PLEEEASE HELP CHOOSE HOUSE! Links included!

[heldinadream]

Dear House-discerning mumsnetters, I need your help!
Choosing (we think and hope) between two houses, in Bristol.
HOUSE ONE. Beautiful and up together with a couple of minor things that would need doing/tweaking. Really special house in lots of ways. Brilliant garden, not massive but lovely.
HOUSE TWO. Bigger. More rooms. Some aesthetically fine, some not but totally liveable with. Smaller garden all paved so we’d be taking up paving and trying to create a garden.
REQUIREMENTS. I’m going to be 70 next year, DH is 77, but we are both fit, well, and energetic (well him more than me in some ways 😂). So this is our last house.
I NEED a garden. Where we live now it’s minute and I need more.
I NEED an art room or space and a writing room or space, can both be in the same room but I need SPACE.

We’ve sold our house and complete in 2 weeks and are moving into a rental. LOOOONG story but we’ve been looking since last December, mucked around by buyers, couldn’t bear the thought of losing this buyer so we’re moving out so she can move in, so we really, really can’t keep on and on looking. In this time we’ve lost 3 houses that I LOVED. I want to love my next house, I really do. Or make it into my lovable house fairly quickly.
Both houses same price and similar location.
So it comes down to this – house one I would love straight away and have an amazing art room, truly special. But it is on the main road so there could be noise issues, especially in the summer, and the rest of the space is more limited, even though lovely. Smaller kitchen but great utility room. Much, much better garden. House two I could have 2 art rooms (one to work in one to store art materials) and a writing room AND a guest room and still space to do everything else. Much bigger kitchen, no utility but not really needed because kitchen big enough. Both have a garage (for storage, we are leaving one behind so need this).

We absolutely cannot spend big bucks after the move. Some but not big.
So I guess the question is – could I love house 2 and make the garden something good, and so gain all the rooms and space? I crave enough space. I’ve never, ever had enough space.
Or should we go for gorgeous, less space, but already gorgeous garden, but on main road? ARGH! There’s no complicated chains so the consideration is choosing the right house, nothing else.
We wanted to decide today. We’ve only just seen these two today (I knew they were both good).We only lost house 3 that I loved about 3 weeks ago.
HELP!

HOUSE ONE - GORGEOUS HOUSE.
3 bedroom house for sale in Wells Close, Whitchurch, Bristol, BS14 (rightmove.co.uk)

HOUSE TWO - LOTS OF ROOMS.
4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Petherton Road, Hengrove, Bristol, BS14 (rightmove.co.uk)

@heldinadream that's a fab house that longpot found - honestly I would view a few more - give yourself like a week cut off but honestly don't buy something for a forever house that's really a bit of a compromise-

House One. It’s a much nicer house , and it’s detached .

Oh I am so glad you did! Thank you and I'll report back.
Slight complication we're going away from Friday until next Wednesday so not much viewing opportunities left this week and we've got two booked in for tomorrow and are trying to get another viewing of Petherton Road but we'll get on to this first thing.
If we can find an extra 20 grand or so down the back of the sofa (ouch!) 😂

Yes I think today - and everyone's help here - has brought it home to us that even now we can't just rush in and panic buy.
This new one does look seriously good. I am now so hyped up I can't sleep!

@heldinadream it's quite close to home to me ( literally I guess as live in Bath) but am bungalow hunting in and around our area for my father in law at 85 - who is moving from 4 hours away - it has to be right and it's so so tempting to say 'that will do'. But you really don't want to be moving again unless it's a total necessity - and you don't sound like you want a property that needs work- he's like you, got specifics he wants- and is 2 weeks from exchange but is going to have a few months break in temporary down here if necessary- although he has offered today - ( 30k below asking) so we shall see!!

The house posted to me seems better value and whilst the garden looks like it could do with a bit of love- the house looks terrific

This looks like a family home, the type of size for a young family. I can't see how a couple in their 70s/80s would need this type of space.

Bigger doesn't mean better. If I were in my 70s (as my parents are), I'd be looking for;

• located close to amenities, hospital, GP and public transport.
• a house that lends itself to downstairs living.
• a 3 bed house max due to cleaning requirements.
• council tax and bills as low as possible.

Why do you want a lot of rooms?

A bit further out in Keynsham.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/151809248#/?channel=RES_BUY

You need a bungalow, not either of these houses. The issues are steps, downstairs bathrooms, ease of front door access, and how much it would cost to redo house 2 and redo the paved garden, bearing in mind you have no idea what's under the paving.

Keep looking, and remember your current good health might not last.

@mathanxiety I posted a great new bungalow in Keynsham earlier ( big one) but I guess for whatever reason OP wants that very specific area and a house

Don't want Keynsham but thank you to everyone posting anything. My DD1 lives in Bedminster so within a mile or two or three maximum.

I feel I need to explain about wanting so many rooms, I know it seems bonkers. I might be a bit past being able to explain it now my brain is so scrambled. But here goes.

