Which property would be best

[propertymummy]

We need to move out of our rentals in the next week months and were looking at buying a place for us and our DD. Unfortunately, not much on the market but have found these two places - both are two beds but their layouts are not ideal. So far only looked at them online but not sure whether either would really work. However, at the moment, thats all that is available in our budget. Any thoughts?

The one of the left has a tiny 2nd bedroom. The one on the right looks much more practical. How old is your DD?

DD is still only 8 but we wouldnt be looking to move anytime soon.

Second one. The first one has a small kid bedroom and it is between the kitchen and living room, so she would be more likely to be disturbed by noise. The second one she can have a bigger bedroom with room for toys, desk etc depending on her age. If you have another child they can share the larger bedroom more easily.

Following from the thread about open plan living room, my concern is whether or not kitchen/living room works at all?

Can you share a link to the listing? It's not east to tell from a floor plan.

Combined living and kitchen isn't ideal, but you may be able to create separate spaces with furniture

The one on the left. More flexible rooms. The other one has an open plan lounge/kitchen/diner which won't work as DS gets older.

Oof that's a tricky one. Based on my own kids I'd probably go for the one with more (and more flexible) living space even though the bedroom is tiny. I'd put a high sleeper with desk space under it in the small bedroom but as they get older I really value having the ability to be in different rooms in the living/shared bit of the house.

The one on the left. The combined kitchen living in the other one is quite small, only the same size as just the reception room of the left hand one. What's the really narrow space with a door next to the entry on the left hand one? If it's storage, that could be pretty useful.

I like the garden access from kitchen on left hand one, but would need to see the listing to get a proper feel.

The one in the left as it has more flexible space. I wonder if it could be reconfigured with bed 2 going where the bathroom is (to get the window) then bathroom (with no window) then kitchen

For just the two of you, I'd prefer the one on the right. You'd both get decent sized bedrooms with space to work and sit as well as sleep, circumventing the lack of living space.

In the one on the left, you'd be creeping about, trying not to wake her up in that bedroom between the living room and kitchen.

The one on the right will be much better. If your DD has a bigger room she will be able to keep all her stuff in there and you can keep the open plan room clutter/toy free.

2nd
Because the bedroom in the 1st would be in a loud area, at one point we had a bedroom next to the kitchen and the lounge and she found it really hard getting to sleep. It's also a tiny room

I seem to flip between the two. Not helped by the fact that the one on the left has a garden but the one on the right is 150k cheaper.

The one in the right.
I think you would get used to the open plan living kitchen area. So many new builds now have that as standard living.

The one on the left, could you do some building work - make the small bedroom into a kitchette off of the living room, and then covert the kitchen into a decent sized bedroom 2? DD could have the bedroom at the back furthest away from living noise, and you could have the ex-kitchen as a bedroom.

@mrsm43s That would definitely be something to consider. It's a leasehold so not sure whether the freeholder would allow it.

I’d definitely go for the one on the right.Seems a much more sensible layout.

one on the left for me. outdoor space is always a bonus.
I agree with pp in that I'd get a high sleeper so she has more room.

I think you really need to go look at both to get a feel for them.

do you have room dimensions? as it's hard to see the size differences.

duh sorry just seen they are on the plans.

One on the left. More sq footage (I think) , walls and doors between living spaces, plus direct access to outdoor space.

The pandemic taught us that those all things are highly desirable!

I'd go for the one on the left because the combined all-in-one living space in the other one would not work for me at all.

The one on the left. Eventually I’d look to change bed 2 and the kitchen around and maybe extend that and the lounge out to the side/ into the garden. Plus even having a garden makes a huge difference to me and I would think it would hold its value longer term.

Plus in the one on the right the open plan living/ kitchen is not massive- just the lounge in the one on the left is bigger so you essentially get a whole extra room and a garden in the one on the left.

Great to get other people's views. I even totalled up people's opinions. My family are so sick of hearing me talk about it, no point asking them. I was also leaning towards the first one but the more normal layout of the other one and it being 150k cheaper is what makes me think that maybe we could make it work. Will have to spend the weekend pondering on it.