Opinions on this house...

[needmorespaceforthegiants]

Please could I have honest opinions on this property - I can't see the wood for the trees.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65218728.html

We thought we wanted a period property but there's nothing around our area that doesn't need a ton of work or is £100k over budget.

We desperately need more space and this is such an amazing price and has the room that we need. Dh and dcs like it.

But...I'm not 100% sure, so obviously the opinion of a load of strangers on the internet is going to help with a life-changing decision.

I'd be worried that they are going to build on the green - even if not now the pressure to build new houses is huge. Would that bother you?

I wanted pretty period characterful but ended up buying the property that hit 90% of my dealbreakers (mostly location and space) but is a completely characterless 1990s box. It’s been brilliant, and I haven’t regretted it for a minute.

I quite like it but wouldn't want a kitchen that was part of a family room with small kids around.

Our kids aren't small...we have a 10 year old and a teenager, so the family room would be used as a sitting room / music room so there is another downstairs space when they have friends round - at the moment we have a separate kitchen and open plan dining room / lounge so we're all on top of each other. The 13yo won't have mates round at all at.

The ship has sailed a bit regarding growing up on an estate for the dcs, but it's taken until now for us to be in a position to move, so hey ho - nothing we can do about that.

Paintedfences that's very much our style - even in our Victorian terrace we have lots of colour, white walls, Scandi furniture...so it's not as though we want to fill the place with antiques! That's what dh says - we can make a white box look ours...the decor at the moment is very impersonal - there isn't a book in the whole place, and nothing that looks like it's been built up over time. It's very 'showy'.

The estate agent said that as that developer is still building locally we might be able to speak to them about changing the kitchen doors. I think I might do that.

How old are your kids?? If young then the family room wouldn’t really work for me as you wouldn’t be able to pop to the toilet / go put washing away etc while they are playing as they can access the kitchen

If the space works for you and you like the feel of the house and the location etc., go for it. You can do all sorts of things to make it feel like yours. I’ve always lived in period properties, although I have a sudden desire out of nowhere in my middle age to live somewhere modern rather than having to sort out the various issues that come with an older property, so it might grow on you.

Brieandchilli 13 and 10 so not really an issue!

It looks like a lot of house for the money, you'd pay that for a 2-3 bed flat round here. Yes a little soulless but it looks in good condition so an easy fix. Won't take much to add some character, change the kitchen doors etc

It's good value but is it good value for the area?

I like it. Ignore the anti-new build brigade. ‘Soul’ doesn’t matter. Your bills will be very low compared to freezing cold period properties that cost a fortune to maintain.

That’s a lot of house for the price . I particularly love the light and airy feel of it and the views of greenery from the windows.

I think its really lovely, easy to keep clean, perfect for a growing family.

I love it.

I always thought I wanted another Victorian hour, but DH and I looked around a local estate of new-build houses last week and neither of us could believe how cosy and solid they were. I'd love one now. The new boiler! The insulation! The newish carpets! 💕

Is that a freakishly low price, though? I wonder if it's on the social-housing end of the estate, which might bring fine the price. (Not being snobby. But it can affect the price.)

I used to live in new build flat and last year I moved to a Victorian terrace. If I'd had the choice, I'd definitely would have liked to move to a new build house, but there was nothing like that on the market (only 80s houses that were absolutely tiny).

I'm trying to think how to describe what I've said above about missing living in a new build. It's hard to describe. In my Victorian terrace, there's holes everywhere. Random vents that are no longer needed. Peeling corners that are hard to clean. Chimney breasts taking up loads of space. Freaking floorboards.

I know this area and find that particular estate very hemmed in. Check your insurance costs too as the estate is built on flood plains. Other than that I too had looked at the house and liked it but it was on the wrong side of town for me 😁😁.

You could do a lot with that house, OP. It's a blank canvass and it's a good price. If you don't snap it up quickly, someone else will.

This. Unless you are a multi-millionaire you can't have what you want. It's a house most people could only dream of.

I work for the house builder that built these house! Well different name now after a bit of a shake up, but same company.
I can tell you that Ben Bailey/Avant home are a very good builder, have good customer care in the main and well built houses.
The premise of the design has always been light and space which most people love.
And bi folding doors!
I love that this house has walled garden.
I think it’s a great family home

Thetigerthatcamefortea - thanks for the insight. How likely do you think it would be that the developer would be able to help us sort out changing the kitchen cupboard doors?

Blobby it's the right side of town for us (and right next to the farm shop has its appeal!). Because it's at the edge of the estate it doesn't really feel like part of it...it does have a certain amount of traffic noise from Farndon Road though which you wouldn't get from further back in the estate.
If we buy it you'll know who I am.

Hmm everything everyone has already said, plus for me the master bedroom is on the small side for the size of the house and price. I'm not too far from you I know MH quite well, and my bedroom 1 in a 2 bed end of terrace has more square footage.

Are you set on MH? As the surrounding area/ villages have some lovely older and period properties even around 250k mark have you looked at the whole of the market and not just around your budget?

I like it, and I like the kitchen and decor, reminds me of a boutique hotel.

Things I am less sure about but may not bother you, depending on lifestyle, are lack of worktop space in the kitchen and lack of storage. I find the side garden a bit odd but it looks like the sun hits the doors and the main room which is good.

There is so much you can do to that house that would bring you “period house” joy, for so little money. MDF panelling on walls and coving to bring Victorian details to life. Stripped doors and lovely paint colours. We live in a Victorian house which was entirely stripped into a modern featureless box and it’s been really affordable to take it back. What a brilliant blank canvas - for you to pick and choose the period details that you like!

That would be double the price here.