WWYD: Regency Flat vs 1970s Flat

[ipsfelqa]

Both flats are in the same area. Similar prices. I prefer Flat A but dh prefers Flat B.

Flat A: Early Victorian/Regency one bedroom flat. Huge rooms, but the only bathroom is MINISCULE and off the bedroom. Gorgeous original features. Marble fireplace. 12ft ceilings. Cornicing. Mahogany doors. Sash windows. No outside space. Some passing road traffic outside. Price: £600k.

Flat B: 1970s one bedroom flat in brutalist style. It's about 25% bigger than Flat A. Separate bathroom and toilet. Quite 'cool' and sought after development. Has a small outdoor patio area. No traffic as it's set far from the road. Price £650k.

Flat B is a lot more practical and but Flat A is more my style.

The outside space would swing it for me every time.

Ideally, I'd need to see both, but Flat B ticks more of my boxes. Separate bathroom for guests rather than traipsing through your bedroom, we're used to a quiet area and also outdoor space is precious for me, ie putting washing out, nice to sit/step out I decent area and a few plants to look after/appreciate. Also, space.

Is flat A a conversion and flat B purpose built?

My Victorian conversion flat had the worst sound and (weirdly) smell insulation. I was a vegetarian and my downstairs neighbours loved cooking meat for hours. 🤢 All noise also carried even from two floors down.

How do they compare in terms of lease length and service charge?

I think this is a bit dreams vs reality.

Flat A will view welll, but I feel living in it vs Flat B may be disappointing.

I'd personally find the concept of my bedroom being a corridor to the only bathroom a major drawback and when the rain finally stops I'd be looking out of the window of Flat A and feel ready to swap the high ceilings for a space outside.

Flat B for the outside space. And brutalist is fab.

Flat B for me.

Neither. Keep looking.

A will cost you a fortune. Maintenance is going to be crazy as the external decs are never ending.

Work out how many flats share the service charge and what your apportionment is. It makes a huge difference.

Leasehold? Freehold? RTM?

All important points.

I work in the industry and I wouldn't touch regency with a bargepole. It has to be a real passion as it will cost you dearly.

B, outside space and quieter.

Could you add another loo / WC in A so that if you have guests they don’t need to go through the bedroom? I added a tiny second loo in my flat for about £15k and it made so much difference.

Re outside space - are you in a very urban area or near to a park? I have no garden and find it mostly completely fine, but I do miss it a bit during the summer as am in Zone 1 with no good walkable parks.

Also v valid points on freehold/leasehold, how many neighbours do you have, etc.

B probably does sound like the better option (being quieter etc too) and if it's proper brutalist (like the barbican estate or wtv) then I'm sure it will hold its value just as well.

B because having the only toilet off a bedroom would be non negotiable. Would hate guests to have to walk through my bedroom to get there. And it has peace and quiet and outdoor space.

Also 12 foot ceilings in A! Imagine all those cobwebs in the corner of the ceilings that you can't reach to hoover! I would quickly lose my love of A once I lived there and all these irritating things started to really annoy me.

Flat B would be my choice. I like mid 20th century style and it's likely to be easier to heat and cheaper on maintenance. Some outside space would be perfect and away from traffic noise. I would not want a bathroom where you had to go through the bedroom as in flat A.

A is my style too and B definitely not but the outside space and less noise would swing it for me every time .

How long are you planning to live there and how often do you have guests?

Service charges and leasehold/freehold status would also be an issue for me.

But on the info you have provided I’d go with B.

Do you want your friends to have to wander through your bedroom for the loo?

Flat B for me.

Another ‘Keep looking!’ Here

Flat B. 1970s blocks have much better sound and heat insulation.

Flat B, all day long. I would hate guests having to go through my bedroom to use the loo, and lack of outdoor space would be a non-starter.

However do check the service/maintenance charges, and also whether the Brutalist block is non-standard construction (concrete block etc) as this may make it unmortgageable and/or difficult to resell.

Would love to see the listings but understand you not wanting to post them here!

Neither, I'd keep looking. A sounds lovely but the bathroom would be an issue for me and B sounds great but ugly.

Flat B. I would hate guests to have to go through my bedroom to get to the bathroom. I would like to have outside space too. Flat B was probably designed as a flat. Flat B was probably carved out of an existing early victorian house.

I'd also look at things like maintenance, running costs and parking (including parking for guests)

The bathroom is A would be a deal breaker for me. Plus it's noisier, smaller and no outside space.

Flat B for outside space .DH would choose Flat B for lack of traffic noise.

At first I thought that Flat B might be in the Barbican, but £600k sounds a bit too cheap as one beds there are typically £700k+.

The other alternative that comes to mind is the Brunswick Centre (near Russell Square) but prices there are rather lower than £600k.

Apart from those two, I'm stumped.

But, in any event, I agree with the majority of the others that Flat B really is the one to go for unless there are totally ridiculous service charges etc