It's a compromise either way!

[amipreparedtocompromise]

Name changed for this because I've asked so many people in real life! DH and I have looked at 2 houses. Both chain free, both in budget, both lovely.

One has 4 bedrooms but they aren't particularly big. It has a lovely long garden and private parking. It's down a private road close to the river so very quiet and safe.

The other has 5 bedrooms and space for an office. Not such a big garden but backs onto a play park. It's also less than 5 minutes to walk to the village shop and school but near the main road through. My heart says it wants the smaller house in the beautiful location but my head says more inside space is better.
For context we have 2 children, one boy one girl. My DH works from home and I have a small sewing business. Neither of us are keen gardeners and it's a relatively small village we're looking in.

I've linked the houses below. Which one would you go for? Should I let my head rule my heart?

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118818557 smaller house, lovely location, fab garden

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85310154 bigger house, village location, small garden

It's not that I don't like either it's that I like them both very much but for different reasons. If I could smush them together it would be the perfect house

Oh I can see why you are torn, really charming properties both, and great prices!

We have lived for 10 years + in a townhouse (large kitchen downstairs, sitting room upstairs) and we have been fine with it because the house had so many good points... however for our next house I was actively discarding townhouses as wanted to have kitchen/dining/sitting/garden on same floor.

Flooding risk has to be higher on the first one, seriously look at that. Check the map and the risk level as it will impact future value of the property when you come to sell.also large gardens look nice but can take serious upkeep - if you enjoy it that’s fine but it can become a pain.

If it's a private road, is it adopted as you will be responsible for maintaining it if not.

environment.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=4d066e4a4373486e96dff8d3a86207ae

Yes that's also putting us off a lot. Apparently they don't know who owns it but several years ago they all forked out to have it resurfaced. The vendor chipped in £6K. It's unlikely we would have that kind of money lying around if necessary and even if we did I'm not sure I'd want to spend it on a road I don't own!

Gosh I can see why you're struggling OP, I've only looked at both for a few minutes and changed my mind about 6 times!

Not your question I know but... Have you discounted the one on Allen view in Catton? I don't know the area and I'm guessing there's a reason for the price?

Number 1. It's lovely, you can go straight in without doing anything, the garden is just grass so won't take a lot of work.

Number 2, courtyard puts me off but I appreciate you might not mind, it's mainly the sloping ceilings which massively reduce the useable space, and you either need to spend money on decor or wear sunglasses indoors. That gloss paint on one of the walls will be a bugger to cover.

I am agog at the prices and now want to move to Northumberland.

Private road would put me off and the layout of the first one. Also it's very dark looking. Great to have a large outside space but realistically that's a lot of hard work and we live indoors most of the time. Is the garden north facing. If so it won't be much of a sun trap anyway.

If you're never going to move again the second one will be brill. You won't be a taxi service when the children are older and they'll be able to have more independence. Despite the road you'll probably live at the back of the house mostly anyway.

For me the second would be the preferred choice.

We looked at Allen View and fell in love. It went to best and final and we offered £30k over asking and didn't get it. It would have been absolutely perfect for us but it obviously wasn't meant to be

No 1 has a lot of retaining walls in the garden, they will need expensive maintenance at some stage, ditto septic tank. Also looks a bit dank and gloomy. No 2 for me.

The one where you can walk to stuff. I just think as your kids grow, they will love the independence and freedom it gives them.

Also, do you mind me asking what your sewing business is? I am trying to set one up atm and looking for ideas!

I don’t think either, sorry.
What’s your position re: selling, are you getting desperate now, hence its these two or nothing?

I sell baby and toddlers leggings and rompers 😊 nothing huge but it ticks over nicely when my job is off season. It would be fantastic to have a room just for my sewing stuff, I have a cupboard at the moment!

Not desperate although we expect our house to sell very quickly. It's more that you get an awful lot of house for the money and I'm not sure we'll get that again and we're very squashed as a family of 4 in a tiny 2 bed cottage

No 1 has a lot of retaining walls in the garden, they will need expensive maintenance at some stage, ditto septic tank. Also looks a bit dank and gloomy

all of this ^

i would run a mile from that garden with all those retaining walls; we had one in our last house and it cost a small fortune when it started to give way. And you say you’re not even keen gardeners!!

but most importantly, I would never, ever buy that house with its flood risk. Do you remember the flash flooding in Germany last year?! Walk away.

I see. No idea what the market is like in your area, but here, by the time you’ve marketed and got an offer on yours, those two will be sold.
So if you want to move, I’d make sure you want to (other than those houses) - sounds like you do - and then go for it and see what’s available when you’re SSTC.
Good luck!

I looked again OP- if you dont mind just a courtyard I def think the second will be easier on the wallet for you- and without flood risk- you only have to flood once and then struggle with insurance and selling on. If it's only a row of 3 parking will be fine. - and lots of rooms always is good for storage- we don't need all our bedrooms even as spares, so we have 1 small bed room just with clothes rails (meaning our bedroom is bigger) plus it holds all our suitcases and bags etc

I love allendale! What a beautiful place. Lucky you for getting to move there.
I presume you know about New Year's Eve in the village? If not - look it up and it might influence your decision on house 2. The square gets very busy (it's brilliant btw).
Personally I think house 1 is better. It's got so much potential and in a slightly quieter location.
The better park in the village (not the one in the photo in house 2) is also a short walk through the woods from house 1.

Oh, and don't worry about the 'bush road' comments about house 2. It's allendale - a remote village in Northumberland. There are no busy roads! Perhaps the odd tractor.

*busy!

Yes we love the tar bar'ls! I've live here for 17 years, I absolutely love it. My kids don't really like the main park, it's looking a bit sad now. The one behind the house is pretty new so it's nicer I think

I went into work this morning, chatting to a colleague and it turns out house 2 belongs to my boss! I plucked up the courage and asked her what her bottom line is and she said she would let me know so that might influence us too

Neither, tbh, but if it has to be one of them then no. 2. The river and the private road would really worry me about house no. 1. And I wouldn’t want to move somewhere I’d be so completely car dependent, especially with children who will grow into teenagers and not be able to go anywhere without you driving them.

Definitely the first one! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a house with interiors quite as jarring as the second one. Some of it is carpeting and walls, but that kitchen diner is very ugly! And the bedrooms don’t look inviting.