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Original poster

Which house - down to 2 choices

32 replies

10YellowTulips · 09/04/2021 20:56

After my purchase fell through a couple of weeks ago due to vendor pulling out I have been avidly searching again and narrowed it to 2 options.

House 1. Recently refurbished & lovely inside. 2 bathrooms which would be a big bonus. Tiny garden. Would leave me with some spare budget.

House 2. House is ok but needs redecorating, slightly bigger. Massive south facing 80ft garden with hottub and a "studio". Better school catchment. Top of the budget so nothing spare.

Which would you go for?

OP posts:
1starwars2 · 09/04/2021 20:57

House 2, IF you can afford it.
The garden/studio sounds fab.

Jenjenn · 09/04/2021 21:00

2 no doubt. Redecorating at a later date I could live with. Big south facing garden and better school catchment would make it worthwhile for me.

TerrifiedandWorried · 09/04/2021 21:01

How old are your DC?
Would you use the garden?
Is your income secure?
Top of budget completely or a bit over and fingers crossed?

minipie · 09/04/2021 21:01

Will you have time/money in future to do some work to house 2? It sounds like house 2 would be the better house in the long run once you could redecorate and add a bathroom but you’d need to live with the decor/one bathroom for now until you could do that work. So really depends on when/whether that might happen.

mobear · 09/04/2021 21:01

House 2, for the school catchment and south-facing garden. The hot tub and studio would be a bonus!

Puffthemagicdragongoestobed · 09/04/2021 21:02

House 2 no question.

Ikeameatballs · 09/04/2021 21:03

2 all day everyday.

You can decorate over time. You won’t get a bigger garden in ten years in house 1.

floridapalmtree · 09/04/2021 21:03

House 2 if you can afford it and be patient until the work is finished.

fruitypancake · 09/04/2021 21:12

House 2 for sure !

Original poster
10YellowTulips · 09/04/2021 21:15

Need to apply to secondary this year so school catchment is definitely a current issue. I have 2 schools in mind and house 2 gets you into both, house 1 gets to only 1 of them.

Budget wise - house 2 is at my upper limit. My income is secure and the mortgage payments will be £400 less than my current rent so I am not worried but I will be down to almost zero savings and would need to build up the kitty for doing work.

House 1 on the other hand is quite a bit below my max (£80k) so I would lower the mortgage payment further but also hold back a lump sum for my savings & top notch furnishing (thinking £40k).

OP posts:
Andthenanothercupoftea · 09/04/2021 21:15

Another vote for house 2. As long as you're happy to do some redecoration slowly/as you can afford it.

Tianatiers · 09/04/2021 21:16

House 2!

Original poster
10YellowTulips · 09/04/2021 21:16

Thanks for all the opinions so far. I am surprised how unanimous it is for house 2!

OP posts:
Bouncebacker · 09/04/2021 21:16

House 2, definitely

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 09/04/2021 21:17

Live with the decor as long as possible and save the 400pcm saving from rent. After a year, use the nearly 5k to do any decorating you want.

Sprig1 · 09/04/2021 21:19

House 2, definitely.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 09/04/2021 21:25

Not a clear answer for me, because House 1- big gardens are more beneficial for younger children, I also think 2 bathrooms with teenagers would be a huge plus.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 09/04/2021 21:26

House 2, definitely

muddledmidget · 09/04/2021 21:28

House 1 for me. I'd never get around to doing all the things I wanted to do to 2, and I don't have the DIY capabilities to do it either. It would be forever hanging over me meaning I couldn't relax at weekends because this or that needed painting etc.

How big is the tiny garden of no 1? Because for me as long as its big enough for a table and chairs and gets a bit of sun so it's not damp, it's big enough!

Starseeking · 09/04/2021 21:32

House 2 for the school catchment and garden...you can't create those with House 1, but you can redecorate to your taste with House 2 over time.

Also, with House 2 having an 80ft garden, there is room for extending, so you could put in a shower room/utility when you've built up your savings again.

MOTU · 09/04/2021 21:35

house 2, we had a similar choice, the other one was gorgeous and had an office which i loved but tiny garden, this one (the one we bought) had a massive garden and i've never regretted it, it's like having several other receptions rooms in summer and we have a veg garden the size of an allotment plot at the end which i love!

Orangeinmybluelightcup · 09/04/2021 21:38

House 2, and never move again! It'll be worth it.

RowanAlong · 09/04/2021 21:44

Garden and schools would do it for me, so option 2

waitingpatientlyforspring · 09/04/2021 22:01

House 2.

waitingpatientlyforspring · 09/04/2021 22:03

£400 a month would be more than enough to decorate a couple of rooms a month so really isn't an issue.