Which one would you choose? Pictures

[HeartOrHeadDecision]

1. 160sq m 3 bed Victorian semi with a loft to convert. The kitchen alone is 25 sq m. Plenty of space for a family of four and more. Not stunning views and a bit shaded. Location is good just not picturesque. An ordinary road. If anything perhaps even more convenient for us. Feels sort of cold inside although it has been nicely done and we could spend a bit of money (not much) on making it warmer and cosier. Lots of original features. Two bathrooms. So spacious. Very high ceilings. The garden is boring, bigger than in the second house *2,5. Just grass for now. And a nicely newly done spacious patio. North-west facing. Gets some sun but I reckon not too much. It is a bit on the slope. Overlooked. Could be good for plants in pots and with some shrubs.

Has been there for a while. Two sellers so two chains. They have nothing in mind. Would you consider getting involved?

1. A 80s a-la "periodic" terraced in the heart of a very very beautiful old town. Stunning views. West facing. Sun for the whole afternoon. Nice renovation. Feels modern inside. Very warm and easy/cheap to run, ready for moving in. French doors, landscaped smallish garden. 86sq m. Rooms are good size but no storage space. Chain free.

We are chain free. Heart or mind?
We are not experienced buyers, the first house.

Even in the way you’ve written the descriptions OP, you’ve sold the second house to me. And I live in a Victorian house.

I mean your enthusiasm for house 2. Is clear. The location sounds winning, and the amount of light it receives.

86sqm is pretty small. Do you have children?

86sqm is pretty small. Do you have children?

Number two for me ticks all the boxes.

I'm trying to work out how you feel. You sound like you like the 80s one (saying warm/sunny etc and speaking about the other house as cold) but maybe think the Victorian is the snobby "high brow" choice?.

If that interpretation is right I would think the 80s build is the right choice - both heart and head. You like it, you find it warm/sunny and well decorated and the running costs and maintenance are likely to be cheaper.

Or is your heart in the Victorian? That doesn't come across in your description.

House 2 sits in a beautiful old town .. where does house 1. sit?

Also do not underestimate the fact that house 2. has much lower running costs.

House 1. The space, the garden size, the huge kitchen.

Number 2 because you clearly love it and the views will make you happy. I’d go for views over size.

86sqm is very small. How do they compare price wise?

It would be #1 for me, but I'm a sucker for a period property.

When I had a young family, Victorian, easy choice.
Late middel age: property 2 without hesitation.

We have two small kids, both girls. Likely to have more. But the children surprisingly don't take that much space. I'm still sleeping with my little one e.g. We have a big family and see each other very often. We like to entertain and have people round. Our Christmas meal is roughly for 20 people. So we need space and both houses show they can fit that crowd.

I have grown up in a tiny flat so an idea of a house alone is overwhelming for me. 😅

I love period properties. I love antique furniture and would spend ages choosing pictures for the walls. The box house... I think my only headache would be to fit everything in and make sure we are not drowning in stuff. At the same time the area it is in, especially now. You just fall in love. And the view. You cannot stop looking. And then again I think about it being terraced (would I hear the neighbours?) no storage (where would I put the pushchair? Or our bikes?) and so far it is 25K more expensive (but likely to grow in price over years). And then I think Gosh stop being materialistic. Declutter. Enjoy the life you would have never imagined. Your flat used to be 40sq m.

So I go from I want a big one to forget you need the old town. Aaaaa

First house for sure if you're planning more dc

Oh and with the big house I'm just worried they will never find anything and we will lose the chain, it is a split.

As you might have noticed I'm a worrier 🙈

Before reading your brief I picked the first house from the pictures alone.
Does house 1have a family bathroom? I see an en-suite upstairs but no family bathroom.

Neither, I'd keep looking for another like 1, but south west garden.

@VladimirVsVolodymyr yes. Family bathroom on the first floor. It is there just a small print.
WC downstairs

So you like period properties - but that doesn't mean that this is the right one for you.

Why not wait for one that has a sunny aspect and a good feel?

Number 1. You will grow out of number 2, 1 has more scope for loft conversion etc

@SecretSwirrel oh we could convert the loft in #2 too. Would cost more money I guess as hasn't been started yet.
Btw I have no idea how much it costs to convert a loft...

@Winter2020 location is good. Walkable everywhere we need. The sunny ones with nicer gardens cost 120-150K here. A huge difference. It would be too much of a stretch. We have already missed a house I loved. Smaller, sunny and green but a total wreck that hasn't been touched for 30 years. 625000!

House number 2 sounds lovely but if you are planning on more kids I'd go bigger.

House 2 is very, very small! I think that might become difficult down the line.

With 2 smaller kids and potentially more in would go for the bigger house. Kids need more room as they grow, especially more room away from the main room so the separate kitchen/ living room and dining room in option 1 would do it for me. Plus more space upstairs.

First house. Halls adjoining semi will have much less neighbour noise than a terrace.