House or garden

[Mushroo]

Hoping for opinions on a dilemma.

We currently live in a flat where the building is just two flats, ours and upstairs. We have the option of buying the flat upstairs and converting it to a house. Doing so would get us a large house (5 bed, detached, c.2,500 square feet) but a tiny garden that doesn’t really get the sun which is depressing in summer. Also means we can never host a bbq or anything.

The road is also a mix of house shares and families. We’ve had no issues, but the road isn’t a leafy middle class idyll iyswim.

The other option is to move to a nicer road, and buy a traditional semi with a lovely garden, but would be smaller - between 1200 and 1600 square feet.

Both are equitable in terms of location to transport, schools etc.

We’re a family of 3, not 100% set but probably won’t have any more kids.

Which would you choose?

I worry we’ll move somewhere smaller and regret giving up all the space, but on the other hand, I would like a nicer road and a garden in the summer! (Were in the NW so garden usage may be limited…)

Nicer road and garden. Also dont under estimate how much it would cost to turn 2 flats into a house.

Personally I'd choose better location and garden. If it's a semi could you extend out to the side or into the garden in future, or convert a loft? There's often ways to get more space into a plot, but the better aspect garden and nicer road are harder to change.

Hi @Mushroo i would buy the 3 bed semi, it would be freehold and hold it's value in the future. You could always extend into the loft and make an extension at the back.
All the best in your decision.

I'd also go for the semi in a nicer road. You'd have to take on a major project to convert the two flats into a house and get the layout right, but the garden issue means you probably won't want to stay there for a long period, so if it were me, it wouldn't be worth the hassle or cost. One question: before the opportunity to buy the flat came up, was it something you had fantasised about doing? If not, then I'd suggest it isn't right for you now.

A few years ago we bought a Victorian property that had previously been converted into four flats.

We painstakingly (mostly DIY) turned it back into a family home. Because of the size of the property and those surrounding (ours was 3500 sq ft, some were larger), many of those in the fairly small road had also been divided up whilst others were businesses (a children's home, two nurseries, a care home and a language school).

It took us almost ten years to get it how we wanted by which time a few of the neighbouring properties were also returning to single family use. We spent around £120k, but I imagine these days - particularly if getting trades to do the work - it would cost loads more and I'd definitely be obtaining quotes before committing to the purchase.

Ours had a reasonably large, non-overlooked garden for a city, but if the garden were as you've described I might think twice, although the square footage internally would definitely tempt me.

traditional semi with a lovely garden there’s your answer!

There is a 5 bed near here which is totally out of place with the surrounding properties and top heavy and it isn’t selling even with price drops. It’s worth no more than a large 3 bed in that location.

Thanks everyone - that’s pretty unanimous!

Im very much leaning towards the smaller house option, it’s DH who is pushing the big house. Glad I’m not alone in my thinking :)

I would also choose a nicer road and a lovely south facing garden

Or West facing - just not North or East if you want to make the most of any sun we do get

Depends how much work there is to do to de-convert the flats and the difference in value as flats vs a house. Is it likely to be profitable to convert?

If you ultimately want to move regardless, I’d look into whether it would be profitable to buy upstairs and then sell the two together to a developer (or mad amateur). You might be able to make a bit of quick profit.

Depends on the aspect of the garden and the main living space in the semi.

If it's north or east facing, I wouldn't be too keen.

1200 to 1600 square feet is massive for a family of 3. I just can't imagine anyone "needing" more internal space than that! I'd go with the "smaller" (still massive) house.

I would hate the work so would go for the easier option and buy the smaller semi.