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Original poster

Location vs detached

35 replies

Zombienotion · 29/10/2023 23:25

Same size, same price, similar condition.

I like to be able to easily walk to everything I need and dislike using a car unless I really have to.

House 1
Semi-detached
2 mins to school, 7 to supermarket, 15 to work

House 2
Detached
25 mins to school and supermarket, 45 to work

WWYD?

OP posts:
UsingChangeofName · 29/10/2023 23:27

I share your preference for detached, but, given all the factors, I'd pick the semi in this case.

House 1.

Moderateorgoodoccasionallyverypoor · 29/10/2023 23:27

Detached.
Unless I could have a viewing and have the neighbours turn their TV/music/hoover on and yell to each other to see how much I could hear.
I’ve lived in three semis and neighbour noise has ruined each house. Horrible experiences.

UpsyDaisyMegaphone · 29/10/2023 23:28

Semi for sure, especially if it's configured so your bedroom isn't next to the shared wall.

Gloschick · 29/10/2023 23:31

House 1. Even if the neighbours sometimes make noise, it might be bothersome say once a week, once a month? The bad location will bother you every day.

UpsyDaisyMegaphone · 29/10/2023 23:33

4.5 hours saved per week on the school run, so an extra 175 hours a year, essentially 11 extra day times.

5 hours a week saved on your work commute, about 230 per year, so 14 extra daytimes.

25 days worth of extra time for you a year, is being detached really worth giving that up?

(I live in a detached house but wouldn't if it made that much difference to my life.)

Cantrainforever · 30/10/2023 07:56

I live in a semi, in a ‘naice’ area with ‘naice’ neighbours, but

  • their teenagers play loud music at 1am which wakes me up but the adults don’t seem to notice or be able to stop
  • One of them plays a loud muiscal instrument
  • Since we moved in they’ve bought a dog and ignore it so it barks at my fence all day long
  • I can hear them having sex

In my old terraced house, cigarette smoke and cooking smells used to seep down through their floorboards and up through mine. 🤢

I’d go for detached everytime! I long to move but DH can sleep through anything and doesn’t wanna.

SiobahnRoy · 30/10/2023 08:06

Semi and consider paying for sound proofing measures

LindaDawn · 30/10/2023 08:10

Semi. I too like walking over driving.

SpottyUnicorn · 30/10/2023 08:17

Semi for sure.
Not all semis are bad- I have lived in detached and semis and have never heard a sound from the other side of the walls.

cluckit · 30/10/2023 08:19

Detached. Other people's noise is absolutely miserable and there's very little you can do. Whereas you can drive or get a taxi or bus if distance is a problem..

Jethia · 30/10/2023 08:39

I'm always a fan of detached but I always say location location location. However that means a nice safe neighbourhood with amenities.
Is one house in a safer area? I know you've mentioned some amenities but is one nearer to lots of others? You may end up changing jobs in a year or 2, primary school years don't last long, is it a forever house?

Zippedydoodahday · 30/10/2023 09:12

We soundproofed the adjoining wall in our semi. Problem solved.

Quitelikeit · 30/10/2023 09:14

If you like walking why on earth wouldn’t you go for the detached? Unless you only like 10 minute walks!!!

mondaytosunday · 30/10/2023 09:23

Number 1 no question. Distance to everything so much better! I live in a terrace in London, my previous house was a much larger detached 70 miles outside London. I could not afford even a semi here. I may have lucked out with good neighbours but it's absolutely fine and the school (my kids are out of school now) is on the same street!

Cyclingforcake · 30/10/2023 09:28

House 1. A lot of people live very happily in semis - me included. But try and have a viewing when the neighbours are home to judge the noise and look at the floor plan for next door too.
Remember people are more like to take to the internet to discuss problems than when everything is rosy.

SisterMichaelsHabit · 30/10/2023 09:33

Quitelikeit · 30/10/2023 09:14

If you like walking why on earth wouldn’t you go for the detached? Unless you only like 10 minute walks!!!

RTFT??

marmaladegranny · 30/10/2023 09:35

Detached can cost much more to heat. More walls to lose heat through.

Persipan · 30/10/2023 09:36

Location. This whole Mumsnet thing where nobody can possibly contemplate living in anything that isn't detached is just silly. You've explained really clearly that you like being close to things and don't want to have to drive. You'll get that in house 1. You won't get it in house 2.

(For what it's worth I like being close to things so much that I live in a High Street. In a terraced house! On an A road! House 2 sounds unbearable to me.)

LulooLemon · 30/10/2023 09:43

Detached.

Even if the neighbours are quiet now, there's no guarantee that future neighbours will be.

Detached means you can make noise and not worry about shared walls.

It also gives you more options for house extension etc.

duchiebun · 30/10/2023 09:58

I would always chose location to amenities vs house style. I've lived in terraced & semis & never heard neighbours though

Tessasanderson · 30/10/2023 10:03

UpsyDaisyMegaphone · 29/10/2023 23:33

4.5 hours saved per week on the school run, so an extra 175 hours a year, essentially 11 extra day times.

5 hours a week saved on your work commute, about 230 per year, so 14 extra daytimes.

25 days worth of extra time for you a year, is being detached really worth giving that up?

(I live in a detached house but wouldn't if it made that much difference to my life.)

What a great way of putting it. Bravo

WildFlowerBees · 30/10/2023 10:23

Find out who the neighbours are, I'd go detached every time after the horror of our neighbours that moved in a year after we did. Now in detached, I don't care how far away anything is I'm never going back to semi or attached.

CasperGutman · 30/10/2023 10:44

Of course there's some non-zero risk of nightmare neighbours in a semi-detached house, but it's rare in my experience. The real determiner for me is: how sensitive are you to normal family noise?

If you've lived in flats and terraced/semi-detached houses and you can deal with occasionally being aware of other people, then go for the semi. Saving a full hour on your round trip commute every day will make a massive difference to your quality of life.

DaisyWaldron · 30/10/2023 10:51

Semi. I've never lived in a detached house, because there's usually a nicer, better located terrace or semi for the same price and I don't particularly care about adjoining neighbours. My thick-walled terrace feels more peaceful than my in-laws' detached new-build. My mum's detached house is more peaceful, but it's in the middle of a forest like the a fairy-tale witch, and that is also not for me.

aswarmofmidges · 30/10/2023 10:53

Semi

Nightmare Neighbours don't need to be attached to be nightmare