What would you compromise on when buying a house?

[Londonder]

FTB in the South East (London border) so very expensive area. Salaries are decent but we cannot get a dream property where we are so we have to think of making a compromise. Curious to know what you'd choose to do (I completely appreciate situation is different for everyone):

• buy a fixer upper even though you can't afford the cost of refurbishing and spend the next 5 years redoing bit by bit
• compromise on space, get a small property (2 bed of modest size) that doesn't need much done (we have 1 DC)
• buy a decent size 3 bed property but compromise on having only 1 downstairs bathroom

These seem to be the most common scenarios I come across with our budget. What would you pick? We are planning to buy a place where we can spend many years, not planning to resell and upgrade.

I'd probably go for option 3. I like having space and one downstairs bathroom isn't that big of a problem for me. But we are awful at DIY so 1 wouldn't work for us as I'd go crazy with things not being done.

I'd compromise by buying a bit further out and commuting to work. Giving up a downstairs toilet does not seem too much of a compromise either.

I'd consider a downstairs bathroom. I'd consider 2-bedroom, especially if you can convert the loft at some point. Fixer-upper.... Hmmm depends how much work was needed and how liveable it is in the meantime!

When DH and I first bought, our compromise was a downstairs bathroom. Had no idea how useful that would be with tiny toddlers. So much easier to potty train if they are milling about on the ground floor. And to bathe them while dinner is in on the stove so you can smell immediately if it starts burning. And to dunk them straight in a bath when they come in muddy from the garden.

We kind of fudged our way down the middle - bought a fixer upper, but one that had been kept in incredible condition (and was as clean as a pin!) with only one room that needs doing as a priority.

We also compromised on garden size which does have a knock on effect on being able to extend the kitchen (ie we can't unless we want to lose any of what is already a small garden). But we were prepared to do that to get the style and size of the rest of the property and the area.

Third option. Under stairs loos can be created, and whilst some of them are a bit cramped, they resolve the issue of having just one loo.

Followed by smaller.

No way would I buy a doer upper right now. The stress of getting workmen would probably give me a hernia.

We were you 15 years ago so I appreciate it's probably a bit different in that property prices weren't as crazy but our compromises were:

• very convenient area, close to train station and schools etc but less "naice" than some of the other areas we looked at.
• North facing garden that was a bit smaller than we'd have liked
• v small 3rd bedroom (that became even smaller - barely a bedroom at all now except for a baby) when we did the loft.
• In need of modernisation rather than full refurb (eg kitchen was very old fashioned, all the light fittings were basically low hanging bare bulbs in a house with low ceilings, old fashioned doors etc.) All things we were able to slowly sort.

In your case, assuming there's space to renovate down the line, I'd go for the 3rd option and just add a bathroom later. Option 1 is also a good option but only IF you are the type who is happy to take on this project and happy to spend weekends etc doing a lot of it. Our NDN did that and it's worked well for them, but me and DH can barely manage doing a bit of painting as it's just not our thing so that would never work for us without a huge budget to get it done professionally.

Oh, and to add, we had originally looked at a smaller place closer to London as a "starter" home. Thank god we didn't - due to work changes and huge property price increases, we haven't been able to move. So I'm always in favour of buying bigger if it's going to be a long term move potentially.

The issue with those properties with the bathroom downstairs is that is almost never possible to add one upstairs. I am worried it might be inconvenient in the middle of the night, especially if DD needs it and for when we get older etc.

I also am not keen on the fixer upper at all.

I’d go for Option 2 as the cost of refurbishing and building work is crazy, especially in the south east, so you might be in a fixer upper a very long time and I wouldn’t want the only toilet to be downstairs.

That said, I don’t have DC and schooling to consider, or the possibility of another DC. If you’re in that situation OP those factors would be highest on the priority list, so location first and adequate, if not ideal, space for your family in the foreseeable future. If a downstairs bathroom doesn’t bother you all, maybe that’s a compromise worth making, although it may limit your future resale to people who like the house, but feel like I do.

@caringcarer we are already buying "further out" and commuting to work...

@martinisforeveryone yes, schools and commute are the key factors and we are not compromising on those, it's more the type of property we need to consider now

It's a tough call but I would be wary of going for a fixer upper at the moment.

Then it really depends on what’s achievable in your set budget when you need to move. Have you registered your interest with EAs and are you all clear to move quickly?

I had a spreadsheet and scored possibilities. Then ultimately you know which is your best option. Just remember to add your gut instinct because plenty of people buy houses because they love them despite drawbacks eg lots of people wouldn’t buy a home on a busy road, but if you don’t have very young DC or pets who might escape, you can learn to live with it even if you’re not keen at first.

When you’ve viewed a house use your imagination about getting home from work, cooking, sleeping and waking up there - would it feel like a home you want to live in?

Dont compromise on a sunny garden

I'd go for 2) or 3)

When you say only one downstairs bathroom, do you mean there is a bathroom upstairs but only 1 bathroom downstairs? Sounds plenty for a family of 3. Or do you mean there isn't an upstairs bathroom and only a downstairs one? That would be a bit of a pain....but you could get chamberpots 😁

No, sorry, I meant only 1 bathroom in the whole house, which is located downstairs!!

I wouldn't go for a fixer upper, you have a young DC and are both working and there's no point being miserable where you are living for several years while you gradually do it up.

I’d go option 2.

Living in a fixer upper is horrible.

I don’t like the terraces where the bathroom is off the kitchen (assume this is what you mean). I usually need to wee in the night and also don’t like to walk through the whole house in my towel getting cold to get back to my bedroom.

Are you planning on anymore DC?

We bought 2 bed house in London, as FTB and stayed for 7.5 years, overpaid the mortgage as much as we could.

We were end terrace so the house felt bigger as it had a better layout. We had 2 DC and it was fine.

We only sold because we left the UK.

I have 4 kids and I definitely don’t think we could manage without an upstairs loo, I think they’d hate going downstairs to the toilet in the middle of the night & they do go every night so I would avoid that option if it’s impossible to put in an upstairs toilet!

It depends how serious the fixer upper is. We bought a place that needed full redecoration, and we knocked a wall through and did a new kitchen about 5-6 years after moving in. We were happy to gradually paint and improve as we went, but there wasn’t anything major structural needing doing - all was our choice.

I’d only consider a 2 bed if you don’t plan any more children and don’t have guests or need a WFH office. We were moving specifically to get 3 beds which was our minimum. Depends on your minimum.

I would not like a downstairs only bathroom long term, but if that was the only acceptable compromise I’d maybe consider it. Any chance of adding a sink in the bedroom? Or even (gasp) a saniflow loo? My parents got one (against my advice having read stuff on here) and it’s been amazing.

Would putting in an upstairs toilet be an option?

20 years of a downstairs bathroom made an upstairs bathroom a major selling point for me.

I'd go for option 3 I think. I couldn't live in a fixer upper unless I knew I had enough to do it up within a year and I wouldn't compromise on space. The bathroom downstairs wouldn't bother me.