I would NEVER buy a house with…

[Wyr]

• solar panels

• a ‘garden house’ IE a lockdown special outdoor wooden shed dressed up as an office - usually taking up half the garden and completely pointless

• a neighbour who has a load of cars / shit in their yard - hoarder vibes

who’s next? 3 things that would make you not buy a house…

Exactly this. I think kitchen islands are a bit naff and would never have one, but I think it's ridiculous to accuse someone of 'lacking imagination' because they don't like them. Why throw shade on someone else and their character, because they simply have a different opinion to you?

So weird how some people take other peoples opinions and dislikes to heart. Why so bothered about random strangers opinions on the internet?

If someone is so secure in their choices, someone else's opinions wouldn't even be on their radar.

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I think kitchen islands are a bit naff

Why?

I love my kitchen island but don't think people who dislike them lack imagination. I think it depends on the house. They don't work in some kitchens and I would never want one to replace my kitchen table.

They only become a dumping ground if you allow them to be and if you don't have one I'm sure somewhere else becomes the dumping ground if you are that type of household.

Sorry, but many people do lack imagination. You're the one who was baffled by the concepts of a white kitchen sinks and solar panels, right?

I'm perfectly secure in my choices. I can still think your (general your, not specific your) opinions are stupid or lacking in imagination or closed-minded or whatever. This is literally a thread, in part, about other people's choices that would stop you from buying a house. In other words, the current conversation is putting it on the radar.

A poster asked why people hate kitchen islands. I gave my opinion. I'm sorry if you're you so insecure in yours that I triggered you.

And see how I managed a reply without overuse of stupid emojis (in case you're looking for tips)!

Good, measured post. 👏😎 🙂

Off out for a nice walk in the sunshine. Enjoy your day folks. It's sunny where I am ☀😎 Hope you all get some sun too! 😄

😘

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Things that would put me right off:

No en-suite

Swimming pool

Very busy road

Usually the bigger houses that have massive glass windows all around the house like you can literally see in the whole house when you drive past, not to mention I would be so paranoid about someone just smashing the glass and walking in nope nope and more nope

If I liked the space/location/practicalities etc then nothing would put me off buying as it can all be changed,
But the things that would absolutely see me offering less or considering for budget as would need changing are:

Fully resin or paved outdoor spaces
Inadequate fencing/privacy
Chappy outside structures - garages / sheds/ workshops that essentially need pulling down
Artificial turf

Open plan downstairs 'living'
Red or coloured gloss kitchens or tiling - same for bathroom.
Grey UPVC windows etc that are not remotely inkeeping with the look of the house or street in general.
Anything 'modernised' but done on the cheap - fully white kitchens for eg with white tiled floors, that are already tired looking.

I think a lot of kitchen islands have been squeezed into spaces where they don't really fit because the owner is determined to have an island. Those islands just end up being annoying barriers.

We have an island but it's really the only option in the shape of my kitchen. I absolutely love it though. Even with my three dangly lights - not entirely sure how else I'd light it tbh. Personally I hate spotlights - especially in living rooms.

I’ve no plans to move but I would never buy a house

• with no garden or a very small one
• with a north facing garden
• not reasonably close to public transport links (I don’t drive).
• on a main road through a town
• not within walking distance of primary and within walking or easy bus distance from a secondary
• that was really old and in likely in need of tons of maintenance
• next to a school (parking!), set of shops, football ground, amusement park, pub/club, restaurant or any place that was likely to have lots of people loitering

Probate solicitor here. Slightly off topic but just jumping on to clarify a couple of things -probates are all dealt with centrally these days so it’s not an area thing. There are also only potentially delays re selling houses if the executors jump the gun and market the house for sale before probate is applied for. I always advise against this. Once they have the grant of probate it’s just like buying from a regular seller. Plus possibly more likely to accept a slightly lower offer if they just want to get it sold. So I wouldn’t rule it out!

yes i know how much they cost - I have built my house and put a heat pump in. My electric bills are the same as what they were in my previous house which had oil heating (radiators) stove (coal and sticks) and electricity. In my old house also had to pay for oil coal and sticks. My new house is nice 22 degrees in every room and am only in my house a year and seeing a benefit in bills of it. I have one bill and once i add it up for the year ad compare it to last year i am only paying a third of my electric, cola and oil combined last year. Solar panels are being installed next year. Had them in one of my previous houses - not my last one and god they were a godsend in summer constant hot water. Ones we putting on next year , we can sell back to the grid. My friend has them at the moment and she only paid 30e for her last electric bill. next montsh she expect to be in credit with them given the good weather we are ahving at the mo - yYes they cost alot to install etc. But you start seeing and feeling the benefits straight away.

