 18:29

Yes! Been here for years and years and has been a good family home, our second home. First one was a dog kennel! However now I would like to move.

LillianGish · 04/10/2018 18:43

I think you need to see a few first so that you’ve got a point of comparison - you have to see what your money will buy you. It needs to tick boxes and be within budget (or even a bit of a bargain!) in an area you like - it won’t necessarily be your dream home, it will be the best you can afford. There will always be something bigger and better if only you had another 50, 100, 200 thousand - that applies on all rungs on the property ladder. Stop comparing with your parents’ house and compare with other things within your budget.

GingerAndTheBiscuits · 04/10/2018 18:45

Yes, even though it was a wreck. I remember viewing a house with my parents when I was 14 and my dad walking down the garden saying This is the one! And it has been, for the past 20 years and counting

LillianGish · 04/10/2018 18:45

Meant to add I probably wouldn’t have fallen in love with our place if had been the first place we’d seen - it was only after seeing lots of places that I realised what a great deal it was. Not perefect - but the best we could get for our money.

UserMillionBillion · 04/10/2018 18:45

Well, kind of but only because it ticked the boxes for the price.

Although saying that I did feel very at home in it from day one. First night there. No internet. No lightbulbs. Just loo roll and a kettle and I was dying to sleep there!

Chocolala · 04/10/2018 18:46

Yes. It was absolutely perfect. Still is.

Happygolucky009 · 04/10/2018 18:47

First house, yes I felt that excitement.

Second house, nope and we settled for it based upon practical reasons. I don't regret it and am grateful for all the reasons we chose it and it is our forever home. Lived in the house 10 years and see lots of houses with work, but rarely do I see something that compares to what I have now !

Si1ver · 04/10/2018 18:47

Yes. I knew we were going to try and buy it before we went to see it, so long as there were no obvious structural issues with it.

However we'd been looking for a long time, had a fairly strict set of requirements and a really small search area. I knew what I wanted and I knew the house ticked most of the boxes. The house was also an absolute mess and really dated. I've got no issues buying run down and doing it up. My husband can't always see what I do in houses but one of the things I love most about him is good trust in me. If I say we can make something great then that's good enough for him.

UserMillionBillion · 04/10/2018 18:48

My parents aren't very wealthy but my house is less than 2/3rds the size of theirs and not in as nice a part of town or as near the station etc. BUt I see that as normal.

I lived with my xh in a beautiful house but this house that I own on my own gives me far more pleasure and security and contentment. So it's not necessary to have a huge budget to take great pleasure from owning the right home. ALthough I suppose I wanted to own on my own. It was very important to me to own on my OWN

Bluntness100 · 04/10/2018 18:49

Only this one. I fell in love with it on line. The sellers had a video tour and I was all oh my god about it. The previous four, no, it was a case of the best we could afford for our money.

I liked them, they were fine, but I had no emotional attachment and didn't love them.

sirmione16 · 04/10/2018 18:51

Omg yes. So we had already placed an offer on one that was "practical" and a great long term investment. On paper it made sense but something with me just didn't feel 100% but I couldn't place it, so we went with it. Anyway. Forgot we had another viewing lined up the next day, went anyway - and there was a moment I walked out of the master bedroom and my heart was going mad!! I turned to my other half and said "this is it". It's so weird, I felt it in my gut. So we withdraw from the other one, and offered on the one we now live in and love. And I'm SO glad.

Disclaimer: yes I know, how annoying for the other sellers having someone withdraw an offer. However it would've been a huge mistake to go through with it. And it was literally the next day we informed them from making the offer, less than 24 hours.

Grin
LaPufalina · 04/10/2018 18:55

Current house; yes. Way under maximum budget and perfect for us. DP (now DH) kept shooting me warning looks as I'm really transparent and was obviously excited by it Grin
My first London flat (bought by myself) I don't remember the first viewing Blush I used to almost hug myself when I got in on an evening though because I loved it so much so it was definitely the right flat for me. I still crane my neck to try and see it from the rail line if I'm in town.

househunthappening · 04/10/2018 19:16

100% know what you mean. My parents still live in the house I grew up in, huge farmhouse surrounded by their own land, massive garden, woods, amazing views, gutted and refurbished exactly how they wanted it when they bought it. It's my idea of heaven.

I live in a 3 bed semi on the edge of town, completely the opposite! We're house hunting at the moment (hence my username!) and like you we've got a reasonable budget but to get something really special we need about £150k more! The budget we've got will buy us a nice family home in the countryside, but in my mind I won't have found my 'forever' home until I love somewhere like my parents do.

Yikesisthatmeinthemirror · 04/10/2018 19:30

I loved our house. Before we went to view it we knew we wanted it. Last touched in about 1957.

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 04/10/2018 19:40

Forever home is a term that's used a lot, but I don't believe in it at all. We've lived in about 20 houses and they each served their purpose at the time. Some where nice and some not so much but the important thing is to be as comfortable as you can be at a cost you can afford and have a happy life while you're there.

My advice to you OP is take the pressure off yourself and if you want to buy, get somewhere that makes your day to day life as practical as possible.

Our criteria when we started on the property ladder was just to get somewhere to call our own. It wasn't a marvellous house, but it was ours and that's what counted for us at the time.

thecatsthecats · 04/10/2018 19:41

I grew up in and my parents still live in a wonderful period property. Massive inglenook fireplaces, beams, all double bedrooms, spectacular views and location.

Yeah, it's hard looking at smaller houses, and I can't contemplate anything characterless (even horrid retro houses appeal more to me than boxes).

Original poster
Ofitck · 04/10/2018 20:39

Wow thanks for so many responses. I’ve loved reading about your experiences!

We’ve made an offer on a duplex flat, great city location and twice the size of our rental. It’s in a gated community type thing, two parking spaces, all exterior etc etc. It needs a lot of work done and I’m feeling very overwhelmed by that, I think.

The owner just rang dh (to arrange to meet up) and I thought it was an acceptance of offer call and I just felt terrified! Is that normal?! It’s SO much money, and to spend so much and not be in love seems mad, but obviously there needs to be compromise..

OP posts:
user1484830599 · 04/10/2018 20:53

To answer your question, we looked at (and made some really cheeky offers on) lots of houses that we could see ourselves being happy in, that would have worked for our family. None of them that got me like this one though, it just felt like I needed to be here (I know that sounds daft!)

I think when your budget necessarily won't get you what you want (I don't mean this as a criticism) there are compromises that have to be made, but of course that will come down to you and your preferences.

It might even be that you end up with something that you just don't hate. I say that flippantly, but if you are buying a do-er upper anyway, there is plenty of scope for turning it into something you love.

Good luck O/P, keep us posted how you get on.

user1484830599 · 04/10/2018 20:57

Ooh actually I did feel similar with one other house. It just had so much space and with a growing family the layout would have been perfect for us. HOWEVER at the time we could have afforded to buy it but not do the work it desperately required so we had to let it go. I still feel a bit wistful about it, and I can't even drive past it BUT realistically the garden was really steep, so not great for our young kids and there were about fifty steps up to the front door. I'm so much happier that we waited and ended up with our lovely house

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