Help me choose a house! Urgent!

[Chesthairlikekingkong]

We are downsizing for financial reasons, two young children, pets who need an outdoor space (so not most flats). We cannot borrow anymore due to financial commitments, and the bank won't let us.
We have to live in an expensive area for work and school.
A three bed semi with garden in a nice area is just not gunna pop up, even in a shit part of this area, they just don't come up.
I have to get a move on as we are at risk of losing our buyers. We have been waiting for something perfect but have come to the realisation that perfect doesn't exist on our budget.
Option 1:
Bungalow with two beds and a loft space. It's basically a half completed renovation. In our dream area. Very Small bedrooms and weird layout, which could be changed if we could bash down a room. Quiet road and nice residential street. Back garden is small but workable and pretty outlook. Unlikely to be able to extend.
We would be able to save a lot on mortgage payments but would have to spend on ongoing building work. I am not practical so this will have to be outsourced.

Option 2: sprawling three bed in crap area. Not rough but soulless. Not near anything except a run down corner shop. 20 minutes drive to school and work (we can walk from option 1 to both) crap buses for DP. HOWEVER! Huge rooms and garden. Nice decor. Good street, very quiet and pro social neighbours. Lovely outbuildings and annex thing which will be useful for guests.

Help, which one? Or neither?

Option 1. Location is what you want. Complete the work and you'll have a dream home.

@bellac11 no not really but if you're cycling with a six and seven year old then it really makes a difference!

Often people can’t rent as it would technically be a mortgage redemption and penalty plus they might have higher interest rates on a new mortgage

Definitely Option 1. Option 2 is really ugly.

Option 1 or 3 for me. I don’t cope well with soul less. Plus lm struggling to see how to improve the kerb side appeal of 2?

I can see why you're torn!
I'd have said option 1 on paper, but seeing the links I'd be tempted by option 2 due to the space and garden, plus it has a log burner!

Option 1 is probably worth more in future and would be a better long term investment whether you move or not, as being walking distance to things is really helpful. If you did that loft room out nicely that would add a lot of space and value. But it would be a PITA and expensive to finish I expect.

Age of children and your future plans would probably sway it either way.

What about this one? Same area as the bungalow but much nicer inside, you could probably do a loft conversion (I don't know of course)
Only 2 beds but possible kids could share?

I'd take that over option 2 anyway, looks like badly made ex council house

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130163255#/?channel=RES_BUY

@Largethighsbadeyes it's only a two bed and I don't know how easy it would be to go into the loft. I have a boy and a girl.

Trust me I've seen every possible house for sale in bs16!

Option 1
Location, location, location!

Option 1, always location over house for me.
So much so that my family and I live in a flat in an area we love, over a house elsewhere.

Well I was more thinking of your OH in terms of you saying the buses were rubbish, is he travelling in to the city centre?

Having a done a thorough nosy around on street view, I get what you mean about the option 2 area, its a bit flat and perhaps not as pretty (although that road in particular is nice I think), I think you should go for option 2

There is far more potential. Your children are young, them and their stuff will get bigger, their friends get bigger. The garden could be phenomenal and so could the inside of the property once you do it like you want to, it wont take as much work and you'll have a much bigger property overall no matter what you do with option 1

Option 2.

The bungalow seems very small, is there somewhere for a dining table so you can all eat together?

The option 2 house has good bones, it looks to be ex council and they tend to be solid properties. Decent garden and room sizes.

I would worry about two things with option one. The vendor is making you aware that the loft conversation is “unofficial” plus they also state “sold as seen”…..do your homework meticulously. Option two is ugly, but it has loads of potential.

Neither! The one PP has posted is far superior- go into the loft in a while. I'm not sure how you think Option 2 has nice decor, it looks like it needs a good bit of work (most walls at least)

I think the photos for option 2 are pretty crap

The house isnt as dark on that on the outside

@TheGriffle we live in an ex local authority now and the rooms are massive, it's also soundproofed really well. I can't believe how much you can hear next door in other properties! It would drive me crackers!

Option 1 says the loft conversion is unofficial which generally means a bodge job that doesn't comply with building regs that you shouldn't touch with a barge pole.

It's a really tricky one!
I'm so used to living close to lots of shops pubs etc in an area with good public transport plus most things that I need are walkable. I'd really struggle to get used to an area where everything is a bus ride away.
That said, I like the second house far more than the first due to the space and garden.

But, if option 1 is big enough to meet your needs I'd go for that.

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea does that really matter if we get it checked out and signed off? Surely that would be cheaper than a whole new loft extension on another two bed property?

I think option 1 has potential but the attic ceilings need to be a certain height to be able to class it as a bedroom?
option 2 is much bigger and has a good garden but if you don’t like the area is it worth the compromise?

@josephjohnson yeah I'm really loath to have to get in the car to go everywhere because I've never lived like that. I've never even worked somewhere I can't get the bus or walk to!

Option 2 definitely from the links

It rather depends on whether it would get signed off or whether you would have to start from scratch as the current owners may not have done things like reinforce the joists.

Option 1