what did you compromise on?

[bouncealeen]

Just went to see a house which was perfect except for a) small bedrooms, and b) traffic noise from a nearby A road. These might not be deal breakers because the good things about it are far more numerous, but just pondering. What did you compromise on?

Location, it was slightly further out than we would ideally have liked. However we love the location now so it's fine.

Previously also location, we were next to a busy a road and that was a mistake. It was never ok.

Location - we bought in a village we hadn't really looked at and wasn't in the school catchment we wanted. Its turned out pretty well and we could afford far more where we are than the much 'nicer' postcode a mile down the road. After viewing them I also preferred the local school. We have a much bigger house but a smaller garden that we would have got - really difference in plot size between a late 1960s/1970s house and a 1980s house.

I personally wouldn't buy a house with road noise. Roads and traffic are realistically only going to get worse with time.

Kerb appeal. It's an 80s executive home on a street of Victorian semis. 50k cheaper and an extra 60sq ft.

No hallway and smallish bedrooms.

But it was the perfect location and perfect in every other way.

To get a house in the village we want and with a good garden, driveway and cracking downstairs layout, we’re happily compromising on character/curb appeal and the size of the bedrooms.

Traffic noise and utility room. In exchange for that we got a large kitchen diner, an extra reception room (we wanted either that or a 4th bedroom so we could have a study/workroom) and a character house instead of a 60s or newbuild box plus all the local shops we could wish for pretty much on our doorstep and a million bus routes, close to hand .

Period features (1930s rather than the Victorian I would have liked). And location, but not in the way one would think - we're moving to a 'naicer' area (village pond, Waitrose, etc) but we were hoping to stay within walking distance of the DC's school as we're not planning on moving them.

Location, although I like it now. We needed a train station for work, but the area is tougher than the other side of town that has no station.

I also wouldn’t compromise on road noise. No windows open. Garden ruined. The stench and black soot.

Having to do work - we like the road and it will be nice eventually, but we've got to do quite a lot to it.

How close is the a road op? As said I did it and it was simply never ok, from noise, to thr soot, to never being able to open your windows. It's not worth the extra property you get for the money.

Shared drive.

Not sure how close the road is - not close, you can’t hear it from inside the house but at the top of the garden (house is in a valley, sort of, garden goes up the side of the valley, so more noise at the top) - it’s a country A road, but quite a main one. Single carriage way.

Aesthetic appeal. The only house we could afford in the neighbourhood - but also the ugliest one!

Shared drive. As I didn't notice it was shared until I'd bought it. Massive oversight.

I would not compromise on room size but I was already compromising on location. I was choosing any location that had low crime rates and in my price range which meant they were all far away from where I used to live.

I don’t think that sounds too bad then. Go to the road at rush hour, and at night, and just have a listen. It might be ok.

One of the bedrooms was small, it’s only a guest room but it still annoys me now and it was a compromise knowing I can extend in the future. I couldn’t compromise on location or noise, as these things could never be ‘fixed’.

Size. We bought a small, lovely house in a seriously nice area rather than one 50% bigger but ugly and in a worse location.

Parking. Tbf we are now down to one car because I live near the train station which is 5 minutes from work.

Our road noise isn't constant. Busy at rush hour and lunch time with the odd wave of busy-ness. Usually when we want to cross it. If there's queuing traffic outside, it's a good early warning for something being amiss somewhere.

Garden size. I wanted a big one, we got a medium size. I cured it by getting an allotment. Now I have got a dodgy back and knees (and had to give up the allotment) I am quite pleased we haven't got rolling acres to tend.
Things we wouldn't compromise in were plenty of off street parking and a quiet spot. I used to live on an A road and, although you get used to the noise (after I had installed triple glazing) you couldn't open the windows at the front, and the black traffic dust gets everywhere. Traffic noise is not very relaxing!

Price! Ended up paying more than we'd wanted to. It's ten years on now though and it's worked out ok.

Aesthetic appeal here too. Also no space for a dishwasher, but that can probably be remedied eventually.

Last time we compromised on location and it was a huge mistake. Bought in a new development 10 miles from where we wanted to live. It took 7 years to get back, hence the willingness to compromise this time.

Location. I went for a decent house in a crap bit of London instead of a flat in a nice bit of London. My commute is pretty long so I'm not totally sure I made the right choice.

We were hoping not to have to do any work but ended up having to redo the kitchen and bathroom and paint over some really purple walls :(. We had factored the price in so that wasn't an issue but looking for the right design, colour of tile, etc was sooo unbelievably boring and somuch hassle.