Moving from a detached to a semi

[hellolilacs]

Hi there

I'm posting for some advice and hope someone may be able to help.

We currently live in a detached house on a new estate which is in a village (have owned the house from new). Sadly the village has been overtaken by 4 other new build developments since we moved here 7 years so it's more like a town without enough amenities!

We have extended our house over time and done lots of improvement to it and to be honest have stayed here much longer than we ever intended to but there's been some significant emotional stuff going on in our lives so we haven't been in the place to move.

We are now thinking we would like to move out of the village and closer to the city centre where we feel it will much more "us" (we love a lazy Sunday morning stroll along the river with our dog and a coffee!)

However within our price bracket by selling our 4 bed detached we will only be able to afford a 3 bed semi in the new area. We don't need the extra bedrooms but when I've mentioned it to my family they have reacted like we are mad and asked why we are taking a backwards step. It's made me feel like we might be doing the wrong thing!

I wonder if anybody has made a similar move (ie moved to a more vibrant area and sacrificed house size and could offer some input?)

Thanks!

I think living in an over developed
Village with not enough amenities is far worse than living in a semi in an area that gives you the lifestyle you want.

I have lived in three end of terraced houses for the last 14 years and noise has veneer been a problem (houses were new build, 30s and now 60s in age).

Where you live is so much more important than what you love in imo.

Typos sorry! 'Never' been a problem and 'live' in.

Hell is other people.

You will be very close to other people in a semi.

You could be lucky and find your neighbours are lovely and quiet. I would not take the risk, I would never move back to being in a semi, unless I absolutely had too.

I lived in a detached for several years and to be honest now that I have downsized due to a divorce into a semi I have found it really intrusive to hear the neighbours. What I would give to be detached again. It is a shame we cannot try before you buy as you never know how thick the party wall is.

We moved from a detached to a semi and have no issues at all although our house is 105 years old with solid walls! New builds would typically have thinner walls so you would be more likely to hear your neighbours x

I’ve only ever lived in flats, terraced or semi, never had any significant issues.

We live in a 6yr old ‘terrace’ (middle one in a row of 3) and both neighbours have young children and we hear nothing from them! We know they are noisy because of the windows/doors are open we are aware of them but inside we hear nothing, even when they were babies etc. My mums house is a 1970s semi and they can hear their neighbours and kids over themselves!

A detached house with zero neighbour noise inside is literally my life goal

I've moved from detached to terraced post divorce as it was all I could afford. First thing I did was get the place soundproofed but it's not the same. I feel hemmed in and all the smells from next door waft straight in. There is a smoker next door and all I can smell is fag ash. It's disgusting and the front door slamming non stop. I'm getting used to it but I really miss my old house.

Well I live in a semi; the neighbours can be noisy occasionally (as can we)but they are very friendly; it’s live and let live. Where you live does not sound very convivial so for my part I would definitely move to a better location. It will be much more convenient. But just find out what you can about the neighbours beforehand. It’s important that they are friendly and accommodating.

The trouble is neighbours change. I had great neighbours when I moved in there but they just moved out and the new neighbours are awful.

I would definitely move to the place you would rather be and live in a semidetached. A new-build overdeveloped estate with no amenities or things to do would be hellish. I live in a terraced house in a central location with no problems. We vaguely hear the neighbours but nothing is too intrusive. The central location is vastly more important to us than having a detached house - which don’t even exist near us.

I am in a 1930s terraced and we can’t hear the neighbours ever! Even when the little boy cried at night all you hear is a faint meow.

I always lived in terraces (london) and never had an issue. Never in a new built though and never intend to.

No don't do it. Detached all the way if you can afford it.

Location is so important though.

I lost a bedroom and 2nd bathroom when I bought my current home as I wanted to move into zone 1.

I have no regrets and love the fact I can walk to so many places - during lockdown it has been amazing. I would have been miserable in my last property which had very few local amenities.