I really like this house

[ChewedBlanket]

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/170639135#/?channel=RES_BUY (nb obv central London prices).

Haven't been to see it yet so may not be any good at all. It's been on the market since Jan and they have already dropped the price so keen to sell. Do you think the third bedroom is too small to be a vacation bedroom for a teen currently at uni (so at home half the year)?

Needs a bit of work- new kitchen and bathroom, maybe rewire, skim, redecorate etc. Hopefully not new windows.

To the side/back is a gated private housing development- not sure whether this is good or bad. It's not beautiful to look at but you can't see it that much as far as I can tell.

If you like it, and can afford it, then go for it. I don't like it personally, for many reasons, some already listed, but that doesn't matter as I'm not buying it!

For that price in my area (North Mids/Cheshire border,) you could get a 6 bedroom, 3 storey detached house, with a cellar, outbuildings (like stables) and 5-10 acres of land, so I would never spend £1.2 million on a 3 bed terraced house in the middle of London. It looks like a VERY busy, highly populated area. Practically in the middle of the shops. Fine for childfree young people I think, but I can't imagine living there with children, or if I was over 40 myself. I prefer a quieter area.

IMO, there is too much traffic, too many people, too much pollution. Couldn't think of anything worse. I lived in London for a few years in the late 1980s/early 1990s, and loved it then (as a young, single, childfree 20-something.) Wouldn't be for me now. It's a different place now to what it was pre 1990s too.

But if you like it, then go for it. You don't need anyone's approval, surely?

You don't need anyone's approval, surely?

I think you've misunderstood the purpose of the thread.

There's probably very little crossover between people wanting a Georgian townhouse in Islington and those wanting a country house and stables in Cheshire! Horses for courses as they say 😁

They're attractive houses - but I'm biased because I live in a similar house close by. Similar life stage to the OP. You don't choose Islington if you want a big garden. I'm pretty sure that house was up for sale in 2024ish when we were looking, but we didn't get to see inside it as the owners weren't keen on us not yet having our own under offer. We ended up buying something similar, but bigger and needing much more work. The extreme proximity to Camden Passage and the sheer footfall along the pavement right next to the basement kitchen window might put some people off.

Is that a council estate in the back garden? How many people and vehicles would be using the alley next to the house?

What's going on with the brickwork? Looks like there had been an explosion on the top floor. