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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Which house?

80 replies

onedaymaybeone · 20/10/2021 21:33

Help me wise Mumsnetters!

I just had a house purchase fall through after 6 months of waiting. I'm in a good position with my deposit and mortgage secured post divorce and I'm in a rental property. But I need to move as I'm rapidly being priced out the local market and my rent is killing me!

I looked at these 2 houses today.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/114731210

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/115104611

I preferred the feel of the pink one which is down a no through road and has a south facing garden. But its terraced and smaller with no en-suite. Would it be a bad decision to go for it over the blue semi which is bigger, with an en-suite but has a north facing garden and on the through road of the development?

I have 2 primary aged children and a dog. I love the development itself so it's my first choice of area locally.

OP posts:

CovidCorvid · 21/10/2021 08:05

Would you consider something like this. www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110067998#/?channel=RES_BUY

Cheaper. Yes the decor is dated and it would benefit from some new carpets, tiles, etc. But the money you’d save you could afford to do that. It’s certainly liveable in. Ok it doesn’t have the modern niceness of the others but with redecorating it could do. You’d also add value. It’s also significantly bigger. Because I’m not sure a 7ftx7ft bedroom is big enough in the pink house. This could save you having to move again in 5 years, so save estate agent fees, solicitor fees, stamp duty, etc.

Sweetsaremyfave · 21/10/2021 08:09

Pink one. Always pick a south facing garden over a north facing one!

Original poster

onedaymaybeone · 21/10/2021 08:20

@CovidCorvid yes I've considered that but the area is awful. I wouldn't want to bring my kids up there.

That seems to be the trade off. Area over size of house. As I'm on my own I'm leaning towards area as I don't want to feel uncomfortable in my own home.

OP posts:

Onandoff · 21/10/2021 08:25

[quote onedaymaybeone]@CovidCorvid yes I've considered that but the area is awful. I wouldn't want to bring my kids up there.

That seems to be the trade off. Area over size of house. As I'm on my own I'm leaning towards area as I don't want to feel uncomfortable in my own home. [/quote]
Location, Location, Location. Always.

The blue house is quite a bit bigger with 2nd bathroom, better parking, semi, but the 3rd bedroom small. Pink house has a nicer feel, bedrooms better, and nicer garden but terraced. Go for the one you prefer, have a think about the different trade offs and which are more acceptable to you. Other option is to sit tight and see if more come on in this area, is there much turnaround or are these two likely to be the only options for some months?

cittigirl · 21/10/2021 08:29

Could you put a shower in the downstairs utility in the pink one? Theres lots i Iike in the blue one but that 3rd room is too small.

ISeeTheLight · 21/10/2021 09:19

North facing garden would be a deal breaker for me. We're currently in a garden that never gets the sun and it's freezing; in effect it's a room we never get to use. So pink house for me.

Onandoff · 21/10/2021 09:49

@ISeeTheLight

North facing garden would be a deal breaker for me. We're currently in a garden that never gets the sun and it's freezing; in effect it's a room we never get to use. So pink house for me.

It’s not as black and white as that. North facing can be fine if a long garden or not surrounded. South facing can be unbearable in the summer months if a garden is very small. I would look at the garden on a sunny day at this time of year to see how much shade there is.

Original poster

onedaymaybeone · 21/10/2021 09:57

@Onandoff that's a good point. The garden had a garage to the left which would block any west facing sun. I saw it at midday yesterday and it had no sun in it at all. I also noticed it had drainage channels all around the edge so imagine it gets quite wet too. I think the back of the house would get no light coming into it at all.

The pink house was very sunny and yes it could be very hot in the summer.

OP posts:

Onandoff · 21/10/2021 10:02

[quote onedaymaybeone]@Onandoff that's a good point. The garden had a garage to the left which would block any west facing sun. I saw it at midday yesterday and it had no sun in it at all. I also noticed it had drainage channels all around the edge so imagine it gets quite wet too. I think the back of the house would get no light coming into it at all.

The pink house was very sunny and yes it could be very hot in the summer. [/quote]
That doesn’t sound ideal. In that case I’d opt for pink but think about a pergola with some shade in the summer. Will more houses come on do you think?

Plastic01 · 21/10/2021 10:18

blue one, nicer kitchen, bigger 3rd bedroom, extra bathroom. You'll be glad of the extra space as the kids get older.

CellophaneFlower · 21/10/2021 10:20

@northernmonkeymummy

Notice how the both have very little furniture in the 3rd bedroom probably because they hardly fit anything in. So many new builds make the 3rd so tiny it's not practical as a bedroom to be used all the time because once there's a bed in it there's no room for anything else. My friend has one similar and bought a single bed to find out it wouldn't fit so had to get a child size single bed, which pre kids on Saturday nights out we'd toss a coin which of her mates would have to sleep in it. 🤣 I think those size rooms maybe work with younger children but certainly not when they get to be teenagers.

