Can you find this house please?

[TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc]

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

Also the more I read your posts the more I am convinced that the Malvern area would be perfect for you. It is a collection of what we’re originally small villages. The views, the pubs, the walking, character houses are all there for you. West Malvern, Malvern wells, Colwall, even out towards Alfrick and suckley, Hanley swan… you have a lot of options!

Ah, I understand. The odd commute to London by train is alright, I find, but I'm closer to Newcastle. Anything further might need a flight and Newcastle Airport isn't the best to be honest. Good luck in your search. It sounds like you're in a great position and there are so many great suggestions on this thread! Think you'll be spoilt for choice! X

@TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc

We're not in a position to do any viewings yet as we have only gone on the market this week (and just to complicate things further we don't live in the UK at the moment).

More than happy to give feedback at the point we can view. Agree with pp who said their first thought was "blimey, it's going to cost a fortune to heat that space"

@Crabsy makes a good point re 3 beds. A family member has sent us a link to a lovely place which hasn't come up on our searches because it is marketed as a three bed. However, there are a number of extra rooms so would easily fulfill our needs for when the whole family come to stay.

Will look through the other links later as we definitely have a degree of crossover in what we are looking for!

@TheHillsAreAliveWithTheSoundOfEtc definitely look at 3 beds- our current house is only 3 bed but has a large extension room joined in downstairs that is 17ft by 10 ft and can be whatever you want including
A good guest bedroom - we would have missed it if I had filtered by 4 beds.

love this thread ,I had to throw this in both on outskirts of Brecon Beacons near where I live, cheaper one has lovely views over the valley although none bedrooms its a beautiful house. Also if you wanted to spend more second one but less character,

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129471647#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127375916#/?channel=RES_BUY

That first Brecon one is absolutely stunning! If only I had 600k plus another 300k to do it up! Let’s hope whoever buys it doesn’t rip out the character, I love it!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129146660#/?channel=RES_BUY

If you fancy The Good Life…..

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85364328#/?channel=RES_BUY

Another gorgeous house and area.

re the lack of floor plan - if you’re interested in one without one, I would ring the EA and say you are interested and you need one before consideration. They should oblige, these big Welsh country houses don’t tell to sell overnight and they should want your custom!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/127321340#/?channel=RES_BUY

Only three beds as it stands but obviously space to extend, or put up a garden room/log cabin/yurt. I would be careful of it may being dark though with the hill behind the house and the woodland. But gorgeous!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/125754671#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/129173570#/?channel=RES_BUY

only three bedrooms but below budget so options.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130930358#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121621847#/?channel=RES_BUY

another three bed but loads of reception space.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122119598#/?channel=RES_BUY

another three bed with options

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130143116#/?channel=RES_BUY

over the border in England.

I have to go out now which is a shame! I love house shopping, particularly when it’s way out of my budget!!

Will check back into thread later.

OMG the chicken wire around the mezzanine!!!!!

You can always do a single storey extension if you want a bigger downstairs. That's what we did.

I agree, and it does also depend on the house - lots of old country cottages are higgledy piggeldy made from previous barns or outbuildings converted and added onto the original house, integrated garages with bedrooms over the top etc. Having seen a lot of houses in and around Malvern, I can think of numerous examples of houses where there is a big imbalance between size of upstairs and downstairs (eg. Friend has a place which is very modest downstairs, average sized hall, kitchen, lounge and small study - that’s it - but upstairs has seven bedrooms!)

I’m stuck on you calling yourself “middle aged” OP, but you’re not even 50!!!

I’m 44, but definitely think that I’m early 20s in my head 😂

@PeachesPudding oh absolutely, in my head I'm 21 😆. Thing is; I'm going to be a Grandma soon, I can't pretend forever!

I'm going to go through the houses & @ the posters as I do.

Whilst I have read and considered what everyone has said about 3 beds, I have misgivings, which I will get to as I go through the thread.

FYI - we don't live too far from Malvern and the hills, so I am familiar with that area. Last night when I asked for advice about areas, I was meaning places in Wales. That said, we do have friends both from Wales and living in Wales.

@GoodChat I have been to see that house. It is as beautiful as you would hope. I spoke to a surveyor friend about the parking. They said that the best solution and the logical solution- would be to take out the front wall on the left side and build a large garage + parking. There are alternatives, but those still rely on taking out one of the walls. Some neighbouring properties have vehicular access to the rear, again, to achieve that we would have to pay a willing neighbour, if there is one. The problem, obviously, is getting planning permission for that. The house isn't listed and it isn't firmly in the AONB, even so, we would move straight in and upset the neighbours.
Also, it is on a very busy stretch of the Wells Road.
There's a reason it has been on the market for 14 months and counting.
If I were the owner, I would get the planning permission and sell it with.

So for those reasons, it's a no go.

The house in Ruardean, Gloucestershire.
They have changed the listing since it was first on the market, it has been listed for quite a while.
Originally, you could tell where it was. IIRC it's in an undesirable place.

@methodbehindmymadness your first property isn't what we are after. If we were going to be in a town/village we would want to be on the outskirts.
2 - we don't want to spend that much money.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130143116#/?channel=RES_BUY

over the border and more modern.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130470041#/?channel=RES_BUY

a bit dark but has potential. Garden may be too small. Spectacular view.