Detached house or semi detached we are 3 weeks away from completing on

[permanentgiraffe]

We are 3 weeks away from completion on a semi detached which wasn't perfect as 2 bedrooms had restricted headspace and the living/dining/kitchen areas were in the same room - still a very nice house nonetheless. South east facing garden.

A detached house on the same estate came up a week ago, and partner and I went to view it. It is £50k more. We can afford it, although it is at the top of our budget. Same number of bedrooms as semi, but none have restricted headspace. Separate living room and separate kitchen/diner. However, the pictures made it look light but in reality it was a bit gloomy (North facing garden). Also, the dining and living areas are in full view of the street outside.

Obviously we are very close to purchasing the semi detached - I think if both had come on at the same time I would have gone for the detached. Wise mumsnetters, what would you do in this situation?

It depends what you want most doesn't it, for me I like three storey homes but wouldn't want my lounge to be upstairs. That said, if you plan to move in say 2-3 years it may be worth saving the money now and buying a better detached with a better plot/light/garden.

I wouldn’t by a three story house, they’re difficult to sell as it isn’t the normal way of living and I wouldn’t want all those different floors for sleeping with children! You’ll be up and down all night!!

The detached is better laid out and more users friendly!

The floor plan of the detached is so much better I'd put an offer in and see what happens .

I'd go for the detached personally as the living room is on the ground floor and the bedrooms look great sizes. You mentioned it seems gloomy, how is it decorated as light paint could really brighten it?

The fact its a semi wouldn't bother me, bit I hate townhouse layouts with bedrooms split over multiple floors.

I'd go semi if you'll be in the financial position to move when you're ready if the move is for the convenience of the commute more than anything else.

South East garden over North every time. We have a South West and it's glorious in the early/mid afternoon on a hot day and shady then late afternoon. We are also (well, we were) a new build but 17 years old now (Wimpey). No issues whatsoever with noise between houses.

The detached layout looks much better, and it'll be easier to sell. Also I don't buy the office/bedroom4 downstairs. That's just sellers trying it on. So you're really looking at a 4 bed detaches vs a 3 bed semi. And £50k difference between those is really not bad. Also restricted head height is a problem - it makes rooms less usable. Get the detached 😍

Detached. Much wider appeal.

As you are so close to completing I would go for the semi now possibly with a view to moving later.
There is no guarantee you will even get the detached. You say it is at the top of your budget and it still isn't your ideal home. You can live in your semi for a few years escape your long commute and take your time to find your ideal home nearer the train station.

I don't know where you live but where I am the market is so buoyant all houses go for higher than their advertised price. So the detached might go for more than you can afford anyway

I'd go for the semi - I couldn't bear living in a gloomy house and if you plan on spending time in the garden a SE facing will be so much better. That said, I love open-plan living so that would be a huge bonus for me vs the detatched. I live in a 4 bed semi and I very rarely hear anything from my neighbours.

I think you’d regret not trying for the detached

That's a good idea. Buy the semi and hold out for the forever home

Our plan would be to use the room marked "Lounge" as another bedroom, and use the downstairs room as a kitchen/dining/living area. The small room at the front will be used as a study.

You’re three weeks away from completion…. What a dick move op 🙄

A house is one of the biggest purchases you'll ever make. Yeah it's a bit crap for everyone else but this is hundreds of thousands of pounds. You have to do what's right for you.

In that case op I would carry on and go with the semi. Often detached homes on estates aren't as detached as they could be.

Yes @permanentgiraffe if you were saying I have found this house that ticks all my boxes and I can see staying here forever of course you should go for it.

But actually I think you have a house where the cons are

1. Semi detached
2. over 3 floor layout
3. complete open plan layout

vs a house where the issues are

1. Gloomy feel of rooms
2. Dining and living rooms in full view of main road
3. North facing garden
4. more expensive - top of budget and not even forever home
5. No guarantee you would get it
6. Possibility of a chain that means you could be commuting for 4-6 months at least

The sensible choice is I think to move into the semi with the idea that it is a stop gap of 2-3 years when you get a proper feel for the area and what you want forever.

This is a good summary. Whether we can afford a detached in a few years time is another question?

Agree with @Quartz2208 . If you were renting in the area then I’d say stay put and keep looking, but think of the cost saving you can make by not commuting that far, plus also time saved. If you look on the semi as a step up the ladder for a few years then go for it.

if you had no plans to move and could afford detached then I’d say that one, but it doesn’t sound right for you either. We have vetoed some new builds that have no frontage between house & the estate road due to feeling overlooked.

Don’t let guilt make your choice if you do want to pull out of the semi (which I’m sure you will feel, we felt bad pulling out of a sale we’d only agreed a week before!) it’s big investment and has to be right for you.

it’s also a lesson in stopping looking once you’ve proceeded as far as you have, there’s always something else waiting in the wings! I will practice what I preach on this.

It's such a shame the detached has come on when we are so far along in our purchase

How much is stamp duty? How much are your fees / removals etc - ar e toy wanting to pay it twice verses £50K now? Worth looking at the figures - I know property prices rise, but if you live in the semi, reduce the lounge to a bedroom and a bedroom to a study - I think you’ll lose money.

We actually lived in the same floorplan Barratt house as the semi you're looking at - built 2014 and we were terraced but a coach house on 1 side. Sound proofing was no issue. We lived there 7 years and it was our first home.

We liked having the living room upstairs, for us the downstairs space was brilliant for general living and entertaining but would have felt too small for it to be the only space - we used upstairs as more of a movie room/grown up living room when ds came along.

The downstairs room was a study for us too. Im not sure how the restricted head height in the guest room (assuming you mean the one above the lounge?) means you cant get jnto bed from one side? We had a double in there (and pre ds in the 3rd bedroom actually) with no issues at all.

We left when ds was 3 as we wanted a bigger ground floor and have moved to a 1930s semi. We've actually lost some upstairs space in the process but gained more garden and now we are all on the same floor (which doesn't really make a difference, ds was happy a floor up).

I pulled out of a purchase a week before exchange. (No chain but I would have done it anyway). You can't buy somewhere for fear of upsetting others.

The people saying "dick move" would do the same if it came down to it.

I don't like the "townhouse" layout. Neither is ideal tbh.

But you must have been still looking for a property and you booked an appointment and went to view it, even though you were fast approaching exchange and completion on the semi?