Would you buy a home you didn't love?

[floofycroissant]

Just that really, and did it work out or did you regret buying it?

We've been looking since the summer and with everything going on there's so little choice. The houses are either £50k under or over budget and nothing in between that hangs around long enough for us to view.

Meanwhile each month were throwing away almost 3 times what we'd pay on a mortgage renting and eating into our deposit.

when we looked at this house it had been empty for quite a while so there was condensation empty house mould on the walls in places, the kitchen was from the 1980s and grim, all the carpets were 1980s floral axminster, the garden was overgrown, but having lived one street away renting for the last five years we know this is a great area top live, the price of the house was good so while there wasnt much about the house to love now we are most of the way through getting it the way we want it im happy with the choice we made

Yes, I bought a small practical house in a good area trying to be sensible and downsize. Renovated it, sat down in it and thought this isn't me and I don't want to live here. Sold it at a small loss after taking stamp duty into account and am buying my time honoured formula of a big, down at heel house in a marginal area next to a good area. This has always worked for me.

New house is 1930s which is not my preferred style but spacious and with a decent garden and I am confident I can lift it 100% inside.

Yes and hated it. Dont do it

Yes. When I moved area to be with DH I went from living in a decent-sized 3-bed house to a tiny 2-bed plus box room house. All purely for area & schools. My first words when I walked into the house were "what have I done?" I hated every minute of the 7 years we lived there, but the kids got the education I wanted for them. Finally moved out 2 years ago to a 5-bed house. Couldn't have come a moment too soon!

It had to be done, for the kids. It was location location location. Everything else came second!

I don't think you ever buy what you really want because it is always more than you can afford.
You compromise.

@ireallyamthewalrus

I bought - and still live in - a house I don’t love. It’s a long term house for us so I’m likely to be here a long time. I wouldn’t say I regret it. Sometimes you have to be practical if what you love doesn’t exist.

This. I don't love my house, it just never felt like the right one and still doesn't but it ticked the boxes.

Yes. We moved to a new area to a house which was very ugly, but with potential. It was miserable at first. We did it up and I made some great friends (on the terrace) and grew to love it. I really didn’t want to leave, but we needed more space.

Like you everything was either about 50k over or under budget. So I letter dropped. I found our current home and I love it. And it came in under budget, so we’ve been able to do it up a bit more to our taste. I can’t believe it’s my home and I feel so lucky.

So you could letter drop. Or like someone suggested find somewhere with potential, if you are under budget you could use that excess money to make it lovable. Or pick something which has something special like a big garden or parking or space.

Good luck!

Ohchristmas that's an interesting idea, did you know exactly the location/street you wanted? Or was it a large area?

Curious what did you say in your letter? Did you know the houses you dropped at were in your budget?

My last house was a compromise, right location, nice garden, decent room sizes and I liked it but never saw it as THE house, however I was definitely happy there. We sold it last year as our dream house came on the market and I fell in love with a photo of the outside. we made an offer based on photos on Rightmove as we were not allowed to view it and knew that survey would pick up warnings. We didn't actually see it in the flesh until well after our offer was accepted. I can honestly say I love this house and cant imagine living anywhere else, even though the kitchen is terrible and the heating has cost us a fortune. The last house merely made this one possible whilst ensuring I had a roof over our heads, could save money and was in the right place.

Yes if I thought I could save money or even make a profit on it. Or if it gave me freedom and got me out of renting. I don’t love my house but it was cheap, I’ve made a profit doing it up and it means I don’t have to take shit from landlords.

We looked at what was available in our price bracket and area and picked one. It fell through so we picked another. We didn't and don't love it but have lived here for 26 years and been quite happy.

Yes my first house was a pokey three bed, I knew it would do for a maximum of two years, we bought it knowing we would move but it was a nice little starter home. I think getting on the housing ladder is much better than renting if you can afford to. The equity will go on your next house which is better than paying someone else’s house off!