Which house do you prefer?

[Hisashiburi]

We are looking for our family home for the next 15 or so years and I'm torn.

Which one do you prefer? Both are very different and very different to our new build. Both close to good schools and transport.

Property #1
www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/81834209

Property #2

www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/82668125

I would absolutely go for 2 because I think Sawbridgeworth is so much nicer than Harlow!

I love number 1 - it's gorgeous, however I can see soooooo much potential and could be beautiful. I suppose it depends also if you have money for renovations

Definitely would choose Sawbo. House 1 is lovely but you could make house 2 even better.

I love Edwardian houses, and 1 is beautiful!

But 2 is the one I would choose.

1 pro's
Edwardian
beautifully decorated
ready to go
5 beds.

1 con's
no parking
needs another bathroom
thin kitchen
neighbours
no utility room
industrial building at the back
location?(I don't know the area just going of what pp said)

2 pro's
detached
drive way
big rooms
plenty of bathrooms
lots of potential
liveable condition
can character back in (fire places,doors ect)
better area

2 con's
dated decor
not well thought out extension
may take a while to get how you want.

I also reckon there is a chance of the original parquet flooring under the carpets in the hall and first front room.

1 all day long.

Don’t know the areas at all so just based on properties: I don’t like no.1 at all - very top heavy, far too “done” for me, semi detached, long thin garden with strange building at end and no private parking. No. 2 is detached, bigger downstairs, nicer garden, double garage, lots of parking and bags of potential (I bet most of the work is just cosmetic).

But tbh location would be my biggest deciding factor.

House 2, I wouldn’t even view house 1 purely because it’s attached.

I don't know the areas.

House 2 is a massive jump up the property ladder from 1. I'm pretty surprised you're trying to decide between the two. (a bit like deciding between a 3-bed house and a 2-bed flat).

House 2 for me any day :)

They are quite different propositions. I don’t know either area but I would go with Property 1 and enjoy the savings.

Have you put both into the environment agency flooding map to see the risk?

How old are your children? An unpolished how while they are small and you don't have to feel sad about marks and scratches and vomits on the carpets can be a much more relaxing place to live while you save to do it up

Absolutely no question no.2. It has bags of potential and you don't need to do any work right away. Do it up slowly as and when you can.

No. 1 is all mouth and no trousers. Looks lovely on the surface, but once you actually look at it properly: horrible garden, weird kitchen, bad upstairs bed:bathroom ratio. V. little scope to put your own stamp on it.

I liked 1 at first look but think 2 is the winner. The 1st one looks nice but as someone else has pointed out the building at the rear is an eyesore and could be sold for some other purpose and prove to be a big obstacle when selling on. No.2 needs some work but it got loads of potential, its detached, has a driveway, big rooms and I think that once it's updated will sell for a good bit more when you want to move again. It would also be liveable with a lick of paint and your own furniture would change the look of it immediately, I don't know the areas so this is just based on the photos.

not knowing about the areas, House 1 easily!

House 2 for me unless you like everything to be "done" immediately.

Don't know the area but assuming you have kids, the house with the shortest drop off points preferably en route to the station will make life immeasurably easier.

Ha - little wonder that no 1 has put the patio at the far end of the garden so you look back at the house and not at the ugly building!

No 1 is lovely but you are paying for something 'done' which doesn't make sense if it's not perfect. The kitchen looks small, no shower at height over the bath (I just see a handheld) which I hate and no parking, for starters.

What's not as good about the road no 2 is on?

I don’t know either area at all and was strongly in favour of no 2. I’ve looked at the roads on street view. No 1 is on a prettier street. No 2 garage entrance round the side is odd and likely would very rarely be used but the garage provides great privacy from neighbours. Future garden room ?
Still for me I’d go for No 2. No 1 looks lovely but kind of soulless.

The army cadet place at the back of no 1 is huge and looks ripe for some kind of future redevelopment (to who knows what and there is already precedent for use as noise generating activity centre). There looks to be a sign advertising it as event hire venue also. It’s the kind of thing which could easily become a nightmare to live next to quite apart from the current eyesore/potential nuisance (even if only once a week - is definitely talk to neighbours about that and put specific questions to sellers solicitors about that) from every part of the back of the house.
Also not fond of the small public alleyway running behind it and along end of gardens on rest of that side.
Love a good nosey on rightmove/google street view. Thanks op.
Good luck op.

I agree about the air cadet venue. I know someone who bought next to a quiet scout hut that became a raucous after school club and weekend party venue. Total nightmare!!

stillworkingonit that would be my nightmare. I always spend more time looking at neighbouring situation than the house itself - stuff you don’t have control over.
I think though that op is less worried about it - I sometimes wish I could put up with noisy situations better, but I really can’t.

Number 1. It's all very well to romantacise adding your own stamp but the practicality is it's a fair bit of work and stress. (I fell into this trap - lesson learnt!) If you have full time jobs and young DC, don't add extra stress!

Plus number 1 is stunning.

Hands down number 2. No contest!

Detached, better plot, more kerb appeal. Mature private frontage. 2 floors rather than 3. Backs on to its own garage rather than a commercial unit. The neighboring properties aren't as impressive as on house 1 but the road is wide and leafy.

You can make the interior "wow" as it has fantastic proportions but you can't alter the fundamentals and the second has those. Love the second. I'm honestly not the seller

I wouldn't want to live in Harlow and wouldn't buy a family home without parking so that makes no. 2 an easy choice.

2 because I'd want parking and detatched.

2 as I think 1 will be smaller than it looks also 2 without furniture it would look very different - 2 every time it will drown with your family

I would choose Sawbridgeworth over Harlow any time, even Old Harlow.

However, make sure you check out the plans for the Gilston new garden village development which might affect either house, but probably more likely to be nearer the Harlow one.

House 2 wins on location, parking, detached and potential.

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