Help me choose between these properties

[SwedeInLeeds]

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!

Sorry this is the correct link
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68445852.html
Sold for 326k

number 1 is lovely house full of character , no 2 is cold nothing inviting about it , number one draws you too it

Number 1. As you've no chain you can probably get away with offering slightly under. We didn't accept our highest offer, instead went with someone with no chain. What you offer will be dependent on how it is in person.

I prefer house #1 too

What about knocking the wall between kitchen and dining room?

1 needs a lot of work but 2 is a soulless box.

I prefer the 3rd house that a poster has put on. You have the spare money to extend to loft (instead of your kitchen extension). Putting an extension on one would make it a hotch potch of extensions I think.

We just went to see 1. It was precisely as advertised. We think it's fairly priced and are now trying to come up with an offer.

When do you offer, right away? Is it crazy to offer asking? We were told 15 views lined up over today and Tuesday. Should we be trying to offer less? We're flexible chain free and good LTV but don't know how much that's worth. We like it but not completely in love so don't want to crazy with the budget + we will have to update it.

With 15 viewings by Tuesday and if it’s exactly as advertised, I’d offer the asking price straight away.

Any more thoughts on value of 1?

Honestly if it’s looking so popular I’d just go in at asking price.

Can't comment on the area but 1 is a much nicer house - more to work with.

Main roads can be noisy (esp noticeable at night), and the garden of that second house is tiny. Also the building reg issue would put me right off, and it might make the house harder to sell in the future.

1 definitely

2 has such little curb appeal

What did you do op?
If you want it I'd offer asking price on condition it's taken off for viewings etc...

@Mysa74

What did you do op? If you want it I'd offer asking price on condition it's taken off for viewings etc...

I think we were dreamy-eyed at our first viewing. We were about to put in our offer but changed our mind last minute to ask for a second viewing instead, which they obliged.

This time we noticed the extremely loud Scott Hall road, which penetrated into the cul de sac. We also brought our measuring tape and very quickly realised that the downstairs space is MUCH (about 15%) smaller than advertised, which agreed with the EPC and the 'virtual tour' by Preston Baker that quoted a much smaller area.

Apparently the measurements are 'into bay', as it usually is, but this does not agree at all with the geometry they've drawn or the total floor are, which led us to believe it was much larger. I wish it was mandatory to produce accurate floor plans...

We realised we could barely fit our couches that we have in our current flat and it just would not be large enough so unfortunately we will keep searching for a bigger place.

They had two offers by the time we viewed on Tuesday (not sure what) and they were going for final bids by today, so likely to exceed asking price anyways.

It's a good job you took the second viewing! Not to worry, your new house is out there somewhere, maybe it goes on the market tomorrow...

I think it's a bit of a tricky area, because the feel of the streets changes very quickly - one road in the Carr Manors will feel lovely but just a street or two away it's a bit tatty. And then there is proximity to Scott Hall Road if road noise bothers you (I do know lots of people who live close and it doesn't seem to bother them though).

In that area I like this one. I think the area there is fine and it looks like it covers most of what you want, and is probably pushing the budget, but don't need to do an extension or anything, so.i would say better value than the other ones you were looking at.

@whatsthecomingoverthehill

I think it's a bit of a tricky area, because the feel of the streets changes very quickly - one road in the Carr Manors will feel lovely but just a street or two away it's a bit tatty. And then there is proximity to Scott Hall Road if road noise bothers you (I do know lots of people who live close and it doesn't seem to bother them though).

In that area I like this one. I think the area there is fine and it looks like it covers most of what you want, and is probably pushing the budget, but don't need to do an extension or anything, so.i would say better value than the other ones you were looking at.

The one you linked is pretty perfect in terms of size. It's just outside my drawn area on Rightmove so I've missed it I guess meanwood is just 15 min walk. I'll give them a call tomorrow but worried 5 days is too late to get a viewing in Leeds currently, let's see!

Good luck!