Oh Wise Property-Loving Mumsnetters, please give me the benefit of your thoughts and experiences.
DH and I, plus 4 kids, live in a 1930s 4 bedroom detached house, which we have recently got permission to extend upstairs. This would give us 5 bedrooms and would therefore extend the length of time we would happily live here, but it still wouldn’t be our “forever house” (although it has a large kitchen diner, the lounge is a bit small, and we would love to have a bigger garden).
We really like where we live - it’s a large village, and we wouldn’t want to leave it. Properties bigger than 4 bedroom very rarely come up here, and our plan was to complete the extension and realise the potential we saw in the house when we bought it 9 years ago. Then eventually leave if something bigger came on the market. I have not been looking at RightMove for the last few years, but DH has.
He saw that a large, v old property has gone up for sale nearby. We have viewed it once, and are planning to view it again, but I am very much in two minds about moving there. Here is my list of pros and cons:
Pros:
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Ginormous garden, great for young kids to explore, even has some woodland and a stream. Also great potential for the mythical time in the future when I have free time to do gardening!
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Masses of kerb appeal, v pretty property from outside
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Bags of character
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Potential ability to make money from AirBnb rentals in 2 bed property in grounds
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Lots of space inside, kids can all have own bedroom and we can have friends to stay easily
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V peaceful setting. On quiet road with neighbours not close enough to be heard in the garden. (Our current neighbours on one side can be noisy. Not really often, i.e. wouldn’t move just for this reason. Neighbours on other side are quiet.)
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Seems in good condition, but v dated.
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Location in terms of schools etc is really good. Our current position is better, but we would be likely to have to compromise on that anywhere that we might move, especially if we want a bigger garden.
Cons:
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Layout slightly unusual and doesn’t “flow” well like a modern house would. It’s a listed building (grade 2) which apparently doesn’t necessarily prevent you creating gaps in internal walls to make it more open plan, but there are fireplaces which would mean ability to change layout somewhat limited.
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Our current kitchen has bifold doors at the back and Velux windows, so is very light. Kitchen at property has one pair of French doors at the back and several windows along one side. Lovely, and not actually gloomy, but obviously not as open as many other properties, and it isn’t easy to see the beautiful garden from the kitchen, which seems a shame. I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be allowed to add more windows/french doors at the back (would obviously match style, etc), but would love to hear if anyone has been allowed to do this with a listed building. The other rooms have lots of windows and are quite light. For me, it’s just that I like kitchens to be super-light!
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Obviously being old, it is likely to be cold in winter? Current house has underfloor heating, whereas this one has radiators, and they look old. Could eventually replace heating I guess, but would never have the even heat of underfloor heating (which I love). Possibility of underfloor heating in kitchen, which appears not to have original floor, but rest of house has original floorboards, which we wouldn’t rip up of course.
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I feel pathetic saying this as I don’t believe in the supernatural, and yet I suspect I will feel freaked out if I have to get up to the loo in the night, or if I am there at night on my own? Current owners have been there 41 years, so they presumably weren’t spooked by it. Bedrooms upstairs along a long corridor, so I would feel further away from the kids than in our current house. DD (6) is already a bit funny about going upstairs on her own in current house, so I wonder whether she would ever do so in this house.
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A lot of work needed to bring it up to date, which may include rewiring, replumbing, new heating system, not to mention new carpets, curtains, etc. Our offer would reflect this, but I don’t want to miss our kids growing up whilst concentrating on it all.
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A lot is going on in our lives at the mo (nothing bad, but just v busy), and we really weren’t planning to move yet.
Summary:
Beautiful, characterful house with amazing garden. Mortgage would stretch us a bit but the ability to make money may balance that in a way that other, similarly-priced properties would not offer. I think kids would have great adventures in the garden, so should I overlook slightly odd layout, coldness in winter, lack of huge windows in kitchen and probable spookiness (at least initially, in my own head) for them to be able to enjoy the garden, and for us to perhaps be better off financially in the long run, which obviously benefits them too?
This property would probably not come on the market again for many years. Location is pretty good, whereas other properties that perhaps tick more boxes in terms of internal space, would likely mean moving slightly outside the village, especially if we wanted more garden space. I would feel sad to have to drive into the village centre, instead of being able to walk.
I do recognise that this is a nice dilemma to have and that we are lucky as we are. But I would appreciate your help to help make up my mind. I am worried about moving there and regretting it, vs not moving there and regretting it!