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Original poster

How did you know your house was 'the one'

111 replies

sillysocks22 · 15/03/2023 10:50

Just that really - about to offer on a house, it's strange as this house has been on the market for ages. I disregarded it originally as something about the look of it I didn't like. We went to view yesterday and we were set on offering afterwards as something about the house gave us a good feeling. After a nights sleep I'm having second thoughts. I wasn't bowled over in amazement with how much I loved it which is what I was hoping I'd feel when we saw 'the one' but we could see it has lots of potential & the area is perfect. I feel like even if our offer is accepted I probably won't stop trawling right move just in case something better comes up. Is that normal or do you think it means it's not the one for us?

OP posts:

emmyren4 · 18/03/2023 11:05

It was completely uninhabitable, a derelict, overpriced eyesore, literally falling in on itself, with planning issues that no one wanted to take on. It was missing several things on our 'must have' list and had several things on our 'don't want' list. And I had the weirdest emotional reaction to it, like it was trying to tell me what it could be. Went back the next day with my husband so he could be sensible and talk us out of it, but he had the same reaction. Spent many nights in waking up in a cold sweat, but ultimately we were exactly right and all 5 of us feel like it's the most serene, lovely, homelike house we've ever lived in.

zippitydoda · 18/03/2023 11:06

Our first house, it was all we could afford in a decent area that had the right number of bedrooms. Over 20 years later I still never loved it.

This house, we viewed and when I got back in the car I asked OH if we should offer.

We've found faults since living here, but they don't stress me. I love my house.

Hubblebubble · 18/03/2023 11:16

I think part of it was having viewed so many bizarre shambles of houses that when I saw a neat little two bed with a surprisingly large garden and a new kitchen it seemed like heaven.

Hubblebubble · 18/03/2023 11:16

There was a shower in the kitchen in one of the houses I viewed

emmyren4 · 18/03/2023 11:40

Hubblebubble · 18/03/2023 11:16

There was a shower in the kitchen in one of the houses I viewed

In our early years in NY, we viewed one where you would have had to crawl across the bed in the only bedroom to get to the only bathroom, and one with wall-to-wall blue carpet that went up the walls and a hot tub in the living room. The estate agent kept telling us that it was a very in-demand flat, that a very important 'diplomat' had been living there. 😅Neither of those was 'the one'.

Hubblebubble · 18/03/2023 15:38

@emmyren4 there is a small part of me that would quite enjoy the ridiculousness of a hottub in the living room! But carpet up the walls is a step too far 😂

smashinggrapes · 18/03/2023 15:44

"The house is right, but I don’t believe ‘the one’ exists. Seems unrealistic, they’ll always be a bit of compromise. And house will always have something wrong when you move in so be prepared for that."

It doesn't matter with things that are "wrong". I knew I wanted to live here even before it went on the market. I waited and pounced. The last time it sold was 3 decades before I bought it. It's very special

WasteOfPaint · 19/03/2023 00:01

I've never really had this feeling. Our first house, we chose because we could see the potential of the space and location, but it would have been hard to feel love for it at the time as it was a wreck. That house turned out great

Our second house, we approached with similar pragmatic criteria and it hasn't turned out great, so I don't know.

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 19/03/2023 00:10

I didn’t, I hated it. The house, the location, the previous owners, the smell, the neighbours. We both hated it and walked out saying, obviously not, absolutely no.

But in the end, we didn’t have a choice, this was the only house for sale in our budget and we had to move. So we bought it and it’s a lot nicer now. And we have new neighbours.

user1471538283 · 19/03/2023 12:32

My favourite house I just knew. I could picture my present and future self there. I was very happy.

With the one I'm buying now it had such a good vibe. It's the ideal location and whilst I was there a windy storm was brewing but it felt positive.

I do think that when you know you know.

good96 · 19/03/2023 16:17

When we brought our house (that we are still in) now back in 1991, we only planned to be here for 5 years max. It hadn’t been renovated since the 50s and needed completely gutting - so much so we had to move out temporarily whilst the extensive works were completed. Fast forward to 32 years later and we are still here. Extended and re-configured rooms. Loft conversion, drive way and garage built as well as opening up the basement for storage.
I think a perfect, ‘the one’ or the forever home is how you make it…
I think it’s also important to note that if you are buying a renovation project, don’t overspend on the project to the extent that when you come to sell you aren’t loosing the money invested into it.
We paid £52,000 for the property when we first purchased (marketed for £60k) - we had it valued last year (just out of interest with no plans to sell) and it was valued at £675k. Staying here for another couple of years at least, probably will downsize when retirement beckons.

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