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Original poster

Buying a house you dont like

40 replies

wonderings2 · 04/09/2024 12:32

We exchanged yesterday so nothing I can do now just looking for reassurance or anyone in the same position.

After several attempts over the past few years we have finally sold our house and found one to buy in the village DD goes to school. Its the only house that has come up for sale in the last 9 months that has been close to our budget and the size we need.

I feel like a brat but we've been in our current house 15 years and I thought we'd be moving to something that I loved rather than something that "will do"

Positives:

  • Its closer to DD's school so the school run (which I do) will be a 2 minute walk instead of driving, getting parked etc. so will save me an hour a day.
  • Its well within our budget so we have a manageable mortgage and will be able to extend and convert the space (its one of the few houses on the street that hasn't ben extended)
  • We'll be gaining a bedroom, garage and dining room.
  • Good secondary schools (secondary school in our area is on special measures)

Negatives:

  • Awful garden, no bigger than we have now but just slabs and gravel (I love gardening and our current garden is lovely)
  • Naff floors and carpets
  • Dated kitchen
  • There's noting wrong with it really, its just a non descript 70's semi - I just wanted something older with a bit of character and a big garden, this is the exact opposite of what I wanted.

Im being stupid aren't I?

Realistically we should be able to move in 5 years time and DH has promised it will be to somewhere we love - has anyone else done this and just sat it out? We really need to move now as we're so short on space and I really don't want to send DD to the local secondary school where we are?

OP posts:
good96 · 06/09/2024 19:52

Everything you mention on their as negatives is something that you as the new owner can change!

The awful garden can be re-landscaped to how you want it.

Carpets and flooring can be ripped up! If you’re doing extensive building work I wouldn’t rip up and replace straight away (unless they reek) then get some cheap remnants to put down whilst you renovate.

The dated kitchen is an easy fix - you mentioned about extending and converting the space.

Once you’ve done all this, then there won’t be any negatives!!

Original poster
wonderings2 · 06/09/2024 22:19

JustBec · 06/09/2024 17:42

It sounds like nothing that can’t be fixed and because you’ve sensibly not overstretched yourselves, you should be able to make it lovely. And that hour a day saved? That’s invaluable.

Thank you, I know it sounds silly, but just being able to walk out the front door & 2 minute later be at the school instead of getting DD in the car, trying to find somewhere to park (further away than the new house is ) then walking round is going to make such a difference

OP posts:
BESTAUNTB · 06/09/2024 22:35

My first flat in the late 1990s was a “this will do”. I wanted to buy a flat because although I adored my housemates (I still do, they were my bridesmaids a few years later) I was tired of house share and yearned for my own space. However, my hand was forced by our landlord serving us notice sooner than anticipated. I wanted a period flat with high ceilings etc but ended up hastily buying a rather bland new build in a different part of the city.

It was such a good move though because it meant I was on the housing ladder and I enjoyed living alone for a while.

My priority was getting on the housing ladder and experiencing living solo. Job done! Yours is getting into a good school catchment and walking to school. Job done!

piscofrisco · 07/09/2024 06:08

I've done this twice-once in the house we are in currently living in. To make matters worse the house I moved from to come here was the house love of my life I think. It's been two and half years and I still miss it daily.

But this house was the only one we could afford that was in the right very specific location, that was big enough for us all, and that was for sale when we needed it.

Objectively it's a nice house. The garden is large. I've redecorated it (mostly all my one work-as I thought that might make me fall in love with it-it did not). It just doesn't feel like home to me at all.

I underestimated how much it would negatively affect my mood living in a house I don't love.

Still it's a means to an end I guess.

LameBorzoi · 07/09/2024 06:20

This sounds great, OP! You have a complete blank slate. I understand the love of character houses, but they are often crazy expensive to upkeep, and difficult to do anything to.

