Please help with advice on this house we're considering

[SwedeInLeeds]

This is the one:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108109685#/

Pros:
Detached (usually don't think we could afford)
Good school
Nice area
Reasonable garden
Seems reasonably priced considering the crazy market (recently reduced from 375)

Cons:
Sloping garden
Liveable initially, but we would want to extend to make a nice open kitchen diner in the future
Slightly smaller than most properties we've looked at (140-160 m^2) but with rear and loft extension we would get close to that.

Do you see any issues with this?
How would you extend it?
We were thinking 2.5/3 metres to the rear (would lose a bit of garden of course), or if planning permission around a wraparound and convert the garage for utility/office.
Do you think such an extension could work with the garden? Would it be possible to flatten it?

Thanks :)

Your access a second floor side extension via the current window on the stairs. The current bedrooms wouldn’t be affected.

It had a lovely light, open, airy feel to it, from the photos at least. You could easily have a couple of small children in it as it stands - I know plenty of people who have brought up two DC to adulthood in houses that size or smaller.

You could rearrange the kitchen easily to make more space for units - a peninsula, or a large dresser at the dining end.

On an unrelated note, someone in that house enjoys crochet....

We did discuss making our garage 2 storey but still self contained so the WFH room was upstairs from the garage but not connected to the house.
You might be better just looking for a slightly bigger house maybe not so nicely finished.

Some really helpful thought everyone thanks.
Perhaps we need to consider if we would.be happy with it as is ( we think it's lovely and first house were seriously considering to offer ).

We've watched too much location location location and have dreams of an enormous kitchen/diner/living space. I am not sure we can afford that in a great area right now so maybe get something like this and move in 10 years.

Your access a second floor side extension via the current window on the stairs.

The floor level there is at half storey height, you'd need to fit in an extra half flight of stairs which would take room from the bedroom in the extension.

We've watched too much location location location and have dreams of an enormous kitchen/diner/living space. I am not sure we can afford that in a great area right now so maybe get something like this and move in 10 years.

This makes perfect sense. Very few people start with the dream, but this house looks a great start. And as the title of LLL says, the area means more than size. On that score, this is not a small kitchen/diner/living space anyway. For two adults, and the small people to come, and with the option of a garage playroom/study/whatever, it's plenty.

Watch ‘your house made perfect’. They talk about how extensions can make houses much darker. This is something to really consider.

Like this:
www.rightmove.co.uk/property/100640168

But we haven't been able to find one in an area we like.

Oh wow, never seen a house before linked on here that I've actually been to view! Lovely house and area, I was really considering buying it. Offered somewhere else with better train links (the big downside of North Leeds is how lacking these are).

For me I'd be considering what aspect the garden is and how close that tree really is to the back. It could make any dreams of a Kirsty & Phil style extension a bit of a nightmare if its roots are actually where you want to extend.

Also agree the garden isn't big enough for a large extension and you'd be seriously affecting sellability (not necessarily value) but restricting your market in the future by having a large house with a tiny plot.

If the garden doesn't have the best aspect north/east could explain why it hadn't sold yet. In our area badly aspected houses stick in the market for months longer.

Tree is not really in the way, aspect is east but there are pockets of sunlight coming from West and the garden gets unrestricted light directly from South so days would be nice evenings not so much.

I still don't understand why it has been reduced and why they don't seem to be getting much interest. Would there be any point in offering lower, does guide price indicate anything? Typically I know houses are flying off the shelves but this one doesn't seem to be although seems mostly reasonably priced to us.

Just had a look on the map. Yep a pure north facing garden. You'll not see the sun on that garden from October til April and you'll have to get good at identifying shade loving plants if you want any.

If you don't care about that, then it's a good way to get more house for your money but it will make it harder to shift in the future.

movingtothenorth

You mean the Adel one?

I think the space at the front would be off putting to many, it looks like only space to park one car? And the access to next door is very close to the front window

Looks like a nice house. I think the garden is fine, seems quite private. Lots of patio space.

I wouldn't buy a house knowing I'd have to extend, though. Building work is extremely stressful. And expensive.

Location is v important. Is it exactly where you want to be?

This is the garden as it's not obvious from Rightmove map.

I like the house and I think you can do nice things with the garden. I agree, I’d extend to the side not the back (but you may need planning if you’re fronting onto the road). If you extend to the back then you’ll have even less usable garden. I agree I’d budget at least 80k. Also agree that you’d need to double check whether the lift can be converted by a reputable builder as there can be issues with that age of house. Have any others on the estate done a loft conversion? If not that might indicate it’s not possible. It may also be more cost effective to do a 2 storey side extension anyway though.
Depending on what you value, if you’re after space and potential to increase in value you may be better off with a period property which is less done up, even if not detached (though I appreciate there may not be much on the market).

@SwedeInLeeds

movingtothenorth

You mean the Adel one?

Yes in your first post!

I agree the garden layout would make it harder to extend easily, although that wasn't a consideration for me.

I'd buy to live in as it is but wouldn't spend a lot of money on it. House prices would have to go particularly crazy for you to get it back.

That's crazy
Small Mumsnet world.

Any thoughts about what it's not selling? What did you think of the price?

I think we'd be happy there like many say it's a decent size for a starting family, only slightly worried about resale/overpaying, if it's not selling quickly now, will we have the same problem in the future?

I often see links on here and think oh that house looks nice but in completely the wrong area, so nice to see one that looked very familiar!

I actually thought the price was pretty good for that area and it's been done up really nicely, completely my taste. Sloping garden may put some people off as a family home though, we don't have kids yet so not really something we were bothered about personally but probably not easy for kids to run around in.

As I say above it was lack of being near train station that made us reject it. Otherwise we probably would have made an offer.

@SwedeInLeeds

Tree is not really in the way, aspect is east but there are pockets of sunlight coming from West and the garden gets unrestricted light directly from South so days would be nice evenings not so much.

I still don't understand why it has been reduced and why they don't seem to be getting much interest. Would there be any point in offering lower, does guide price indicate anything? Typically I know houses are flying off the shelves but this one doesn't seem to be although seems mostly reasonably priced to us.

It’s the price, always the price. Anything will sell at the right price. To prospective buyers it has be over priced. I know you like it but ultimately this style of house is not very popular. And the fact that it’s less than 1100 sq.ft means that the 3 bedrooms are very cramped with no scope for real storage. Finally, outside space is very important nowadays, and this doesn’t have it in abundance, either front or back. I totally get your desire to stay in the right location, ultimately location should always be the decider, but it’s not a popular house type that is in demand.

I would think to convert the ensuite into a walk-in wardrobe.

Existing Bedrooms aren't poky -- my 1930s semi had same size rooms.

Don't reduce any more garden.

Keep the garage ('shed') but build over it if you really want spare space -- home office. Those will be very popular in long run.

Google maps shows adequate free parking for possible guests within 2 minutes walk. You don't even have kids or a car so it's seeming kind of greedy to want so much more than this has.

@SwedeInLeeds

This is the garden as it's not obvious from Rightmove map.

@SwedeInLeeds what happened to the conservatory? It's showing in the aerial view but not in the photos or floor plan.

@Hathertonhariden It has been removed, we didn't ask why I guess we would if we go for a second viewing! Probably took some light away from the kitchen.