Original thread here to give context to this one. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4987225-too-soon-to-downsize-if-its-the-right-house?page=3&reply=136794552
Update is that we put ours on the market but the bungalow sold before we could, so we took ours back off the market. DH wasn't heartbroken as he loves our current house and the area we're in. Houses/bungalows with the views I so loved are few and far between in our area so I threw myself back into loving our present house. Spent some more money on windows and the garden, did some decorating and spent the last year with a houseful: both dds and dd1's boyfriend; 3 cats and 2 dogs! We also paid the mortgage off - hurrah!
Long and short of it is that I've seen a house in a place very near to our current house. It's a rental for students right now and looks like it. Typical 1930s house, square rather than long like ours, rooms are a bit smaller BUT it has a huge terrace and looks out onto what is probably one of the best views in the city. Garden is a mess; lots of redecoration needed and tonnes of potential for extending. At the very least we'd need the kitchen-diner done and possibly a one-storey extension where the ramshackle old garage is now to the side of the house. It's about £100K cheaper than what we would be able to put ours on for, so we could afford to do the renovations we need to make it much nicer. There's actually potential to do LOADS including an attic conversion; 2 storey extension etc but I don't think we need that as we are essentially down-sizing. It has off-road parking galore, which we don't have now. It has neighbours only on one side; we're overlooked here, both sides and at the end of the garden. It's scratty and student-y now but it could be gorgeous and I'd love throwing myself into doing that.
I LOVE our current house. It's gorgeous and certainly livable in until we get carried out in boxes. BUT the wanker builder that lives at the end of the garden has gained planning permission to build another house on his property and it would be literally behind our fence. This is NOT filling me with joy. Our lovely neighbours are also selling up to downsize. This has got me twitchy too. DD2 is off to Uni in Sept and DD1 & bf will be looking to move out in a year or 2, maybe sooner.
Am I completely mad, just for the sake of a view? The estate agent even looked at our old listing from last year when we were speaking on the phone earlier and she said 'omg your house is lovely - why are you moving?!' LOL