Just get someone in to rip up the concrete, and do something amazing with that yard. Buy live carpets in texture and colour you love. And so on.

thicklysettled · 07/09/2024 16:40

piscofrisco · 07/09/2024 06:08

I've done this twice-once in the house we are in currently living in. To make matters worse the house I moved from to come here was the house love of my life I think. It's been two and half years and I still miss it daily.

But this house was the only one we could afford that was in the right very specific location, that was big enough for us all, and that was for sale when we needed it.

Objectively it's a nice house. The garden is large. I've redecorated it (mostly all my one work-as I thought that might make me fall in love with it-it did not). It just doesn't feel like home to me at all.

I underestimated how much it would negatively affect my mood living in a house I don't love.

Still it's a means to an end I guess.

I posted earlier, but this is exactly how I feel. I miss my old house! We will stay here until my youngest goes to college but that in itself has its own sadness - as though I am wishing their youth away so that I can get high ceilings and a center hallway again.

Movinghouseatlast · 07/09/2024 16:45

Yes, our house was a 'will do' rather than what I expected to buy- I saw lots of fabulous houses that didn't work out for lots of reasons.

But the location of this house is amazing and the other houses with bags of character and kerb appeal didnt have that. We have made it beautiful inside. The garden will always be a challenge as it's on the side of a hill but we have done so much with it.

WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 07/09/2024 16:46

I moved from a place I absolutely loved to a meh house. Did it (eventually) how I wanted it and cried when we moved after almost 20 years!

ohthejoys21 · 07/09/2024 16:49

Change the flooring and it will make a big difference. We changed ours from horrible dirty looking beige tiles to giant grey porcelain and it looks like a different home.

Clearinguptheclutter · 07/09/2024 16:52

We bought a house we didn’t love for similar reasons.
slowly turning into a long term home for us.
No regrets at all.
I’d go for it. One caveat though how many years left of primary does she have, if it’s at least 3 that is a lot of saved hours. Do look into transport options for secondary though.

Anywherebuthere · 07/09/2024 16:54

Sounds like you can easily change the negatives to positives over time.

dottiehens · 07/09/2024 17:20

wonderings2 · 04/09/2024 12:32

We exchanged yesterday so nothing I can do now just looking for reassurance or anyone in the same position.

After several attempts over the past few years we have finally sold our house and found one to buy in the village DD goes to school. Its the only house that has come up for sale in the last 9 months that has been close to our budget and the size we need.

I feel like a brat but we've been in our current house 15 years and I thought we'd be moving to something that I loved rather than something that "will do"

Positives:

  • Its closer to DD's school so the school run (which I do) will be a 2 minute walk instead of driving, getting parked etc. so will save me an hour a day.
  • Its well within our budget so we have a manageable mortgage and will be able to extend and convert the space (its one of the few houses on the street that hasn't ben extended)
  • We'll be gaining a bedroom, garage and dining room.
  • Good secondary schools (secondary school in our area is on special measures)

Negatives:

  • Awful garden, no bigger than we have now but just slabs and gravel (I love gardening and our current garden is lovely)
  • Naff floors and carpets
  • Dated kitchen
  • There's noting wrong with it really, its just a non descript 70's semi - I just wanted something older with a bit of character and a big garden, this is the exact opposite of what I wanted.

Im being stupid aren't I?

Realistically we should be able to move in 5 years time and DH has promised it will be to somewhere we love - has anyone else done this and just sat it out? We really need to move now as we're so short on space and I really don't want to send DD to the local secondary school where we are?

You can do any changes to your house to make it better. It is the location what you won’t be able to change. It seems if you are close to good schools it is already a good investment.

Etincelle · 07/09/2024 17:33

They say Location Location Location. It sounds like it has a lot going for it. I'd love a garage. You can change most of the things you dont like. You can't put a price on good schools and not having to drive the school run

Etincelle · 07/09/2024 17:35

By year 5 or 6 your dc will be able to easily get themselves to and from school. Maybe before then

Etincelle · 07/09/2024 17:37

I love gardening too and a bigger garden would have been good when mine were younger but I've come to appreciate it being smaller now. You can still make it lovely

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