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Original poster

Which house?

55 replies

Hunkyd0ry · 06/04/2023 22:09

we are a family of 4 with young kids. Which has would you buy?

House A
in a cul-de-sac
Ultilty room, kitchen, lounge/dining room and conservatory
4 bedrooms, 2 doubles, 2 singles
garden is on a slope.

house B
up a quiet road
large kitchen diner, lounge
3 double bedrooms
flat green lawn but possibly not quite as big as house A.

house B is £50,000 cheaper.
Both in the same village.

OP posts:
TeamSleep · 07/04/2023 08:53

House B

LadyEloise1 · 07/04/2023 08:54

What direction are the back gardens facing ?
A sunny back garden is so worth imho.

CellophaneFlower · 07/04/2023 09:00

LadyEloise1 · 07/04/2023 08:54

What direction are the back gardens facing ?
A sunny back garden is so worth imho.

This. I'd take a sunny slope over a flat gloomy area any day!

hellsbells99 · 07/04/2023 09:08

I prefer living in a cul-de-sac …..but i have cats

Original poster
Hunkyd0ry · 07/04/2023 09:35

LadyEloise1 · 07/04/2023 08:54

What direction are the back gardens facing ?
A sunny back garden is so worth imho.

A is south facing
B is south East

OP posts:
Florissant · 07/04/2023 09:37

House B.

LadyEloise1 · 07/04/2023 09:38

Have you figured out the orientation of the sun during the day ?
Are the gardens long ?
Nothing nicer than coming in from a hard day's work and then sitting outside in the sun having a meal and relaxing.
Our garden was invaluable during lockdown for our family.

Original poster
Hunkyd0ry · 07/04/2023 09:39

TenThousandSpoons · 07/04/2023 08:52

B
but if you’re already quite far through with purchasing A you’d have to really prefer B to mess A around that much.

This is our issue.
It’s a sort after village and stuff doesn’t come up very often, especially in our budget £400-500k.

We picked house A as that was all that was on the market but there’s been a few issues that have made us concerned yet we’ve carried on as had no other option. But now we have seen house B…

of course we don’t want to mess anyone around and we don’t want to pull out and be that person, but it’s picking our next family home and we need to be sure.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 07/04/2023 09:39

House B. Wouldn't touch a house with a garden on a slope.

Viviennemary · 07/04/2023 09:41

Didn't see your last post. Go for the house you want. Its too big a step to be a people pleaser. Pull out if you must.

CindersAgain · 07/04/2023 09:42

If the children are likely to play football, that would put me off the sloped garden.

FlounderingFruitcake · 07/04/2023 09:51

Definitely B.

A is basically a list of everything I dislike- cul de sac, sloped garden, lounge diner, single bedrooms, conservatory.

CellophaneFlower · 07/04/2023 10:02

FlounderingFruitcake · 07/04/2023 09:51

Definitely B.

A is basically a list of everything I dislike- cul de sac, sloped garden, lounge diner, single bedrooms, conservatory.

Cul-de-sacs can be lovely - ours is. Lovely to hardly have any cars coming by and so safe for the children.

As house B Is on a quiet road though, I'd be happy with that.

FlounderingFruitcake · 07/04/2023 10:11

CellophaneFlower · 07/04/2023 10:02

Cul-de-sacs can be lovely - ours is. Lovely to hardly have any cars coming by and so safe for the children.

As house B Is on a quiet road though, I'd be happy with that.

Show quote history

I’m sure yours is lovely, my hatred is definitely irrational. I’m just thinking of my Grandad’s and all the awful nosy curtain twitching neighbours that can see your every move. And the driveways weren’t big enough either so cars were left all over the place and it looked a right mess and manoeuvring was pretty tricky. I’m certain they’re not all like that though and I bet no through traffic is great for kids and cats! Still, it would be enough to put me off ever buying a house on one.

LillianGish · 07/04/2023 10:17

It feels as if your real dilemma is that halfway into your house purchase you've seen something you like better for £50,000 cheaper. The price difference alone would sway me as it gives you a potential budget to make some tweaks and alterations - creating a utility room for instance or adding a conservatory (not my thing, but you've listed it as a feature of House A). Hard to advise without knowing how far you in to the purchase, but my feeling is that if you truly prefer House B and you are not beyond the point of no return with House A then I would pick the one you love.

Floralnomad · 07/04/2023 10:28

The fact that you are even considering House B means you don’t really love House A ( or you wouldn’t still be looking ) so go for B

Pipsquiggle · 07/04/2023 10:38

Are you able to build extra rooms at either house?

I bloody love my utility room and my home office so like the sound of A, but I don't like lounge - diners, could this be reconfigured?

Is there a house with a big enough footprint to do what you need to do with it?

TabithaTiger · 07/04/2023 10:41

I would go for house B as would prefer three double bedrooms and I much prefer a kitchen/ diner to a lounge/diner. A flat garden is much better than a sloped one.

The only thing that might bother me is the road - would the kids be able to play out when they're old enough?

Sundaefraise · 07/04/2023 10:42

Viviennemary · 07/04/2023 09:39

House B. Wouldn't touch a house with a garden on a slope.

I feel the same. It was a dealbreaker for me when we were viewing houses.

Elsanore · 07/04/2023 11:05

B all the way.

aNewYorkerInLondon · 07/04/2023 11:58

Both houses have nice features and ones I wouldn't love so much.

A deal breaker for me is a kitchen-diner / open kitchen. We entertain a lot and I hate people hanging out in my kitchen while I'm trying to cook. I equally hate trying to enjoy a meal when looking at the unwashed pots in the sink and the unwiped hob. I don't want our guests to see the cooking mess either.

Nothing relaxing about eating in the kitchen.

Also, if having a larger drinks party, a nice big double reception room is ideal so you don't get half the guests congregating in the kitchen while the rest are in the living room wondering where everyone has gone.

martinisforeveryone · 07/04/2023 12:04

What issues have you found with House A?

In an open choice I’d prefer B on the face of things.

Blondeshavemorefun · 07/04/2023 13:54

A flat garden for kids is a real plus

2 small bedrooms guessing with a single bed in each v 3 double

Is b garden big. Could you build a conservatory /utility room without losing much of garden.

Spinige · 07/04/2023 18:29

My DC loved our slopey garden when they were young. Riding bikes down the slopes as well as sledges when there's snow.

Original poster
Hunkyd0ry · 07/04/2023 19:22

martinisforeveryone · 07/04/2023 12:04

What issues have you found with House A?

In an open choice I’d prefer B on the face of things.

We have had 3 different opinions on the electrics. 1 said terrible, 1 said fine and the other looked at the reports and reckoned it would be ok. It’s made me unsure of who to believe.

Current owners have had no problems but I worry that it would be in the back of my mind…

OP posts: