Which property?! Head vs. Heart

[headvsheart]

DP and I have one DS and I'm currently pg. We have totally outgrown our one bed flat which we're putting on the market next week.

The problem is there are two properties that we really like. One makes sense for us as a family (3 bed house with enclosed garden), is cheaper but the location isn't as good. The other is a fantastic 2 bed flat with loads of light in a great area (especially for schools and a 20 min walk to DPs work) but it is £20k more expensive (had to go in way above AP) and has v high maintenance fees.

I know it makes so much sense to go for the house but my heart says the flat, despite all the drawbacks.

I'll link them both below and any opinions would be gratefully received.

The house: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80801591.html

The flat: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60866394.html

Don't think we'd get PP to removed the wall in the bedroom and make it smaller @stanski but it's a good idea. From what I gather the dulwich wood estates (who run it) are all about conservation so whilst the vendor could put up a removable stud wall, I would assume that changing the original design would be a no-no. But yes does come with garage which we would rent out as we don't have a car. Apparently lots of folk do this.

I see what you mean @senua!! Wasn't a gusty site though, I think perhaps the plants are growing towards the light which is more prevalent on the other side of the wall.

Flat. FLAT!

That building is part of the Dulwich Estate. Great architect-designed modernist estate. Read about it here midcenturymagazine.com/architecture/the-dulwich-estate-london/

Definitely the house. On boiling days you can open the patio doors and potter around the house. The flat I wouldn't even want to open the external garden door/kids bedroom window with it being open access and ground floor. Nice BBQ's at the house - half the kids in the block trying to join in at the flat. The flat has a lot of internal glass doors which presumably are original and not safety glass - not brilliant if the kids are running about. Neighbours above could be a nightmare at the flat or hang out their upstairs window smoking. Nowhere to dry washing outdoors at the flat - unless you want half the block looking at your knickers 😶

I’m always someone who would say house but that flat is wow!
Architect designed and pretty much original.
Not to mention living somewhere called Farquhar Road!
Flat is a winner for me.
House is probably a head decision though

The glass does concern me @FlyingMonkeys. It is mostly original I think and would have to be replaced like for like I assume. Plus the windows are single glazed so would have to get secondary glazing if it was too cold or didn't feel safe.

@Closetlibrarian i knowwww!!! The whole area surrounding the flat is just absolutely brilliant. This is the most first world problem ever.

Have you sold your property OP? (Forgive me if you have answered this....I read the first few pages not the last). Because this is all academic if you are not proceedable. And you want to avoid falling for a property until you can have an offer accepted.

Ah Yes you make a good point that I was going to make earlier @user1474894224! We haven't sold yet- we are going on the market next week. So yes we could lose out on both these properties if we don't get s buyer quickly. We made an offer on the flat which they didn't formally accept as we're not proceedable. Have been in touch with the EA though and it's still available. Only viewed the house yday so it's also def still available.

My advice (as someone who lost an amazing house)....stop looking and focus on getting yours on the market in best possible state to sell. The flat owners won't accept until you have a firm offer so that's what you need to work on. Declutter, decorate and stage the home to sell. Good luck.

Rent from the garage would be taxable income and don’t forget maintenance fees often rocket, what’s the reserve fund like? If the roof needs work, or other major repairs to the block you could get a sudden bill for thousands on top too.

I prefer the house, but maybe you should keep looking?

I love the flat.

Kids can’t play outside unsupervised for years even in a private garden.
There might be a few tricky yrs 7-10 when they want more freedom but we had that too with them wanting to play out the front!

Being near family is worth more than an extra bedroom imo

Go for the one you love OP

the house....although its not the prettiest it is much more practical...
i dont know the area/your budget but this is a bit more and looks a bit better (in W london so seem good value to me!)
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77751452.html

there are an awful lot of sofa shots in the flat ad! - but it does look style over substance....

Kids can’t play outside unsupervised for years even in a private garden.

But OP could supervise dc1 in the garden from inside the house with the patio doors open. Dc2 could be sleeping, having tummy time on the floor, being changed etc. She couldn't do that in the flat.

And imagine trying to get dc1 in for tea or bed time when older children are still playing immediately outside the window...

Flat - Far too many pictures of their own furniture. Hate it when agents do that. And the communal garden should be a massive no no for you OP. I think you’re mad to even consider the flat with that and just 2 beds, with 2 kids.

I much prefer the house, it looks like a family home, I love the room leading out to the garden, great for children.

The flat looks more like professional couple no children to me.

Agree with previous poster, flat looks great for a couple. I expect it’s hard to picture what life will be like with 2 kids OP but you will definitely need some outside space and ideally a 3rd bedroom (also handy having downstairs loo too!). As others mention I’d worry about ground floor/communal garden privacy AND security issue. And you never know, by the time you have an offer on your own property another property may have come on the market which you prefer even more (this is what happened to us!)

Schools, schools, schools.

Apart from that it is a toss up between somewhere you can stay longer and build your network of mum friends (sounds naff - sorry) or where you would enjoy whilst you love there.

The house. 100%. Those fees you talk about are only going to increase. Also, is it ex-local authority? If it is, and some residents are in council housing, you could find yourself landed with huge repair bills. It put us off buying one. Finally, the lease isn't that long. It would cost you to renew, or if you didn't, knock money of your kids' inheritance.
Sorry to be negative. The flat itself looks fab and I can see why you like it, however the house looks nice too and is an much sounder investment.

The flat. We had our kids in a 2 bed london flat and it was fab.

The flat is amazing and location is more important than most other factors. You have a lovely garden with the flat and you can bet that most people won't use it.

Heart is as important as head in these matters.

The flat 😆

I think you could find the exact same issues with loud, drunk neighbours at the house.

It is attached on both sides and presumably neighbours could be out in their gardens til all hours there too, or they could be nasty about your children making noise in their own garden, find balls over the wall a massive issue, barbeque all weekend with smoke blowing into your windows, etc.

If you really don't like the house or the area then keep looking. Or buy it in hopes of the area picking up and then moving again when your oldest is in school.

For me the mid century vibe would be incredibly tempting in the flat. The original features had me swooning. And you could use the office as a very small bedroom.

But the good schools in that area would be the clincher.

You have a lovely garden with the flat and you can bet that most people won't use it

That's terrible advice. Firstly it's not her garden, it's communal, and secondly you've no idea how many people will use it, they will have kids, of varying ages, who want to play outside, they will want to have parties or bbqs with their friends, want to sun bathe. Of course they will use it, it's their outside space, their garden.

Bucking the trend I would possibly go with the flat as I'm a massive fan of Span housing and they are well designed usually really pleasant environments in which to live. The exterior of the house would depress me every time I came home.

You might find that you can extend the box room into the second main bedroom somewhat? Plus there's always a possibility that by the time you need a bigger place there's a house in the sand development on the market.

I think you could find the exact same issues with loud, drunk neighbours at the house.

They won't be physically outside the op's living room window though will they? So not "exactly the same" at all

Also, the shared garden presents many more challenges than just the possibility of antisocial neighbours.

Delightful, sociable neighbours right outside the window present different problems, but potential issues nonetheless.

I'd go for the flat. The clincher for me would be the schools. I live in a flat, in London, could easily swap it for a house in other areas, but we're in catchment for a fab primary and secondary. We will consider moving once oldest DC has secondary school place in a couple of years.