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Original poster

Can you find this house please?

131 replies

TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc · 27/01/2023 04:23

Before I start, I know that this is a bit mad and it sounds like we want the moon on a stick, but bear with me.

We have £500k cash.
Both can work from anywhere.
Current property is sold, we are confident that we can find another buyer if it all fell through. We had 3 offers on this house, it's a desirable area etc.
We don't want to dick anyone around, similarly we want to find the right place for us.

In addition to our cash we could get up to £500k mortgage. We don't want to buy a £1 million house, we want to buy a house and make it the way we want.
Ideally we want to buy a house for £500k, and take up to £200k mortgage for 'improvements'.

We are middle aged. DCs have left home.
We have difficult relationships with both sets of our parents, they are all in the South West. We want to be far enough away, but not too far. Am the only daughter on my side & only wife on DH's side, if we stay, care of parents will fall to me.

We want:
A house with views, maybe on a hill or in a valley, with views. Areas we would consider (price permitting):
Herefordshire
South Wales inc Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire
Anywhere on the Wales/England border, up to and including Shropshire

The house;
4+ beds
Plenty of outside space - at least 1/2 an acre
Lots of parking inc space for double garage if one doesn't already exist
Outbuildings if possible

We want to be able to sit and enjoy dinner in the sunset.
We particularly like South Wales

One example of the type of house we like:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123993128#/?channel=RES_BUY

All ideas gratefully received and considered!
Thank you

OP posts:

Original poster

TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc · 27/01/2023 15:15

@SollaSollew Knighton house is lovely but, and this is subtle, I think that it has an agri covenant (it says it's pasture land).
Windmill - grade 2 listed.
Pwllglas - wow! Would have to look at upkeep costs of old mill equipment, because we would want to keep it immaculate for the future. Otherwise, it's a definite maybe. Btw, the description of this one leaves us on a cliffhanger (read through and you'll see what I mean).
Corwen is nice, doesn't grab me as much as some others, but yes, I like it.
Llandrindod love Llandrindod generally, love that property - and DH would never tire of saying 'to the Bat Cave' 😂

@ScatteredMama82 I have looked at that house in person! I'm not going to say why it wasn't quite right, but it wasn't!
Thank you, it's absolutely the right idea.

@CellophaneFlower I can't quote your post because it already has a quote in it, but you wrote:

'Whilst I sympathise with families that are stuck in a house that's too small for them, it would never be the reason I downsized.

If I did, it would be as it would make life easier for myself, not out of some kind of duty/unwritten law which states I'm only allowed rooms for which I have children to fill.'

I was adding my own comments to yours.

OP posts:

CellophaneFlower · 27/01/2023 15:15

CellophaneFlower · 27/01/2023 15:01

I think you've tagged the wrong person!

Show quote history

Ahhh I get it now - I thought you were sympathizing over my situation. Sorry!

CellophaneFlower · 27/01/2023 15:16

Cross post!

Sublimeursula · 27/01/2023 15:18

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Sublimeursula · 27/01/2023 15:20

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Sublimeursula · 27/01/2023 15:23

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blitzen · 27/01/2023 15:24

I think you should get as far away as possible from those expectations of caring responsibilities, and come further north!

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127536242

Original poster

TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc · 27/01/2023 15:25

@NameChange005 Yep. That too.

And DH wants room for his hobby. I'm going to break with tradition and tell you what DH's hobby is; he restores guitars and other similar stringed instruments e.g. banjos etc.

He needs some space for that, preferably an outbuilding - because of the smells etc - that we can set up with alarms - because some of the instruments are worth a lot of money.

I'll be back later. We would love to live in the North, but one of our DCs has settled in the South we can leave, but only want to go so far.

OP posts:

CottonSock · 27/01/2023 15:25

The towns around Abercynon and Mountain Ash would put me off that one (sorry if anyone lives there).

Carrotpuffs · 27/01/2023 15:28

TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc · 27/01/2023 14:19

@Carrotpuffs and @Elsanore tell me about it. Have spent my whole life trying to explain equality to my parents.
The treatment my brothers have received is so different from me.

Honestly, that's a whole thread of it's own e.g. my parents kicked me out of their (very large) house when I was 16, before my GCSEs because 'girls should make their own home'.
They paid for my brother's Uni, I had to pay for my own because I could 'marry well' and I didn't need a degree because I was a girl.

My younger sister ended her own life in her teens. I'm crying writing this, just remembering it. I wish I had known and I wish I had taken her in.

I'm so sorry to hear all that, sounds like an awful lot to deal with. You must be dignified to be making big life decisions based on their needs after how they've treated you and your sister. I agree with @Hoppinggreen. Choose somewhere you love, I'm sure it's out there. It's not my neck of the woods so won't make any recommendations!

Hongkongsuey · 27/01/2023 15:29

Pwllglas is lovely and Ruthin a great little town but think it might not be great location wise if you’re travelling to the south. But it’s bang in the Clwydian range and often misses out on the rain that Wales is famous for!

Seasonofthewitch83 · 27/01/2023 15:45

I love this thread, some beautiful houses - hope you find somewhere that you will love OP!

AlwaysLatte · 27/01/2023 15:50

Slight de-rail….but why do you want a 4 bed house if there are only 2 of you? It’s sounds like you are at the stage in life where you should be downsizing……
It's the opposite here - two have left home, but two are still home and the ones that have left need more space when they stay, not less as they have families too now! So we'll never downsize.

ShirleyHolmes · 27/01/2023 15:59

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127038866#/?channel=RES_BUY

over budget but holiday cottage and gorgeous location.

NameChange005 · 27/01/2023 16:02

GoodChat · 27/01/2023 14:32

This is stunning but would have to be to your taste www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125061767

I absolutely love that, but the thought of trying to keep the main living area warm gave me palpitations!

ShirleyHolmes · 27/01/2023 16:04

Omg, think this is too small for you but I love it!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129337850#/?channel=RES_BUY

This is v rural North Carmarthenshire. Another gorgeous area of Carms for views is Gwynfe.

ShirleyHolmes · 27/01/2023 16:09