Three properties - which would you buy?

[Toastingthebun]

Been to look at 3 properties - two houses, one flat. Our landlord is selling our house and we are running out of time to buy our first property. We have one child, our 4 month old and aren't planning any others for another 4/5 years once this one is in school. So a 2 bed will do.

So the properties... which would you pick?

Property A

Quiet street
Parking in allocated space
Short walk into the village (20 mins to station with trains to London)
Small garden with shed
In need of redecorating throughout but nothing more than a change of wallpaper
Good size kitchen
Tiny bathroom... had a shower but no bath and no space to put one in either... so don't know how this would work for baby???
Small bedrooms - baby would outgrow her room as soon as she graduated to a single bed (room for cot but not a bed)
Probably built 80's or 90's at a guess
Bland and a bit boring

Property B

Middle of the village location - 10 mins to station with trains to London
Parking in allocated space
No garden
BIG on the inside - kitchen, dining room, living room and excellent size bedrooms, plus a loft that could be an attic bedroom or study
Has a damp problem and needs replastering in the living room and a new kitchen. Potentially expensive repairs!
Cheaper than property A
Victorian terrace - has character
Main road and busy

Property C

Modern flat built 7 years ago - everything is new and modern
Excellent layout and loads of room
Nowhere near station - 2-3 mile drive... we'd struggle to get to London if one of us had the car
Middle of nowhere! Newly built village that is still being built
First floor with no lift - a pain with the pram!
Beautifully decorated and no work needed
Can walk to nearby park with swings
No shops nearby... you'd have to drive
Two bathrooms - one ensuite shower and one bathroom with bath
£10K cheaper than property A and roughly £5K cheaper than property B
Obviously a flat has no garden...

What would you choose and why?

Honestly none of them sound like they’re the right one. B is probably the best of a bad bunch, assuming the cause of the damp is easy to fix and that you are sure you can cope without any outside space.

Buying/selling is both stressful and expensive. I wouldn’t do it to get somewhere that wasn’t right or that we would grow out of. Don’t be rushed into buying somewhere if you wouldn’t buy it without the time pressure. Why not move into another rental until something definitely right turns up?

Keep looking

I’d keep looking none of them sound suitable .

If I had to choose one it would be A. Basically the quiet street, garden and location would be the reason why I would choose it above the others.

The no bath and lack of space is a problem though. I'm assuming you are buying now rather than renting. Is there any scope at all for an extension at some point in the future? If you could increase the bedroom sizes and add a bathroom with a bath that would be ideal. Alternatively could you do a loft conversion? Another bedroom and en suite with a bath in the loft could potentially work.

If there's no scope to make it bigger then I'd probably only stay a few years and then look to move.

None for me too.

I would continue looking.

B as long as you have had builders opinions on the problems, have the budget to fix them and there are parks nearby.

B here too. Get professionals to check out the damp first. Are there local parks? We use parks rather than our garden anyway.

From your description of C suspect there are no local amenities and it is just a housing estate so not only could you not get to London easily, you also couldn't get out for toddler groups, local library or a nice cup of coffee. Definitely no.

A - sounds tiny. Shower you can work around. Titchy bedroom with growing child not so much.

Good luck OP!

None sound ideal in the longer term at all. Is buying the right decision for you right now?

B. Get the work done, babies don't need a garden if there's plenty of areas to go for a walk or a nearby park then sell it in 3 years time having done the work and buy something with a garden. Internal space is essential with a baby/toddler and no bath would be hard so the other two wouldn't be any use

I’d go B

B. Could you look into.being on allotment waiting list? I have friends with no garden in period house in Bath and they.are very outdoorsy.and have dog and big allotment. Being in village centre and near station.would be deal breaker for.me. sounds great. If house has sun and space indoors you wont miss garden