Which house to buy?!

[Leahd89]

We have accepted an offer on our property and are due to complete in 2 weeks, we didn't see anywhere suitable so have moved in with my parents, currently have a 1 year old and due our second in September. We missed out on a few properties, one was a dream home that was at the top of our budget then went up out of budget. We had an offer accepted on a house last week, however we just found out my parents next door neighbours house is going up for sale and we have arranged a viewing.

In your opinion which sounds better? They're completely different so I'm torn!

House 1

Pros
1930s period semi-detached house
5 minute walk to parks/shops/cafes
Younger feeling area than house 2
Decent size house

Cons
Closer to 2nd and 3rd choice schools (5 minute walk and 20 minute walk)
Small garden
Small driveway (so lots of cars parked in the street)
Would need a small extension

House 2

Pros
Detached
Large driveway (DH has a large van)
Decent biggish garden
Next door to parents
Catchment area of 1st choice school (10-15 minute walk)
Private/not overlooked
5 minute walk to shopping centre

Cons
Not our style (70s bungalow)
In need of renovation and extension
Up a hill
A little bit further out than we had hoped for

Obviously I might know straight away once I've viewed the second house but what do you guys think?

Thanks

The main thing for me would be 'do I ( and my DH) want to live next door to my parents....that would be a 'no' for me..but you may be different?

I also think you need to resolve the next door to parents issue first. I know my mum would always be just “popping round”. After long days at work l know my partner and l would not be in the mood for her “little jobs”, that she thinks are imperative we assist her with right at that moment. My partner wouldn’t even entertain living next to his parents! Even when we saw a well priced nice house, at the other end of his parents very long road

I think for us it could be a good thing, both are detached and don't overlook each other so I wouldn't feel like they were on top of us, my mum will be minding my son 2 days a week when I return to work so it would be handy, although when number 2 comes along I doubt she would mind 2, the 1930s house has a nursery right at the top of the street. I don't think they would be knocking on our door everyday, I mean they are getting older (only sin their 60s) and would I end up looking after them more so than my siblings? Maybe?

They're quite laid back compared to my mother in law who I don't think I could live next door to!

I’d go for 2. Great chance to make it ‘yours’, there is do much you can do with a bungalow. And walking up hills is good.

I'd go for the one next door to parents. But my parents are totally non-intrusive and, as you say, if they need care when older then it would be very handy. Removing the parent factor, i'd still go for that one as schools, garden, parking etc are all big ones for me. Style of house is really neither here nor there, as you can decorate internally, and even to a degree externally, to make a place have a very different feel.

Yep as time goes by then it may well be expected that you do the lions share of your parents care if needed, with people saying “oh, but you only live next door!”.

The hussle and bussle of 1930s is a big draw as I've been with my DH since 16, I never moved out during uni and he had a good job from a young age and we moved to a very surburban area when I was 21 and all my neighbours were in their 50s with grown up children, so I always felt a bit out of the loop! A very first world problem to complain about I know, but I definitely like area 1 more, our current house is up a huge hill, bigger than my parents, and during my maternity leave I felt very isolated and heavily relied on our car, actually got so sick of taking the pram in and out of it!

*1930s house

If your parents are not the type to drive you mad, then I would go for House Number 2 because of being detached and having the larger drive which it sounds like you need. Also being in the catchment area of your first choice school is a big deal.
There are lots of other nice-to-haves for House 2 - the only thing that I'd prefer about House 1 is the 1930s period style.

Or just keep looking in area 1 until you find a house that's a better fit for you if that is te area you really like.

If you get on with your parents I would go for house 2. Detached is better and you can totally transform the inside.

Parking is a big plus, as is the garden, school catchment, everything seems good with the location and you could redesign it to suit your tastes.

I suppose they're both just outside our dream location but that's out of budget, so I think there are definitely compromises with both. I had a look online and only a very small number of children don't get in but obviously if oversubscribed they do go on catchment area. Now I'm considering is living next door to my parents the be all and end all?! Yes it would be convenient but would I consider the house if they didn't live next door? I don't know?! Hopefully at the viewing I'll get a gut feeling either way

You said that your parents are getting older. Are they thinking of down-sizing at some stage? To a bungalow, maybe ...

At the stage that you are now I would go for house 1 for the area and amenities. We have just moved from a house 1 type area into a more suburban area for secondary schools and a bigger garden and I must say I miss not having the amenities a few minutes away and feel a bit remote. Especially with young children including buggies, scooters etc it is nice to have everything close by.
It sounds like in house 1 you would probably be still fairly close to your parents anyway.

My parents house is a bungalow so they won't won't move again, yes house 1 is still close, 35 minute walk or 5 minutes in the car, also along the same bus route so easy for my mum to meet me as she doesn't drive. I've attached photos for a better idea, I would say the bungalow is slightly smaller but with the garden there's room to extend

I would hate to live next door to my parents!

How does your DH feel about that side of things?

My parents house is [already] a bungalow
Damn, my cunning plan didn't work.

Don't rush it. You have a while until DC2 arrives and, presumably, every month spent at your parents is another month's savings to go towards the new house. I have heard that the market is perking up, slightly.

I have heard that the market is perking up, slightly

Yes, I heard that then corona virus hit and all confidence in the economy has vanished overnight. I suspect the housing market will now slump even further. Good time to pick up a bargain, OP.

Yes every month is definitely saving us money and start back to work so it'll be handy the days my mum has our DS. I think we might view the 1930s house again with an architect and see what they say and sit down with DH and have a good chat!

I'd also take parking into consideration - is the 1930s house on a busy road?

If the detached bungalow has space to expand both into the garden and upwards you would have a home for life and no need for further moves.
In the end you'll know better when you view it and if you get the right 'feel' when you're there.

Both look nice.

My instinct is bungalow based on what you’ve said. The cons don’t seem too bad (e.g. hill and outskirts of town are not problematic if you have transport and no disabilities).

I’d talk seriously to your husband about living next door to your parents though. He may not regard it as a “pro” particularly, no matter now much he likes them.

1930s house isn't on a busy road but because the driveways only accommodate one car there's a lot of cars parked on the street, the bungalow needs the big driveway because it's on a hill that leads to a country road so no on street parking available. DH says at the mo he's undecided, wants to wait and see what the bungalow is like, I think he likes the idea of a big garden as he thinks he'll build a man cave at the bottom lol, hopefully we will know tomorrow 🤞

When are you seeing the bungalow OP? Another point is less noise nuisance if you are in a detached bungalow rather than the semi-detached house.

Viewing the bungalow tomorrow, yeah detached house with garden the whole way round is definitely a bonus, I've asked a friend to come too and give her honest opinion 🤞