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Original poster

Help me choose between these properties

93 replies

SwedeInLeeds · 16/10/2020 11:04

Hi,

We're viewing two properties in Leeds that we're very interested in. In the areas we're looking viewings disappear within the day of appearing on rightmove and listings tend to sell within a week. We are looking for 1) Good primary school; 2) Large house (>120m2). We are happy to do work on the place.

No 1:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74049807.html
Positives:
Large semi-detached in a cul-de-sac. Close to good primary
Negatives:
We would probably extend the rear to get a nice kitchen/diner.
No shops/restaurants/bar within 10 min walk.

No 2:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-74170755.html
Positives:
Detached (never thought we could getting something big and detached). Enormous. Central location with shops. Close to good primary
Negatives:
Garden is overlooked. It is on a fairly busy street. No building regs for 'loft conversion'.

Ideally I would like nr 2 as it's detached, but the road is probably the biggest issue for me. Meanwhile, with an extension I think 1 could be amazing. Is this unreasonable, what are your thoughts?

Thanks!

OP posts:
WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo · 16/10/2020 12:43

One, definitely. Two isn't as attractive, coming home to that frontage every day just wouldn't be as nice.

myshoelaces · 16/10/2020 12:46

I thought one was awful, really ugly.

Two was much nicer. Go detached 100%. Why live in an attached house if you don't have to. Put a higher fence up around the garden.

edam · 16/10/2020 12:53

One! Never buy a house that's been extended without building regs sign off. God only knows what problems there might be

Napqueen1234 · 16/10/2020 12:57

Definitely 1!

pinkgreenblue · 16/10/2020 13:01

One is gorgeous and with the kitchen extension could be stunning. Anyone who thinks number 2 is more attractive needs to seriously question themselves Grin and the tiny and overlooked garden would bother me.

I honestly have no idea why people pay such a premium for detached, especially in older houses you can barely hear next door. I find neighbours kids in the gardens more annoying to be honest and you get that in any house unless you live somewhere with no neighbours.

Finally, I wouldn’t even consider offering on a place with no building regs. The seller could get them done retrospectively quite easily so if they haven’t done this before going on the market I wouldn’t trust them at all and would not want to get involved. Could be all sorts of issues.

So yeah basically number 1 is hands down the winner for me!

No chain will make you a more attractive buyer but if you really want to get the property and it’s a competitive market then I think you shouldn’t offer too low. Rather than rounding down to an even number eg 320 I always prefer to offer something that sounds well calculated eg. £316k. It makes you sound like a serious buyer and like you have done the sums. But again depends how much you want it, if houses are going that quickly then I’d be tempted to offer £322k or at least above £320 to secure it.

oiboi · 16/10/2020 13:05

I live in Leeds but north west. I know some areas of north Leeds have a primary school catchment black hole. Have you checked this for 1?
I had a friend who lived 400m from a school and they didn't get in and we're allocated a RI school much further away.

MrsSDK · 16/10/2020 13:10

Easy 1

Original poster
SwedeInLeeds · 16/10/2020 13:12

@oiboi

I live in Leeds but north west. I know some areas of north Leeds have a primary school catchment black hole. Have you checked this for 1? I had a friend who lived 400m from a school and they didn't get in and we're allocated a RI school much further away.
Yeah should be in Manor Wood catchment area + 2 religious schools as well. That was one of the major criteria we had.
OP posts:
TeaSoakedDisasterMagnet · 16/10/2020 13:17

Number 1 has much more charm and I wouldn’t even see the need to extend. I’d be looking into knocking kitchen and dining room through together for an open space.

Viviennemary · 16/10/2020 13:20

Not keen on house 2 at all. It isn't attractive from the outside. House 1 is much nicer.

DaisyandRibbons · 16/10/2020 13:23

I was about to say 2, and get it rendered to look a bit nicer from the outside. Then I saw the road!

I vote for 1 too. We’re buying in a different area to you, but we offered 10k below asking (house on for 350k) and paid around 342 after negotiating. It’s a beautiful house and we paid what it’s worth to us which is the main thing- we’re thinking it’s going to be our forever home.

We listed our house quite high and sold for 5% below asking. I agree I wouldn’t go too low, you need to be taken seriously but need to leave a bit of room for negotiation. I love my house and know that I would lose respect for a buyer who offered too low so we tried to do the same when buying.

sunshinesupermum · 16/10/2020 13:39

No 2 would be my preference but I'd be concerned about lack of building regs for loft conversion.

