Help me choose between 2 v different properties please

[chummymummy7]

Hello! you were all so helpful last time that I've come back for more of your pearls please.

We've sold our house STC and need to get cracking finding a house for our family of 4 nearer to our kids' school.

We viewed these two at the weekend: one (character semi) at the top of our budget, one (modern-ish end of terrace) at the middle.

Our needs are 3 beds, a garden, access to the A1, space to work and play, and a kitchen/diner.

2 bathrooms would be a 'nice to have' but 2 toilets essential.

Which one of these would you choose to put an offer on if you were us? Ridiculous proposition to people who don't actually know us, but you know what I mean.

nb: the WGC house doesn't have a bath, it has a walk in shower.

(both will probably end of going for way over asking, knowing the current market)

Modern less pricey

Character more pricey

The modern one. 100 times better.

I like the first one more, and much better location IMO

Where does your eldest go to school? I would probably choose WGC as there is more to do there for older kids….

@HalleLouja they both go to school near Welwyn village - so Kneb is marginally closer.

Do they go to the private school? I am just thinking of where their friends will be living and where you will have to ferry them to. I would still choose WGC. I like Knebworth though.

From your answers you already know. Character one is the one.

Modern one. I absolutely love it.

The character one is much more liveable in terms of layout. More zones for each family member to use separately without getting on top of each other.
Don’t be dazzled by shiny modern kitchen the character one is much more practical

Both v nice. I would choose character house.

Wow they are both lovely I'm edging towards the modern one though

The first one is a victim of the open plan trend which is becoming less popular. Surely with teens you will want at least two separate living spaces so you can tune them out a bit?! Also the third bedroom is a boxroom - which kid will get that? How will you manage the inevitable tensions?

Therefore I’d say number 2 or keep looking.

Character property!

I do like the look of the Knebworth house. The bedrooms look nicely sized.

I prefer the more modern one. I know the area it’s in well.
There is a small shop very close by. It’s very close to Stanborough Park. WGC town centre is not far to walk too. There is a bit of background noise from the A1 but it’s in an otherwise peaceful residential area. There are children at the private school (if that’s the one your children go to) living within walking distance.

@SimonedeBeauvoirscat

The first one is a victim of the open plan trend which is becoming less popular. Surely with teens you will want at least two separate living spaces so you can tune them out a bit?! Also the third bedroom is a boxroom - which kid will get that? How will you manage the inevitable tensions?

Therefore I’d say number 2 or keep looking.

Is open plan really becoming less popular? - or is this more of the usual we've had this trend for too long now so it must be dated! I don't like the Knebworth house - the living room has the remnants of a wall badly knocked through and the kitchen is an awkward shape. I think I'd go for the Welwyn house.

Purely on the pics of the houses, because I don't know the areas, I'd go for the character property. I couldn't live without a bath (nope, not even slightly melodramatic) and the second just seems way more homely than the first.

Another WGC option:

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122470367#/?channel=RES_BUY

Closer to the station than the one you looked at. Also traditional West Side WGC design.

I like the one that @GnomeDePlume has just posted. Lots of potential there!

The modern one. Love the skylight in the kitchen! Garden is a nicer setting too.

Oh yes @GnomeDePlume that's a good house thanks.

The trouble is we'd have a big fat £0 left over to do it up and fulfil that potential.

Personally, I would go for the Knebworth house. Parking in the WGC house could be an issue as it is communal in the description rather than designated.

I grew up in this part of Hertfordshire. Parking could be an issue 30 years ago!

Character. Two bathrooms is a godsend.

I would go for character property as terrace has one very small bedroom. That would cause an argument between my kids. Both look quite spacious but character property has more square metres.

Character one, far nicer, better combo of necessary spaces and bigger.