You have my sympathy, the market is crazy at the moment I sold last February a big 5 bed terrace to downsize before the prices rose and now the house I sold would be worth 70k more, I can't even get a nice 3 bed for what I got for mine. I'm hoping with with more probate being granted, furlough ending and the cost of living soaring there may be a slow down in the market. Good luck in your search. X

I don't think this issue is specific to new builds. Many 30s-60s/70s builds have tiny box rooms. In fact my experience of new builds are that the bedroom sizes are often more even, generally at the expense of the master and 2nd beds that are smaller than older houses.

The blue house's box room is bigger than mine and I'm in a 60s house. I see so many call these houses 2.5 beds, but it may be area specific, as certainly in my area a tiny box room is the norm and it's always counted as a bedroom. Even if you can only just about shoehorn a single divan in it.

DotBall · 21/10/2021 10:26

blue one, nicer kitchen, bigger 3rd bedroom, extra bathroom. You'll be glad of the extra space as the kids get older

3rd bedroom is smaller in the blue one.

I prefer the pink because:

More equally proportioned bedrooms
South facing garden
Terraced, so heating bills may be a bit cheaper as you’re in the middle
The lack of en-suite is not a deal breaker and if it’s not a forever home it’s one less thing to clean when you have a young family

CellophaneFlower · 21/10/2021 10:26

Oh and I'm another 1 that would base my decision on garden orientation! I discounted so many houses that didn't have a south or west facing garden. My OH thought I was nuts, but he works long hours and appreciates the evening sun he gets to return to in the summer My garden is also not overlooked and although it wasn't 1 of my requirements previously, it definitely is now, and I'd find it hard to move to a garden with less privacy in the future.

Onandoff · 21/10/2021 10:33

@CellophaneFlower

My garden is also not overlooked and although it wasn't 1 of my requirements previously, it definitely is now, and I'd find it hard to move to a garden with less privacy in the future.

You can get evening sun in an east or north facing garden, depending on how long they are and if they’re not over shadowed by buildings around them.

CagneyNYPD1 · 21/10/2021 10:35

Pink one. It's a no brainer. You have said that you want this to be a 5 year house. So pick the house that will be easier to sell. The slightly bigger 3rd bedroom and better garden will win every time.

TheEconomista · 21/10/2021 10:36

They have the same amount of internal space and are already quite small. I’d have bigger bedrooms and one less bathroom.

For me, being on a no through road wins it. The sense of quiet will be greater. Tough call though as being mid terrace you have two sets of neighbours through the wall rather than just one.

If you know you like the pink one better go for it - there’s pros and cons to each.

Original poster

onedaymaybeone · 21/10/2021 10:42

@TheEconomista that is what is appealing to me too. Lots of kids from my children's school live on the street and play out together.

OP posts:

Original poster

onedaymaybeone · 21/10/2021 10:44

I would complete the chain on the blue house so I could be in a lot quicker which is appealing. But I would feel so bad putting one of my children in what essential feels like a cupboard for a bedroom!!

I'm finding making this big decision on my own hard!!

OP posts:

Datsandcogs · 21/10/2021 10:53

Blue one. Enclosed garden, nicer kitchen, drive and garage more accessible, extra bathroom and a semi not a terrace.

There are some lovely positives to the pink one (like the south facing garden) but not enough to Oatway the blue’s positives.

NewHouseNewMe · 21/10/2021 10:56

The pink house with the light has a lovely feel to it. Regarding the third bedroom, just set it up with a cabin or bunk bed and a desk/playarea underneath and your child will love it. It's plenty big. I like the idea of a quute road.
Good luck with your move. Exciting times!

senua · 21/10/2021 10:57

It will probably be a 5 year house. So it's a stepping stone rather than my forever home.
Based on the fact that you want it to re-sell it soon and that this thread is majorly in favour of pink, I'd go pink.

Bedroom 3 in blue really is too small.

senua · 21/10/2021 11:02

Although I like the pink, I find it strange that the kitchen/utility/loo on the ground floor is at the back but the bathroom on the first floor is at the front. Check out the plumbing arrangements.

Hoosemover · 21/10/2021 12:12

The parking at the pink one would be a red flag for me. Neighbour parking disputes are a pain in butt.

Is the blue one on a busy through road.

I just bought a detached bungalow with a north facing back garden. It in a quiet cul de sac where neighbours have seats in their front south facing garden.

The market is nuts at the moment and unfortunately you need patience and comprise to find something.

Pinkdelight3 · 21/10/2021 12:29

Blue one for me, especially with what you've just said about the chain. After your six-month ordeal, no way would I get tied up with anything that wasn't ready to go. Also the parking looks much better, I like an en suite and despite garden direction (which isn't remotely a dealbreaker for me), the garden of the blue looks better. What's the chain situation with the pink house?

Pinkdelight3 · 21/10/2021 12:34

Road wouldn't put me off either - from the front photo, it looks set far back with front yard, path then grass. Also re bedroom size, my DC are now teens, have decent sized bedrooms, and at no point have they ever spent any time in them except when for sleeping, so as long as the smaller room fits a bed in, that wouldn't trouble me either. You know your kids though, and sounds like your want to go pink. Just weigh it up based on the likelihood of the sale going through, or you'd potentially end up with neither and get priced out. That would be my key factor.

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