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Original poster

Would you buy this house?

26 replies

Bluntwhistle · 08/08/2019 00:10

So many conflicting views and dh is leaving the decision to me. We are looking a property that is near large police hq training centre. It has an enormous phone tower. Property is also on the outskirts of quite a rough area on one side but beautiful countryside on the other. The property is not cheap. It is a one off amazing large period house and probably £300k more expensive than any other property close by. In a better part of area we would not be able to afford it. Would you buy it?

OP posts:
Bookworm4 · 08/08/2019 00:13

Link? Are you in Scotland?

Original poster
Bluntwhistle · 08/08/2019 00:18

No not in Scotland, don’t want to out myself, it’s southern England

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movingontosomethingnew · 08/08/2019 00:19

I thought Scotland too.

Honeyroar · 08/08/2019 00:22

What's worrying you about it?

Original poster
Bluntwhistle · 08/08/2019 00:29

The phone mast is very prominent but I think I’m ok with that but worry about resale if we should have to move. The area is bad, we are ok as our kids are already in schools that I could drive to, the local school is needing improvement. Again resale worry. It’s been on the market for coming up to 2yrs with no reduction in price. But the house is really nice Confused

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WreathsAndRopes · 08/08/2019 00:30

Training centre wouldn't bother me. Phone mast should affect price but wouldn't put me off buying.

What are the plans to extend/develop the 'rough area'? Living on the edge I might be okay with, in the middle maybe less so. If you can't find those plans I wouldn't take the risk because house could suddenly drop in value if you lose the countryside element.

Do you have children and if so is the rough area safe enough for them to play outside?

Personally I wouldn't compromise on the area, we bought in a nice area but could only afford it as next to a pylon.

Redglitter · 08/08/2019 00:31

don’t want to out myself, it’s southern England

I cant see a single thing in your posts that's at all outing

Original poster
Bluntwhistle · 08/08/2019 00:34

It’s next to a conservation area so the green bits cannot be built on.

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PickAChew · 08/08/2019 00:41

Of all those things, the bad area would put me off. If it's thatbad an area and not just a ocuncil/HA estate, you'd be the first stop for crime.

That said, I live near a phone mast, in spitting distance of police HQ, major hospital, FE college and secondary school, with social and rented housing just a couple of streets away (and about 20 numbers up our own street) and it's fine. It's balanced out by very expensive housing also being in the same proximity, though. Dodgy neighbourhoods tend to be a problem when there's no balance rather than simply when some of the residents are low income.

PickAChew · 08/08/2019 00:43

it's that don't buy the best house in a street issue, really.

quizqueen · 08/08/2019 00:47

Location, location, location- you haven't made any good points in what you've described. It's been on sale for two years for a reason!

AlunWynsKnee · 08/08/2019 00:49

It's been on for 2 years at one price? No, not unless they were willing to be realistic. If they've held out for two years, they're unlikely to be desperate or even reasonable.

Gentlemanwiththistledownhair · 08/08/2019 00:54

If it's been on for two years then it's not worth the money. Only buy if you're prepared to make a loss when you come to sell. (If you can indeed buy it in the first place: what happens when the mortgage valuation comes in lower than the asking price?)

Sorry OP, I know it's gutting when you fall in love with something unsuitable

Tonnerre · 08/08/2019 01:01

If it's a big house, costs of maintenance, heating etc will be high. Can you afford them?

Original poster
Bluntwhistle · 08/08/2019 01:30

The only reason to move is for teenagers to be more independent, walk to their schools and town. We’d be selling our rural property and will get a mortgage to cover the difference. We made a low offer and it was declined. House is up for 1mil. Most expensive house sale nearby was 530k. We offered 700k.

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KickAssAngel · 08/08/2019 01:55

770K is ludicrously low for the asking price - but it sounds like the house is overpriced.

You say that you're moving so that teens can walk to school, but you'll also have to drive them to school from this place as otherwise they have to walk through rough area.

You're not making this house sound like it's worth it.

Police HQ training - large corporate buildings by any chance?
The only house like it, so no neighbours likely to become good friends.
Rough area, so much so that you'd drive your kids to school.
But rural to the other side - like you're trying to move away from.

None of this sounds appealing, tbh. The house may be amazing, but will the experience of living there be worth big rooms and a big mortgage?

KickAssAngel · 08/08/2019 01:56

sorry - 700K (typo)

HerRoyalNotness · 08/08/2019 02:14

No, no one else has thought it’s worth 1million in 2 years. It’s not worth it and the location sounds less than desirable

JoJoSM2 · 08/08/2019 05:03

I can’t see the positives. It’s good to have a lovely house but the area needs to be ‘good enough’. As pp said, if you’re right next to a rough bit then you’ll be the first stop for crime. And if you want your children to be independent and walk places, why put them somewhere rough?

Mileysmiley · 08/08/2019 05:09

The trouble is that when you want to sell a lot of people don't want a house with a great big phone mast by it .... also have you considered the health consequences? We really don't know whether these masts are actually harming our health .. nobody does.

MsJRMEsq · 08/08/2019 05:38

The phone mast would stop me buying it.

Legomadx2 · 08/08/2019 05:42

I wouldn't buy this house. Always buy the worst house in the best area, not vice versa.

rwalker · 08/08/2019 05:47

God no I bought a house once for the house in far from ideal area .Loved the house HATED the area never again took for ever to sell . Don't touch it.

BasiliskStare · 08/08/2019 07:24

As others have said buy a worse house in a better area - from your description I wouldn't touch it. There is probably nothing wrong with phone mast / training college / local housing etc but if it hasn't sold in 2 years - there is something wrong ( probably price ) so if it were me I would not want to be the one paying over the odds for some one else's mistake. If you can get it at a reasonable price and one which you think as and when teenagers have gone elsewhere and you may want to move and therefore you could sell easily well that's a different matter.

There is no problem with buying a compromised house ( if it suits you in ways which are important to you ) but it has to be at the right price - and part of that has to be what you could sell it for in a reasonable time if you change your mind or circumstances etc change.

Original poster
Bluntwhistle · 08/08/2019 09:47

You are all sound like the little voice of doubt in my head.

700k is what I would be comfortable paying. Mortgage would be very low and I think it would resell for that. 2 kids could walk to school from there but one is still in primary so would still have to drive one.

I like living rurally but the kids have to rely on me for lifts. This house gave the best of both worlds. But has downsides that are not worth the price they want. They are not desperate to move, in their 70’s with a second house. Oh well, thank you all for your opinions Smile

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