To buy this house? Advice please

[HepLaurenceLB]

We are trying to move to our dream town. There are only 11 houses for sale. The only one that is big enough and in budget is a 3 story townhouse. Lounge is on the first floor.
It ticks most boxes e.g location, schools, number of bedrooms. The problem is I hate the layout and it feels cramped. We have 3 DC to squeeze in and DH wfh. Also it is a private, quiet gated road and I worry my children would upset the neighbours.

If we don’t buy it we will have to stay at my brothers house (which DH will hate). I am worried that if we do that a better property might not come on. Wwyd?

I would love a townhouse like that, and have looked at similar ones locally to me. However I wouldn't want one with children as young as yours. My youngest DC is 9 so stairs are not an issue.

I was going to say the same as Sprig, the Law Society warned solicitors in December about clients having unreasonable expectations of meeting the stamp duty deadline. If you haven’t even had an offer accepted, that ship has probably sailed.

I’d also say don’t move to a house you don’t like.

You sure you’ve considered all the other options? Can we have a look?

We are looking for a 4 bed house in Amersham near the town. Preferably not down the hill. Up to 675.

You don't make it sound like your dream home. Would be a miss for me, I don't like the floor plan and it's seems like a 3 bed trying to be small 4 bed for the sake of having a little 4th bedroom.
Where would your husband work from? How old are the children, there is no extra play room.

Thanks for all of the advice. So we have decided not to go ahead.

Think that's the right decision. I found the house on right move and it looks nice inside but small
What was wrong with this one?
I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-93537629.html

If you have reservations don't do it. Hold out for the right one for you that gives you the space you need. Rental for the time being. We live in a townhouse although we have what is intended as bedroom 4 on the ground floor as a small living area/snug which works great as that means we have the kitchen, cloackroom and living area on one floor for the day to day stuff. We then have large living room (which we use in the evenings) on first floor and my daughter's bedroom. Top floor is then two bedrooms, one with an en suite and the family bahroom. Some people just simply will not entertain a townhouse so that limits potential buyers when you come to sell. But having been here before having kids and through the stages of baby, toddler and moving to older kids, the space has worked really flexibly for us. Also good for keeping fit if you leave something on the top floor by mistake!

We used to live in a town house and there are lots, with different configurations, where I live.
Idea 1 - extend the kitchen diner into a large living space
Idea 2 do the above and and the living room becomes a bedroom
Idea 3 put a glass structure office thing in the garden as DH office (cost about £10k) - I've seen this at my friend's and it looked nice and their garden was not big.
Idea 4 put an extension in the apex, what I mean is convert it so you have a kind of box coming out but you have more flat ceiling and therefore room feels bigger. That probably sounds rubbish but again have seen it and looks good.
Idea 5 convert the garage, I've read most of thread but who said you wouldn't get planning permission? Wouldn't it be building regs anyway? I'm not sure and out of date.
My point is, townhouses are more flexible than they at first appear.
And the gated road is a good thing with kids,

I don't have a problem with townhouses per se. I viewed a really lovely one (which I couldn't afford). But I don't like an integrated garage like that - that would put me off. The one I saw just had a kitchen, diner living space, plus downstairs loo and utility on the ground floor and a living room on the first floor.

My other issue with the floor plan is the awkward shape of the top floor bedrooms and the size of bedrooms 4 and 3. It depends what its like inside but I think those bedrooms would put me off. Why are there spaces carved off bedrooms 2 and 3? are they under eaves storage? they look a bit odd - though to be fair a lot of new builds/townhouses seem to be low on storage space. I'm just not sure the floor space has been well designed.

Sorry I've just seen you've decided not to proceed. I agree too that the Stamp duty holiday ship has sailed.