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Is it the right property? How do you know for sure?

16 replies

Ailurusfulgens · 08/05/2021 15:47

So have had an offer on a house accepted. To us it's a lot, and it's going to need work. I'm now panicking we're making a mistake but not sure if it's just nerves.

Positives about the house is that all rooms are big. Even the smallest bedroom is a really good size. Kitchen and living room both 7mx5.5 so again decent sized. There is lots of secure parking great for when the kids have their own cars. Room for DH to have an office and for his hobby which takes up space. The garden has potential but currently very low maintenance. It's not enormous but does go all round the property and the largest bit is south facing. The kids can walk to and from school if necessary. It's also near walks we like so great for our dogs.

I'm worried because it's a big house within a housing estate. The location is nice but not as nice as where we are currently. Part of the garden is overlooked by the neighbors. But with a bit of planting we could probably increase privacy. The layout at the moment is weird. We might be able to improve it but certainly not immediately. It's not at the moment a house you could post on Instagram. I think this is part of the problem. I really struggle to visualise how we could improve it and make it look Instagram worthy. At the moment it's empty so looks just very bare. I keep looking at Rightmove at gorgeous properties in a similar price bracket but as DH points out none of them are directly comparable so comparing our 4 bed with a 3 bed or houses too far from school. Or beautiful houses but the rooms are smaller.

How do I decide what to do?

OP posts:
TinyGlassOwl · 08/05/2021 16:37

Maybe start by not basing your decision on how the house might look on Instagram?

NoWordForFluffy · 08/05/2021 16:48

@TinyGlassOwl

Maybe start by not basing your decision on how the house might look on Instagram?
Exactly this! It's a bizarre mindset to me!
AmazingGrapes · 08/05/2021 16:51

Agreed - the house sounds perfect in almost every way and has potential in all the ways that it’s not yet perfect. Just make it how you like it and don’t post it on Instagram

PanamaPattie · 08/05/2021 16:53

Concentrate on making it a home. I feel sorry for you if your only concern is that your home needs to be Instagram worthy. Very shallow.

FinallyFluid · 08/05/2021 16:54

Everytime we have bought a house, I knew it was the one as soon as I walked through the door and said.......... hmm Christmas tree there.

It is a feeling.

MissyB1 · 08/05/2021 16:57

Wtf has Instagram got to do with it?? Confused

Are you saying you wanted to move into a “finished” house? Just look for ideas online or in housing magazines and decide how you will change it. It will happen a bit at a time. We’ve been in ours 5 years and it’s still not there yet. I’m getting there slowly!

Wafflewombat · 08/05/2021 17:02

Oh, you want a show home?

Buy a show home then.

TinyGlassOwl · 08/05/2021 17:53

We're actually in the process of buying a house that sounds very much like yours (in fact reading your description I did wonder if we were buying the same place!) The interior decor is probably the ugliest I've ever seen. Every single room is the polar opposite of what I want to see every morning. It is going to take a ton of work and money to get it looking good.

Not once has that made me doubt whether or not it's the house for us, because the important stuff, the stuff that can't be easily changed, works. And not once have I considered not buying it because of bloody instagram.

QueenOfPain · 08/05/2021 17:57

I don’t think OP means that she wants to be able to post the house on IG. Just that it’s not aesthetically appealing in the way the typical IG home account is. Perhaps it doesn’t have kerb appeal or will need a lot of work to get it up to the kind of standard you’d be proud of (proud enough to make an IG account out of it).

OUB1974 · 08/05/2021 18:01

We are buying a house that is very "Instagram-worthy" (and I know what you mean by that, I dont think you literally want to post it!). Unfortunately it's not really to our taste, so looking on the bright side, you can do what you want with it!

You cant change the location and thay is something you should think about more carefully. Will you be happy there? How would you feel if a prettier but much smaller house came up in a better location? I think you do have to make compromises, especially at the moment when the market is so weird. It's just deciding where the compromises are. Our only compromise is the lack of parking, and we have made our peace with that.

Unfortunately the only way to make whether you've made the right decision is to check in right move in a year or so and see what else was available! It's very hard, but I'd do some research on whether anything else is likely to come up that meets your criteria, but after thay go with your gut feeling

Ailurusfulgens · 08/05/2021 18:17

I want a lovely property and I see them all the time on Instagram and Facebook. I'm not wanting to post my own house on Instagram I just want it to look nice, a bit show homey maybe. I don't think it's that shallow to want your house to look nice.

I see people who seem to be able to put a room together and make it look great. They have clearly have a vision as to how their house will look and then decorate to get there. I don't feel I have that ability to see the potential or visualise how a room can be put together so it looks good. For example it has a weird stone wall fireplace which DH hates. I have no idea what we should do with it. The bathroom has two baths which is weird. The conservatory has no door to the garden. It's basically a weird greenhouse attached to the lounge. Again no idea what we'll do with it. I'm sure people out there would look at it and be able to visualise the changes we should make so the above are all features rather than weird.

@FinallyFluid I think the Christmas tree thought is good. I can see us enjoying the space especially as the kids get older.

OP posts:
allycat4 · 08/05/2021 19:32

Why would you want a family home to be like a show home?? The whole point of them is that nobody lives in them.

Seeingadistance · 08/05/2021 21:47

@TinyGlassOwl

Maybe start by not basing your decision on how the house might look on Instagram?
Exactly this.
TableNiner · 08/05/2021 22:11

It sounds like it fits your family’s needs, has loads of potential and over time you’ll be able to get it just how you want. Live in it for a while before doing anything drastic.

Daisydoesnt · 08/05/2021 23:29

I want a lovely property and I see them all the time on Instagram and Facebook

I hear you OP. I feel the same - having surroundings that are pleasing on the eye makes me feel good. That’s why I enjoy making my home as nice as it can be.

I see people who seem to be able to put a room together and make it look great. They have clearly have a vision as to how their house will look and then decorate to get there. I don't feel I have that ability to see the potential or visualise how a room can be put together so it looks good

The good news OP is that interior designers and people with that knack of making rooms look great don’t spring fully formed from the womb! They learn how to do it with practice, reading, looking at loads of images, research, and trial & error.

Look at this house as an opportunity to flex your creative muscles and learn a new skill. Start on Pinterest tomorrow looking at fireplaces - that’s a really easy place to start, it’s not even a whole room - for some inspiration. My top top would be go for what you love, what gets you in the pit of your stomach, and ignore anything that you think you should have because it’s inoffensive or trendy. Good luck!

user1471538283 · 09/05/2021 18:28

You know when you know! My favourite house I could visualise where things would go! My least favourite house I just bought because I couldnt find anything else and I still bitterly regret it.

Maybe arrange lots of viewings of others to see?

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