What would you offer?

[Applemangos15]

I’m a first time buyer and I've had my eye on a particular property for a while now. I viewed the house from the outside when it originally came on the market (it was empty and we could see through the windows) but didn’t contact the agent as I thought it was too small. It's been on the market for nearly a year - sold once but reappeared a month later.

A few months later another house with more space on the same street was put up for sale but I missed out on that one as I was facing redundancy at work and had to pause for a while. Luckily, my job is now safe and I've started looking again. I keep going back to this one but I’m concerned by the second bedroom. It’s tiny and will need extending or to have the internal wall moved. I’d also want to block off the back door.

I love the area and I think the house has lots of potential but I can’t afford it at its current price with building work on top. My budget is 170k and that will include any repairs/building work. I guess what I’m asking is, if you viewed the house, wanted to put an offer in and had my budget. What would you offer?

Here’s the link (I really hope the owners don’t see this but I don’t have anyone else to ask for advice) - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139293218#/?channel=RES_BUY

Just to add, properties in this area don't come up that often. There were a couple that sold last year but there's been nothing since which is why I keep going back to this one.

It's a very tidy, clean house so is definitely livable in while you think about/ save for any renovations.
If the location is right I'd go for it.

It's a nice house. How many of you will be living in it?

It's a lovely house isn't it, with parking and a big garden too. The area is lovely, quiet street and the rest of the house is a decent size. It's just the 2nd bedroom that's worrying me and how much it will cost to make it bigger.

I'm single and buying on my own but will hopefully meet someone and have kids one day so I don't think it would be big enough for a family. I know I can save up and do the work eventually but I'm concerned about paying over the odds for it, plus any building work and then being in negative equity if I want to sell later down the line.

There's just so many things to consider, it's really difficult. I'm not sure if I'm over thinking it, maybe because I'm a FTB.

You're thinking too far ahead! If it suits you now ( and it sounds as though it does) then buy it, love it, make it your own...and if you need to move on in some years time you'll be ok.

Start at 155k and then go up if needed as another poster has said you can move when you have kids or possibly look at a lift conversion, and the small bedroom would be ok for a child

Bedroom 2 isn't actually that small. I've seen a lot smaller!

I think you're thinking too far ahead. As it stands, you're single and will be living alone. I'd be looking at what works for you now, in your current circumstances. If/when you do meet so. Wine and get the stage of starting a family, you could sell and purchase a larger property together.

That is the perfect house for a single person. I would keep that patio door in the second room and have it as a snug/office/spare room with a desk and a bed settee.

The 2nd room is easily a double. It's a lovely house. I don't know the area so can't comment on the price but if you like it then go for it.

Thanks for the replies!

I probably am just overthinking it. I'm just worried that If I ever try to sell it people might think the same thing/that it's too small.

Can I just ask what you would offer?

Maybe I should arrange a viewing and go from there. I haven't actually seen the inside properly yet.

Definitely arrange a viewing.

Upper Colwyn is lovely. Book a viewing, mad to even think about it if you haven’t even been inside (and you know that!)

If you like it offer £155k. Take it from there.

Don’t do mental gymnastics over a future life that you don’t currently have. Or building works that may or may not happen.

If it works for you now, make an offer. Pob lwc!

@Arlanymor thank you. It sounds like you know the area. Do you think an offer around 150-155 would be too cheeky?

I do know the area and honestly it looks a bargain. I don’t really believe in cheeky because people can say yes or no, can’t they? If it’s vacant possession then offer £150k as they might be looking to offload. If it’s not and a chain is involved then £155k. Wishing you luck!

@Arlanymor thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. I'll see if I can get a viewing sometime this week and I might take my uncle (builder) along with me as well so he can have a look. Thank you x

That sounds like an excellent plan. Hope it works out for you!

Bedroom two is a good single or a small double, if it's just you at the minute and an occasional guest it would be fine. You are looking a long way ahead to a partner and children, it would be fine for a couple and one child, but by then you would have two incomes and would probably want to look for something more family sized. No need for any work initially. If you don't use the garage you could potentially extend onto the driveway, but it wouldn't add very much space and might be rather expensive for what you would add in value.

Definitely arrange a viewing and have a look inside with your Uncle who sounds like the perfect person to take with you.

I don't know your area but the fact that it hasn't sold in 10 months when several others have done suggests it is over priced. The owners have reduced it recently but only by £4k, which is a very small percentage.
I've also had a look at comparables and 3 other houses in the same road have sold very recently for 160K, 157K and 170K. The 170k house has a garage and a conservatory so is obviously worth more. The other two look a bit larger in the room plan (although this agent hasn't added dimensions) and are on two levels so also worth a bit more. With this information, I would say that 150K would be a very reasonable offer if you and your Uncle actually like it. That would also give you some extra money if you want to do some work.

Do you have the property lion download which works in Chrome? It's very useful as you can see reductions and sometimes previous listings if they have access to them.

It's a lovely house and turn key condition. Plenty of outside space too. The only thing that would bother me is that it's very overlooked by those houses at the bottom of the garden so my very first job would be to plant some trees there. Otherwise, take your uncle and if he finds no obvious problems make a lowish offer and see how it goes. You're not in a chain which the vendors will like a lot