Which house would you choose?

[OverwhelmedAndUnderprepared]

Help! I have been house hunting for months and there was very little of interest on the market, now I am in a position of potentially having 3 to choose from, and struggling a bit. Which would you choose?

All houses are in the same village, which we have chosen for the schools and general location (proximity/transport links to nearby city for work). We have 2 primary age children.

A. Beautiful large detached 1930s house, with a beautiful large garden. Located on outskirts of village so further from the school (1.5 miles) and garden backs onto field but also distant view of busy A-road from end of garden.
Owner is a retired lady who has furnished and decorated it beautifully but some things wouldn't be hugely practical for us so we would want to make a few changes. However it's the absolute top of our budget so large mortgage payments and we wouldn't necessarily be able to spend lots of money on changes and redecoration, we'd have to do it gradually. It is more than liveable though and has a "forever home" feel about it.

B. Large detached house with large garden, not sure when it was originally built, has been extended/renovated and wouldn't need much doing to it. Very well located in centre of village, 0.6 miles to the school. Only downside is road is slightly busier than the others (it's on a bus route and there is some through traffic). Within budget.

C. Semi-detached house with medium size garden, built around 1930s-1940s, we would want to do a lot of work to it. Well under budget so could afford extensive renovations and renting elsewhere while we do them. Main advantage of this house is that it's on my favourite street in the village, quiet and friendly with lots of families with children. As we are new to the village it would be nice to make friends with some neighbours. Reasonably central in the village, 0.8 miles to the school.

C is my favourite location but I'm torn about the renovations, part of me would love a project and would love to make the house exactly how I want it, but I am also aware of the stress and disruption, and probably shouldn't be embarking on it given that moving house will be challenging enough.

DH really wants a detached house so he is leaning towards B.

We actually already made an offer on A, before B and C came on the market, so we need to decide whether to withdraw our offer. Argh!

B

B

please don’t get involved in major projects unless you really have to, it is always more expensive, stressful, problematic and longer than you expect.

From what you describe C would be at the bottom of my list.
Its not the best investment, and basing a decision on others who live near by is risky. What if you end up disliking your neighbours, or they move and the demographic changes.
I would go for A or B depending on your ages and likely financial future. If promotions or room for improving your income is likely then I'd go with A.

Have you renovated before? It is not like the tv programmes. (I have only done it once, and swore never again. It was incredibly stressful - like managing a full time job on top of your normal work, and costs spiralled)

i would go for B

B - detached every time.

A. You said forever home so I'd get that and slowly take my time making the little changes needed

If you don't see B as a forever home, then don't discount A. The costs of moving are.high.

But I'd worry you sound like you might be busting your affordability on A and be at risk if rates went up not down.

So, I'd say B.

Forget C. Renovations cost a fortune, if you can even get someone. Then there's the hassle. You can't easily rent nowadays in places there isn't the rental stock and your kids need to go to school and be reasonably close.

Renovations are more expensive than ever at the moment and trying to get a tradesman to commit to a job is unbelievably hard. So I would rule out C.

I'm torn between A and B. I think it depends how house B makes you feel. Does it make you feel excited? Do you love it?

I would go with the house that gives you flutters. It sounds like house A is that house to me, and you can make changes over time. But it depends on lots of different things. Are your jobs secure? Are you reliant on one main breadwinner? If you're financially secure, I'd probably take a leap and get house A. It sounds like it would be an easy house to sell if you absolutely had to.

B sounds best

B. A doesn't sound good for the children as from what you say it's a half-hour walk to school and there's nothing much else around. Boring for them and it means you driving them everywhere which imo isn't good for any of you. Especially when they're a few years older they'll want/need to be able to visit friends etc independently.

B then A then C….

It sounds like the main draw of C is neighbours / making friends all the kids will be at the village school you’ll know everyone anyway I wouldn’t sweat it.

i would not take on a Reno ignoring the cost just trying to get decent tradesmen who show up reliably is a nightmare

A. It already feels like the 'forever home' so you can take forever making it just right.

Thanks all, so helpful!

I should point out that the asking price for C is £275k lower than B so we would have more than enough budget for extensive renovations (not to mention a much lower stamp duty bill) but I hear what you're all saying about renovations, and I think you're probably right, it's not worth it - especially as the house is semi-detached.

Maybe I'm being silly about the friendly street thing, it just had such a nice vibe about it when I was exploring the village one weekend. (The street we live on now is similar and lovely neighbours so we will be sad to say goodbye - I like the idea of moving somewhere with a similar feel.)

I am pretty good at meeting people and making connections (if I say so myself ha) so hopefully we can still settle into the village even if we don't make friends with actual neighbours.

A, definitely. It sounds gorgeous!

B easier for kids to walk to school, detached, doesn’t need renovating and within budget

A

Thank you - I agree with all this.

We haven't actually viewed B yet, we are seeing it tomorrow morning. So we need to see whether we love it and get that "forever home" feeling.

I absolutely loved A but it reminded me a lot of my grandparents' house so I worry about being too influenced by that. I just wanted to live there when I was in it! But DH was less sure, and we have to both love it, especially if we're going to the top of our budget.

DH is the main earner and I wouldn't be able to cover the mortgage on my salary (let alone the rest of the bills) but we do have some savings, income protection insurance for DH, and he is pretty employable so even if he lost his job we wouldn't be too worried.

We are both planning to increase our working hours next year too (currently both slightly part time until DC2 starts school, at which point DH will go full time and I'll go from .6 to .8).

Def scope out the neighbours at house A and B as bad neighbours can ruin a good home but I really don’t think C is it.

you are putting way to much emphasis on the friends / community bit I think.

i think putting down pros and cons on paper can really help sort the wheat from the chafe

Detached house every single time

The semi one ..well only takes one nuisance family to move in to chnage how friendly it is not to mention noise if your a semi.

I'd also go for B because it's not top of budget and quite frankly screw reno work it sucks

I'm going against the grain here but I think C. Buying the worst house on the best street could be a shrewd move. I'm only saying this as you have sufficient funds to extensively renovate and rent somewhere else while you do (renovations are stressful and you don't want to be living on site, especially with small kids). I'd go for C.......or A if you can comfortably handle the mortgage repayments.

I’d go A. I love 1930’s houses. I’ve always been told to stretch yourselves as mush as possible and to make big jumps when you move. It’s absolutely paid off for us.

A because you said it is beautiful. B and C can’t compete with that.

I'd also go for C, just about coming out of the renovation with young child and pregnant, and we mostly lived in, but that's with 2 caveats. The location needs to be objectively amazing, none of the nice neighbours, more like whether it's central, close to school, desirable etc. the second thing is semi detached, would that bother you? I went from terraced to detached and don't think I can do semi anymore, but detached to semi is different to semi to semi or terraced to semi

Large is not necessarily good, easier maintenance is very important. I think B is good but curious what you would think tomorrow when you view it.

A bus route is great for kids in the years when they have some independence but cannot drive. Otherwise you'll be a taxi for years.