Which floor plan/ town house?

[Sky1111]

Hello,
We would like to buy a new town house.
Wefound 2 brand new properties and we dont know which one is better?

1. house:

Ground floor - 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, storage room, coat storage and corridor

first floor- kitchen and living room area and garden 20 x 70 m. (Private terrace for residence only for 12 properties)

second floor - 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (one ensuite)

its end of terrace - large long glasses on site of the property where stairs are so its airy.

House 2
Ground floor: when you get in to the property there is a wc and coat storage then straight to away to the kitchen than living room area. So basically there is no corridor. Private garden 8x5 m.

first floor - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms both ensuite

second floor - 2 bedrooms one if them is ensuite. Its not end of terrace so we will have neighbours on each side so no windows.
Bedroom sizes are bigger than house 1.

House 1 is £250 k cheaper than house 2.

Many new builds need lots of repairs so I’d be cautious if that’s the case. Make sure you get a professional snagging company in. With an older house you can get a survey and know what needs fixing but with a new build you won’t know until you’re in.

I do not like the idea of always having to carry everything up to the first floor in H1.

The ground floor bedroom could work well if you WFH or have an adult child (lodger?) living semi-independently. Otherwise it's not worth the hassle of having to carry everything up.

The light in the windowless H2 kitchen is easy to deal with: install an LED daylight panel. Venting should also be manageable: duct the extractor fan outside via the toilet.

Would a modern terraced house have good sound insulation?

A floor above I assume. Not two floors above.

Do you have/want kids? Will you be needing a separate home office? I actually like the first one but depends whether you need 2, 3 or 4 beds?

@AnOldCynic Hi, we have one son and he really liked the House 1 and a room in ground floor - he is almost 15 years old. He says its good for privacy 😀

@AnOldCynic May I learn what you liked about House 1 please? X

To be honest we liked House 2 because its 4 bedrooms and bedroom sizes are bigger. I believe we can sell House 2 quicker if we would like to move another property in future. (Because House 1 layout may not be ideal for some families or elderly people).
However when you actually get in to the property House 1 is corner plot so more airy, wider and living room area bigger and peaceful because of the large green shared garden (20 metres long x 70 metres wide ). Development is one of the best in UK and they designed the garden so nicely with chairs, lights, trees and flowers 🌷 (there is also private terrace which we can put our own stuff like a table, chairs x

I'd split my like/dislike list into must have, would like, would prefer not, and can't live with. I'm not sure whether the kitchen lighting is a 3 or a 4 on that scale. Then look at what is fixable and what isn't. That might give you a bit more clarity.

It sounds as if a lot of things about house 1 would really suit you and your current situation. A lot of the things you like about it can't be replicated in house 2. However it will undoubtedly be harder to resell eventually than House 2, though maybe not so much harder as replies on a family based forum might suggest.

If you are planning on staying a while I'd go for house 1. The housing market might look completely different by the time you come round to sell. If there's a chance you might need to sell soon and/or relatively quickly then I'd go for house 2 with whatever fixes can be arranged.

I think we need to see the actual listings as it sounds quite subjective. If we saw the adverts we might all say oh definitely house 1. 😁

If you’re not going to use the garden much other than for eating outdoors you might find that the one with the shared garden and private terrace is more practical.

Are both houses designed so that a lift / stairlift can be easily added?

How easy will it be to get furniture into each property? Can you get large sofas easily into the middle floor of House 1?

I wouldn’t buy a house with a shared garden and the lack of privacy and associated costs

While it does sound like H1 would suit you better (you, not me!) this does wave a teensy red flag:

Peaceful because of the large green shared garden, until the neighbour who share that garden send all their kids into it to play screaming games of football. Or BBQ under your window every summer weekend. It's a risk you run with shared gardens.

The end plot and feeling like you have more light and space. Carrying bags up one flight of stairs is hardly hard work and you get the light and views out at an upper level that is always different from ground floor.

I really like the idea of the shared terrace, very sociable and a safe space for kids to play in. Even if they aren't yours it's nice to see other kids and because it's shared if the kids arse about you are within your rights to monitor it and ask that they don't misbehave.

Ground floor bedroom for teen DS with own bathroom sounds a winner. And not all people buying houses have families. It would also suit a couple who wfh who need an office and a guest bedroom as well as their own.

Plus £250k savings....

Carrying bags up one flight of stairs is hardly hard work

I've lived a flight up for the past 6 years. Believe me, carting a family food shop up the stairs every single week - annoying.

Carting holiday gear up and down a flight of stairs every single trip - annoying.

Having to go up and down a flight of stairs to answer every door knock, even if wrong address or just to take in a neighbour parcel - annoying.