1. We need separate bedrooms: he snores and wants to be asleep all night, I'm feral and get up at all hours, but I don't want to be woken by snoring!
2. He needs a study. He only retired a month ago.
3. We've got 50 bazillion books. And that's after getting rid of LOTS. 😂
4. I need an art room big enough to paint large canvases.
5. I need a writing room.
6. We need a dining space because while I can eat anywhere and frequently do, he absolutely has to eat at a table.
7. I've had a really tricky life, I was homeless more than once from age 15. I was a single parent and lived where I could rather than where I chose. I actually feel like this is the first time in my life I might be able to have what I want. It's my swansong. I want the house that will make me happy. I've never felt able to even dare hope for it before. I've literally only just got to this point. Obviously this last bullet point is complex and would take a lot more unpacking but I hope that conveys where the madness is coming from.

heldinadream I'm a bit younger than you, but only a bit. Although I haven't faced the challenges you've had in life, I've never lived in a house I loved, a house I was proud of, a house I really wanted to live in. Until now. After viewing almost 20 future proofed houses with walk in showers etc, I found the house I'm in the process of buying. It's much bigger than I need - so many rooms, has 2 flights of stairs and it's old.

I love it and I'm going to have it. If it doesn't work out I'll move.

Totally get why you’d like lots of rooms. We’re a 60plus couple in a 5 bed with 3 acres, and we use every single room for something, why would you want to be cramped, esp as your DD and DGC will hopefully be visiting frequently.

also, studies show that older people do better in houses with stairs, they keep you mobile for longer (esp if, like me, you forget what you went up for)

@Tremping and @Mumblechum0 thank you both. You're both inspiring me. God this is so hard and I cannot stop looking at houses on Rightmove. It's out there somewhere. Or maybe it isn't yet.

Because most houses with say 2 bedrooms will generally have an equally small downstairs, if you want a living room, kitchen dining room, study, hobbies room then it tends to be houses with lots of bedrooms to match the downstairs space required. It’s rare to see a 2 bedroom house with lots of reception rooms downstairs.

I'd rule out house 2 if the garden is really important to you. It looks to be north facing to me from the pics. It may well be paved as lack of sun means a lawn will be a mossy bog. I also wouldn't like being overlooked like that... looks as though you might feel quite hemmed in.

I’ve sent you a PM OP.

heldinadream Having viewed every house I thought was suitable, I then started viewing houses that sparked my interest, if only slightly, but for whatever reason fell into the 'unsuitable' pile. I was essentially viewing houses that seemed unsuitable just to cross another them off the list. This is how I found my wonderful dream house.

I think we're doing both. We are looking at both houses that tick all or most boxes, both sensible boxes and wild dream boxes, and houses that tickle our fancy but look like outliers. We're also both very stressed now and arguing the toss about what we should see (amicably!) every single day. 😂
It's so full on. This thread has both really helped AND really ramped me up to 100% bonkers, I only slept for 4 hours last night and that was a scant 4 hours.
We've got 2 to see later today. We've also got the car going in for its MOT (we'll have a courtesy) and DH has managed to mislay his main pair of glasses overnight which is very unlike him, so we're both tiptoeing about in case they're on the floor and we tread on them. Luckily he's got spares otherwise we'd be completely fucked today, because I don't drive, and he needs glasses for driving.
OMG I am feeling the tension all over.

Thanks lovely, I've replied.

Thanks this is really helpful about maybe a lawn wouldn't grow properly. We are going to go and see it again but I think we're beginning to see that we have yet to find our house.

I liked both houses for different reasons. House 1 is better for artists, but House 2 is s better for an older person. I know finding a house is a compromise but I wouldn't have chosen either.

I'm in my late 40s and saving up for my own house (after divorce etc) and already thinking about accessibility and if a bus to the supermarket runs nearby! I won't always be able to cycle or drive so am future-proofing, because the next house will be last.

You sound awesome OP, I wish you luck!

Are you under the gun to move? Because if you aren't, can I suggest that you chill a bit and reframe house hunting as an intersting hobby and not a stressor? Stress can lead to hurried and bad decisions.

What I'd say about house no 2, it's chalet style, it will be unbearably hot in summer, upstairs. I had the misfortune to live in one.

In a way yes. Looong story but we had our first buyer in January but she was very difficult and messed us about. Then we had a couple buying but they split up. Then buyer one came back and we took her on again because our house is mega quirky. Then she messed us about again. Then she finally pulled out like 9 months after first offering. THEN we got our current buyer first one who walked through the door when we went back on the market!
Now she's opposite to madbuyer number one and wants to move quicker than ASAP and tried to set a completion date without our agreement! But after madbuyer one we do not want to lose her!
Hence now moving into a rental (that bit is sorted). But the longer we're in rental the more the house fund will run down, so we'd really like to find somewhere soon. Oh, and hello Christmas getting in the damn way in a few weeks! 😝

Yes neither house is right, the thread has really helped us see that.
Thank you for saying I sound awesome because I feel a like reet heap of stressed out messiness and chaos atm, so that made me smile and breathe!