Page 6 | Would you rather a flat in nice area or house in rough area?

Weaselgoespop · 2025-08-20T19:14:30+00:00

First time buyers, limited budget. Can get 2 bed flat in "nice" area however means no garden... Alternatively, can get a 2 bed terrace with garden in less affluent area... Interested to hear which others would choose? We have a 2 year old DC who I would prefer to have a garden but not sure if that's reasonable enough to risk the less nice area!?

EveningSpread · 24/08/2025 12:54

Wanderergirl · 24/08/2025 08:06

I’m one of those people who like her property maintained, so I wouldn’t mind cctv, nice glass and nice communal areas. To me it sounds essential. But if you’re one of the people who only spends on property when the roof is falling down, then yes, house is better option. This also the reason why a lot of the houses are in terrible state in London.

However, you do get a say, it’s just that things the building owners, including yourself is spend on is decided by majority of votes.

Also you can easily tell by the communal areas when viewing, window/door condition whether building owners like to spend on maintenance or not. We’ve been to some shocking flat viewings, old stinky carpets, scuffed walls, hallway turned into dumping ground of everyone’s stuff they don’t want to keep in the flats. Yeah I prefer to pay a little to have nice surroundings.

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I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick, and are trying to characterise me as tight to get back at me.

I was just letting the OP know that even freeholder directed management companies aren’t without complexity.

Whether you think things are essential
or not doesn’t change the fact that there’s a limit to what people can pay in service charges, just like mortgages. So it’s useful to know that you sometimes have limited control over them. You can speculate whether you could afford a property if interest rates hit 10%. With a flat, you’ve also got to think “could I afford double the service charge, or a £20k levy for communal areas to be revamped?”

Wanderergirl · 24/08/2025 16:12

EveningSpread · 24/08/2025 12:54

I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick, and are trying to characterise me as tight to get back at me.

I was just letting the OP know that even freeholder directed management companies aren’t without complexity.

Whether you think things are essential
or not doesn’t change the fact that there’s a limit to what people can pay in service charges, just like mortgages. So it’s useful to know that you sometimes have limited control over them. You can speculate whether you could afford a property if interest rates hit 10%. With a flat, you’ve also got to think “could I afford double the service charge, or a £20k levy for communal areas to be revamped?”

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No not trying to get back at you, just looking at things from different perspective.

Everything you pointed out still stands for the house purchase. Many people don’t think if they would still can afford it, if the roof would start leaking, but that doesn’t stop them from buying houses.

If you’re a freeholder, you have quite a lot of control over the internal or appointed external management company. My friend’s building sacked theirs, because it wasn’t good enough. Nobody in their righteous mind will keep management company who’s charging high fees to facilitate their salaries.

I own a percentage of internally set up management company and have no issues from having enough control so far.

Properties structurally need to be maintained, and many people who buy houses or flats don’t even comprehend how much it costs.

I agree that new built leasehold flats are a bit if scam though and has very little control over the service charges.

LivingWithANob · 26/08/2025 12:07

Id go for the house with a plan to sell up in a few years. Sometimes these “rough” neighbourhoods seem ghastly until until you get to know people. We lived in one of these areas for 12 years and the nicest people. Yes they liked to have a party in their garden sometimes, so did we. Id hate to live in a flat. Just because the areas deemed nicer doesnt mean you wont get Nelly the elephant living upstairs or party boy downstairs! Neighbours are one thing you cant control unfortunately

CanIgetARosePinkFrappucino · 26/08/2025 13:25

LivingWithANob · 26/08/2025 12:07

Id go for the house with a plan to sell up in a few years. Sometimes these “rough” neighbourhoods seem ghastly until until you get to know people. We lived in one of these areas for 12 years and the nicest people. Yes they liked to have a party in their garden sometimes, so did we. Id hate to live in a flat. Just because the areas deemed nicer doesnt mean you wont get Nelly the elephant living upstairs or party boy downstairs! Neighbours are one thing you cant control unfortunately

Lol, much worse in terraces than flats in some cases