House A or House B

[tangledzebra]

Hi everyone,

I need some help and advice please. I have two different houses that I like and I can’t decide between the two. I have done pros and cons list, scored them on different areas such as (location, layout etc) and they came out equal!! I keep flip flopping and would feel sad and happy which ever once I choose. Can you help. I am a FTB, who often makes impulsive decisions so really want to think this through.

sorry if this is long but I wanted to include all points.

House A

• The house I had always hoped I would live in
• Dream garden but only has front wrap around (this isn’t an issue to me)
• Overlooks grass woodland area
• Close to villages I love.
• Would have to drive everywhere- village only has 1 coop
• i don’t have many friends (recently moved from hometown) where I currently live and moving here could make me even more isolated
• Potentially to make amazing
• epc rating of f because there is no gas to village, currently runs on gas lpg central heating and wood burner in one room. Would need to factor possibly putting in a new air pump
• Requires new bathroom and kitchen - although liveable.
• Requires redec, painting and carpet throughout - although liveable
• Is on for £260k but I ‘think’ I could get it for £250/240.
• Is quite remote- has a bus into main city but not frequently and takes an hour.
• I wfh but I occasionally travel around the uk - once every two weeks? Adds an hour onto whatever journey I would need to make.
• It would be me and my teenage daughter living there, she would love to live there but it would impact on her going to uni- she would want to do open uni but it would be quite isolating for her. She is a homebody
• The light in the house is amazing
• Unsure how much structural upkeep house has had.
• Houses take a while to sell there- this house has been on for two years due to lack of gas
• South facing house
• Seller wants to move about 3 hours away to be close to family so could potentially take a while due to being able to visit potential properties
• i am a single parent working two jobs so not much spare time but love interior/ and making things cosy

House B

• Very close to where we currently live.
• Location is great and very convenient - close to city, train, shops,
• Has had some renovation and redecoration to a high standard and to my taste ie sanded floors to a high standard that have been filled - no gaps. Walls have been replastered, new thick skirting boards, new roof.
• Lovely new kitchen and bathroom
• Amazing feature fireplace.
• Lovely flow to house and light
• Separate brick converted outbuilding with power and heating so I can wfh.
• Front garden which they have made private with plants/ bushes so has a little table out front.
• Back garden is currently concrete so I would want to dig that up and lay turf and flower beds.
• House is in v popular area and they sell v quickly.
• Living area downstairs is smaller than house a, upstairs feels similar size.
• Price is on for £325 but they would accept £300k for quick sale
• Seller hasn’t found anywhere but is v keen to progress

which one would you choose?

You should not think of it as comparing two houses, it’s comparing two different lifestyles. Given your daughter’s age, I would go for living in a town/city with service close by, shops and people. Being a homebody is fine, bit you can be a homebody anywhere. However when you walk out the door, you need to be able to reach other places. Friends, jobs, entertainment, doctors. A rural location offers nothing to a young person who at some point will want and need to interact with the rest of the world. She will need to drive everywhere. Choose location B but also find the right house for you in that location. It doesn’t have to be the one that happens to be available right now. Just my two cents.

A. If you don't, you'll spend the rest of your life wishing you had.

There are plenty of house Bs, but only one house you always hoped to live in.

@LoveWine123 that’s an interesting approach- not to compare house but lifestyles .

@Halfemptyhalfling i really want her to go to in person uni and stay there but she doesn’t want to be in shared accommodation .
thank you everyone for sharing your views. I did think of a house c but house b is the best that I have seen for a really long time.

B for your dd

B now. A or its equivalent further down the line when you have more time and money.

Head over heart so B .

Yes this is how I felt and I've never regretted it.

Which house would you most look forward to coming home to each day? If it's A that would make you smile and take you down a few notches as you walk up the path, then that's the one to go for perhaps!

House B - better for you and your daughter now and in the long term

House B. It sounds perfect and I’d put a competitive offer in tomorrow!

I'm a massive heart over head person, but house B wins hands down. I think being remote, in a massive fixer upper that the shine of its potential will soon lose its luster and as others have said your daughter may get stuck in a rut.

Great location and done out house sounds like a dream. I know the outside spaces need some work but maybe some big sleeper planters, an above ground pond, some big potted plants and a nice patio set will make it feel better without needing to dig the concrete out (at least in the short term). Your daughters not at the needing space to run around age anymore. Yeah house B. Xx

Good luck OP, hope you get the house that's best for you both. Xx

B

house A has not been on the market for two years due to lack of gas. There are villages near me without gas and the houses sell. It’s either over priced or there is something wrong.

B definitely. It gives your daughter options. She may think she wants to do OU now but may change her mind. I'd encourage her to but you know her best.

I’m going to go for house B ☺️

Defintely B.

For me it would be house B. I like to be near shops etc. it would also stress me out if at sometime in the future you need to move and you said house A would take a long time to sell.

Without question the right choice.

House A is an orange. Oranges are lovely
House B is an apple, also very nice

You need to make apple crumble right now, so which are you going to buy?

Sometime down the line you might want to make orange juice and there will be more oranges to chase down, particularly in a market where there are plenty of oranges available all the time.

A wise decision OP. I hope it all goes smoothly.