This is so true - Not every kitchen can take an island - sometimes a breakfast bar or similar is better, but people are determined to have their island instead of working with what they have

I learned in 2009 to rule out houses whose names include River, Marsh or Bridge. We almost completed on a river-fronting house but pulled out after discovering from its neighbours that their homes were unmortgageable and uninsurable due to flooding, issues which the agent had not mentioned...

I wouldn't automatically be put off by a kitchen island but if I had to choose between island and proper table I'd go for the latter.

I would rule out a house with only downstairs bathrooms, which is surprisingly common in thatched cottages in expensive areas because upstairs space can be so limited.

No building regs for an attic conversion (so common!)

Anything shared with another house that is primarily being rented out. e.g. yard, tyneside flat etc. It's just a massive hassle to access the actual owner!

Right next to a park (unless maybe it was in a really posh area). Bought somewhere overlooking a park and thought it was absolutely beautiful. Huge issues with antisocial behaviour from teenagers from day 1. Then found out from a friend in property that that's a really common problem.

It's an utter PITA if you want any work doing at the back. We have a side garage extension so no side access and we've needed two jobs doing 'out back' - laying a base for you know one of those tacky useless garden office (which I do actually WFH in btw) and underpinning on the corner of the house. In both instances neighbour refused access via thier side passage so everything either had to come through the house or get craned over. Cranes are expensive!

Im willing to overlook a LOT if I think a house has potential - our current house was an absolute HOLE when we bought it and we have had to gut every single room as we have gone along and have spent thousands on the garden digging it over and levelling it out before we could even make it look pretty. That being said there are some things that can’t be overlooked and for me the top 3 things are:

open plan lounge-diners (I could compromise on a kitchen-diner, but I like the lounge separate)

small garden

no off road parking/driveway

i just asked my DH the same question and he said

no downstairs loo

a front door that goes straight onto the pavement/road

small garden

A environmentally unfriendly neighbour who has an opinion about my garden room.

1. No/shared garden.

1. No dining room or dining area in living room. Do these people eat off their knees all the time?

3.Only one toilet/bathroom. We live with a 16 year old who spends hours in there. I've literally wee'd myself once or twice while shouting for him to hurry up and come out. I'd kill for an ensuite.

A busy road, any sort of shared access and no outdoor space. Anything that can be changed wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.

Large garden that needs lots of upkeep
downstairs bathroom
attached to other properties
front door that opens straight into lounge
leaded windows
pvc conservatory
neighbours with dogs and young children
neighbours full stop.

PS: I live is a house with some of these issues.

PPS yes, I am very antisocial!

Numerous cars parked nearby
Near a school
Messy neighbour's garden/house
Any indication of log burners nearby (hard to tell obviously)
Hot tub/Neighbour with hot tub
Flags on display
Artificial grass
White or black 'glossy' kitchen
Marble or wooden worktops
Artex and other messy removal jobs
No side access to rear
Conservatory or garden office
Bathroom that looks like a 'hotel bathroom'
Electric only heating
Rightmove photos that look staged

Oh gawd, and I'm looking to move soon too 😂

Pebbledash
Fake grass
In a town/city

House we’re looking at buying would definitely break a lot of MNet rules. End of terrace, higgledy piggledy rooms, no hallway downstairs, main bathroom downstairs, pine EVRYWHERE 🤣

I'm so glad for some of these stipulation/non negotiables as it meant our house was a decent price last year!
We are a mid terrace on a main road opposite a petrol station. It has one down stairs bathroom. There is no onsite parking and we cant park out the front as its double yellow lines. However it's an old Edwardian house with most of the original features (old paneled door, picture rails, ceiling rose, high ceilings), in a AONB, stunning views and large back garden. All the neighbours on the terrace have lived in their houses for 10+years.
We had to compromise on a few things but I'm glad we did as its a gorgeous house.

3 things I would never buy

-New build from a large building firm (a lot seem to have loads of problems and not well designed)

• bamboo or Japanese knotweed nearby
• any hint of dry rot.