Chumleymouse · 16/10/2020 13:48

Detached is the holy grail !!!!!! The only good neighbours are no neighbours 👍

2beautifulbabs · 16/10/2020 13:57

Property 1 is so much nicer not a fan of property 2 not much of a garden and seems so close to the road where as property one has lovely features and character and set back off the road and has a decent size garden.
Over time I would defiantly re do the kitchen in property one but other than that it's a lovely house and one I would snap up straight away

JoJoSM2 · 16/10/2020 14:07

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/compare-schools

If you’re sure number 1 would get you into Manor Wood, then no contest really. You might want to check the website above for secondaries too. Another bonus is the proximity to David Lloyd which is always a bonus with kids.

One thing I do wonder about is whether there’s enough garden for an extension. I’d probably aim to just knock through to create a kitchen diner.
I’d also want to redo the kitchen of house 2 as the hob by the door is a hazard, fridge and freezer seem under counters (little space and easy to get a back back) and just generally badly designed.

Original poster
SwedeInLeeds · 16/10/2020 14:55

@JoJoSM2

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/compare-schools

If you’re sure number 1 would get you into Manor Wood, then no contest really. You might want to check the website above for secondaries too. Another bonus is the proximity to David Lloyd which is always a bonus with kids.

One thing I do wonder about is whether there’s enough garden for an extension. I’d probably aim to just knock through to create a kitchen diner.
I’d also want to redo the kitchen of house 2 as the hob by the door is a hazard, fridge and freezer seem under counters (little space and easy to get a back back) and just generally badly designed.

Thanks,

According to the government website and websites of catchment areas it seems it should, but maybe I'll double check with the school itself. Secondary is Carr Manor, which seems to be good.

We're not concerned about losing garden space, 9*7 (after 3m rear extension without counting garage and behind garage) would be plenty for us. I would be slightly concerned with how the value would be affected by shrinking the garden so it is something to think about. Knocking through would make a good kitchen diner but an extra 3 m could make an amazing one (25m2 vs 43m2).

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 16/10/2020 15:03

Number two, one wrong word in the no 1’s kitchen and you’ve got bloodshed. I’d be be far to close to the knives.

CountFosco · 16/10/2020 15:14

We have an extended semi and it's fab. Don't extend into the garden, extend to the side and increase the size of the garden by knocking down the old garage. But make sure you include a storage room in the side extension.

stillfeelingmad · 16/10/2020 15:22

Local to the area and would DEFINITELY say one. Two is walking distance from areas with trouble. I was mugged with an ex bf within spitting distance of house 2 and when I told people everyone had a story. It's got some nice bits in Meanwood (and a Waitrose) but chapel Allerton (1) is nicer by far

YouDidWHATNow · 16/10/2020 15:36

I like one,

I also really liked this house when I looked in the area for your budget etc. Possibly change conservatory to extension?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96075146.html

In the catchment for outstanding primary and 3 good secondaries. Kitchen is lovely.

Original poster
SwedeInLeeds · 16/10/2020 15:50

@stillfeelingmad

Local to the area and would DEFINITELY say one. Two is walking distance from areas with trouble. I was mugged with an ex bf within spitting distance of house 2 and when I told people everyone had a story. It's got some nice bits in Meanwood (and a Waitrose) but chapel Allerton (1) is nicer by far
I'd love to hear more, I thought Meanwood was supposed to be really nice and up and coming (as in most things north). What part in particular is trouble?
OP posts:
Original poster
SwedeInLeeds · 16/10/2020 15:51

@YouDidWHATNow

I like one,

I also really liked this house when I looked in the area for your budget etc. Possibly change conservatory to extension?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96075146.html

In the catchment for outstanding primary and 3 good secondaries. Kitchen is lovely.

Thanks, yeah I saw that.

Concerned about being right on the road, it's also much smaller as it's missing the loft extension (which we want). Otherwise it's fab and much better kitchen.

OP posts:
EL8888 · 16/10/2020 15:56

Not helpful but l don’t like either. The kitchen for 1 is tiny, as you said it would need an extension and / or a kitchen fines type set up. 2 is on a main road which is hard no for me. I suppose 1

BiggerBoat1 · 16/10/2020 15:58

First one is lovely! I don't like the second one at all. A quiet cul-de-sac would actually put me off a bit - I prefer a busier road.

B1rdinthebush · 16/10/2020 16:29

Having lived in Meanwood, I would say house 2 is a far better location. It's not rough AT ALL and you are so near the shops, park etc. We lived up towards house 1 and it's a bit of a trek by foot to get to anything useful.