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Original poster

Help me choose between two very different houses

78 replies

reallybadidea · 14/03/2019 16:44

Our house shortlist currently has just two houses on it. It's a bit head vs heart and I'm not even sure what I'm looking for anymore!

House 1: Large barn conversion. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Beautiful. High vaulted ceilings (presumably with accompanying huge running costs). Huge kitchen. Two (!!) utility rooms. Medium-size garden. Very rural, but other houses close by. 15 minutes to the nearest shop. 25 minute drive to work for both DH and me. Lots of ferrying kids around to friends and activities.

House 2. Very modern style townhouse, not sure whether the style will date a bit tbh. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Small kitchen. No utility room. Tiny garden. Very urban area, supermarkets and city centre very close by. DH and I can both cycle to work very easily. No more ferrying kids around, they can get cycle or get buses very easily. Near a train station, so opens up more job opportunities for us both.

Price-wise there's only about £20K between them. Instinctively I love house 2, however we've been living semi-rurally for almost 20 years and frankly, I'm a bit sick of commuting and driving everywhere. On the other hand most of our friends are local and would still be close by with house 1. The size of house 1 is a plus in some ways, but actually the children will (probably) have left home within 4 years, so I think DH and I would be rattling around on our own most of the time before very long.

Help!

OP posts:
BlingLoving · 14/03/2019 16:47

Go with the one you instinctively love. If you love it, you'll work around the faults.

Having said that, think carefully about whether the small garden and the lack of utility will bother you. Those are the only practical things between them that strike me as potentially being ones that will annoy you long term.

madeyemoodysmum · 14/03/2019 16:48

I’d go for 1 as I’m fed up with being surrounded by neighbors ( and they are nice so not even bad ones). I long for peace and tranquillity.

Plus I’d hate a tiny garden.

Original poster
reallybadidea · 14/03/2019 16:53

I'm an idiot, I meant to say that I instinctively love house 1 🤦

OP posts:
senua · 14/03/2019 17:08

I'm an idiot, I meant to say that I instinctively love house 1
I did wonder! because your description definitely makes it sound as if you prefer House 1.

Back to basics: why are you moving, what's your motivation?

Somerville · 14/03/2019 17:09

House 1 or keep looking.

BiscuitDrama · 14/03/2019 17:10

Does it have to be one of those two?

Original poster
reallybadidea · 14/03/2019 17:23

We're moving for a number of reasons. We'd like somewhere a bit bigger than currently and detached - both houses tick that box. I'd like to be a bit less rural with better public transport options - obviously house 1 is worse from this point of view!

Then, when we started looking it occurred to us that if we're going to the bother of moving, maybe it makes sense to just move to the city. We've looked at a few houses in the vicinity of house 2, but the one we've shortlisted has more space for the money, I think because it's over 3 floors, which doesn't actually bother me. It doesn't have to be one of those two, but they're the only ones that I really like after months of looking.

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 14/03/2019 17:26

What size is the rest of the living space OP and how many kids? Do you live in your kitchen or sitting room?

madeyemoodysmum · 14/03/2019 17:26

I honestly think you would not enjoy going to a town house if not used to it.

A bad neighbor can bring down a home in weeks and even if nice now that’s likely to change a lot in an urban estate.

I also think if this is a long term move when grand children come along you would be glad of a more peaceful rural location and large kitchen. And gardens.

NeedAUsernameGenerator · 14/03/2019 17:31

I think house 2 would be better for the teenage years. It might be possible to convert one of the 5 bathrooms to a utility room quite cheaply. You could always think about another move at some future point to be more rural. I've made a similar choice (tiny garden, modern house but 10 minutes from school and convenient for town). We may well move again.

Boulezvous · 14/03/2019 17:35

It's totally personal preference. I live in a suburb which has a very vibrant community - I can walk to lots of great shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants plus green spaces. My kids can walk or bus anywhere - I've never spent any time ferrying them around. I wouldn't enjoy that and love being in walking distance of lots of friends. But I'm a city girl.

It really depends on you and your DH and what's most you.

Original poster
reallybadidea · 14/03/2019 17:36

In terms of living space, house 1 has a massive living room and a study. No separate dining room. It also has a vaulted entrance hall, which would be amazing with a grand piano, and a Christmas tree in, with everyone singing carols at Christmas. I don't actually play the piano mind you! House 2 has two medium-sized reception rooms, one of which we'd use as a dining room plus a room attached to the kitchen that we'd use as a snug I guess.

Good point about neighbours - ours are part of why we're moving tbh. And very interesting that you mention grandchildren - it's one of my main motivations for moving somewhere bigger, although I would hope that we're at least 10 years away from that stage...I'm only 40!

We have 4 teenagers, one of whom is at university. They'd have more room than currently in either house.

It's the lack of driving that I keep coming back to. My job involves a heavy on call commitment and boy I'm sick of driving (15 miles) to and from work, multiple times in one night sometimes.

OP posts:
PCohle · 14/03/2019 17:38

How do your teenagers feel about having to be driven around? Does it just bother you or is an issue that impacts the whole family?

Original poster
reallybadidea · 14/03/2019 17:38

I'm really appreciating all the comments by the way. It's making me think about stuff I hadn't considered.

OP posts:
Original poster
reallybadidea · 14/03/2019 17:39

All of the teenagers living at home like the idea of being in town and being able to have more independence.

OP posts:
BinaryStar · 14/03/2019 17:45

Maybe reframe the question initially as town v country. Sounds like you are in for town and I can very well see why.

If you can make that decision then you can determine that lovely as house 1 is, it doesn’t meet your criteria so it isn’t a contender.

balalalala · 14/03/2019 17:48

Definitely house one!

ChariotsofFish · 14/03/2019 17:53

I’d go for House 2. With 4 teenagers your life will improve massively if they can get themselves around independently. And I would hate not being able to walk to a shop and a pub (I do live in a village, but we have both those and great public transport).

PCohle · 14/03/2019 17:55

I love the sound of house 1 and generally I'm in favour of falling your gut instinct when it comes to houses. However in your shoes I suppose I would feel a bit bad about not just choosing the drive for myself but for the DC as well just because I personally preferred the house.

senua · 14/03/2019 18:24

Does House 2 mean that the DC will have to change schools, when they are at the GCSE/A Level stage?

sunonthepatio · 14/03/2019 18:28

House 2

Burlea · 14/03/2019 18:35

Keep looking near town, don't settle for just anything.

Floralnomad · 14/03/2019 18:38

I’d keep looking.

GreenTulips · 14/03/2019 18:39

How about house 2 for short term gain for independant kids etc

House 1 can wait 5 years?

Tavannach · 14/03/2019 18:43

House 2. Pity it hasn't got a bigger garden.