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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Help needed - which house to pick?

22 replies

Wertyu · 06/10/2019 16:06

Option 1:

4 bed detached, 1930s, top of budget. Massive plot. Plan is to save up and extend to make it big enough for us. Will likely be about 5yrs before we can make this happen.

Good location for the 47282947 different places we need to be in due to 4 kids and 2 working parents.

On a busy main road but set back and with a driveway. Location that we know well, is well regarded and not likely to change in the near or distant future.

Lots of potential. Lovely now. Survey all fine.

Option 2:

Quite a lot under budget. 6 bed. Small-ish garden, especially for the size of the house. Georgian Grade 2 listed. Completely fine to live in and any money we spent on it would be to make it even more beautiful/our perfect home.

Was part of a huge manor house where the estate has been split up and sold off as individual plots. So are some very tastefully done new builds behind and shared access with everyone having their own driveway and garage. But it could feel a bit....odd.

In a village but on the main road. Fine location but not quite as convenient as option 1.

Area that we don't know as well and is hard to get a proper hold off. Potentially up and coming but feels a bit risky.

Potentially a money pit and aware we will always be fixing bits here there and everywhere. Have spoken to relevant conservation officer who seems reasonable and raised no hypothetical issue with any of our potential requests.

Both would be our long term house, at least 20-30yrs.

Grateful for any input and happy to provide more info as needed! Need to make decision by the morning....

OP posts:

MissMarks · 06/10/2019 16:09

Which one do you absolutely love?? I have an old money pit that I should have run from but it is so unique and lovely and just suits us, that I am so glad I took the chance

NutRoastNancy · 06/10/2019 16:11

Option 1! Location and plot size are the two things you can’t change.

Option 2 set up sounds a bit odd as well.

AfterSomeAdvice1234 · 06/10/2019 16:12

Is the Georgian property a terrace? Honestly I'd go for the detached 4 bed and save up to do your lovely huge extension in a few years. It'll be worth the wait and the peace and quiet.

Floralnomad · 06/10/2019 16:13

Option 1 , if you can all fit in comfortably enough before extending . If not keep looking .

averythinline · 06/10/2019 16:14

Not sure I would want to live on a main road even with a drive... whats the garden like alongside the drive usable or just grass to cut!

not keen on 'parts' of and old money pits - once bitten etc

so neither but option 1 of the 2 as like 30's houses usually have good dimensions and well built! and has more space around...

DelphiniumBlue · 06/10/2019 16:16

Your post says you prefer option 1!

JassyRadlett · 06/10/2019 16:24

Option 1 every time for me.

JoJoSM2 · 06/10/2019 17:21

I wouldn't want to bring up my family somewhere 'up-and-coming' so it'd be House 1 for me.

AlmaMartyr · 06/10/2019 17:23

Option 1, it sounds like you prefer it.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 06/10/2019 17:28

It’s screamingly obvious your heart is saying property 1. Are you buying it with somebody else? What do they think? Unless they have different views, you’ve already made up your mind.

And if you’re still not sure just read your first post again.

francienolan · 06/10/2019 18:30

On paper I personally like the sound of 2 but I think your gut is saying to go with 1 which also sounds lovely. I think you should follow your gut.

Totalwasteofpaper · 06/10/2019 21:26

Option 1 would be the one for me

Bottledate · 07/10/2019 07:59

House one. Big plot, greater convenience and not such a possibly-odd setup.

EgremontRusset · 07/10/2019 08:07

When you say option 2 area feels risky, do you mean unsafe? If so, don’t choose that one.
If you just mean ‘might or might not increase significantly in value’, then I think you should put that out of your mind. The question is if it doesn’t increase, is it nonetheless a pleasant space with children? We live in a so called up and coming area and there are so many young families about it feels safe and friendly to be here, never mind the grotty shop units here and there etc.

longearedbat · 07/10/2019 08:11

You sound as though you prefer number 1, but, having lived on a main road, that would be very off-putting for me, so neither is my answer.

Disfordarkchocolate · 07/10/2019 08:15

Option 1 for me. When you have children who do 'stuff' you soon get very fed up with being further away than you want to be.

BrokenLogs · 07/10/2019 08:58

Option 1.

But what a snobby answer from @JoJoSM2 😂

We bought our house 8 years ago I'm an 'up and coming area'. Sold last year for 77% more than we paid (thanks Rightmove for that info) and are now living mortgage free in an area we love.

Fortune favours the brave enough to live in an up and coming area 🙄

Original poster

Wertyu · 07/10/2019 12:07

Gosh, thanks for all the replies and opinions.

It's really interesting that it reads that I love option 1 more as I was trying to make sure I wasn't too negative about it as I was leaning toward option 2!

Buying with my Husband who is as conflicted as me so no real use

Georgian one is not a terrace, no. It's essentially semi-detached - the bit it's attached too used to be part of the main house but has been sold off as a separate cottage.

The idea of having the space we need now is very appealing. Everyone keeps telling me what a nightmare doing an extension is....and it will be a number of years before we can do it.

But, it all feels so risky with option 2. And I mourn the original set up which was fabulous, acres of gardens. I wonder if I'll always feel that it's a bit of a half measure.

In all honesty, I love both of them. And they each offer what the other doesn't. Trying to work out what's most important has had us going round in circles.

I think we're settled on option 1. But I am a bit sad about it. And very grateful for all your help.

OP posts:

notangelinajolie · 07/10/2019 12:10

Georgian is absolutely my dream but I wouldn't buy a property that was part of a shared development.

notangelinajolie · 07/10/2019 12:16

Only downside to 1 is the road. Can you hear traffic noise in the back garden? That would bother me.

Momniscient · 07/10/2019 12:17

What about option 3... keep looking! 1 sounds sensible but if you're moving it's probably for space now, and if you won't have the money to make it big enough for 5 years, why not just wait and use that money for a larger house?

2 sounds awful. Don't do it. Money is great but the current people are moving for a reason...

If neither of them sing to you, keep looking.

Totalwasteofpaper · 07/10/2019 13:22

And I mourn the original set up which was fabulous, acres of gardens. I wonder if I'll always feel that it's a bit of a half measure.

I looked at loads of grand home conversion a few had some new build type houses included in the development and this was the conclusion I came to as well... it’s almost what you want but not quiiiiite right 😑 most annoying

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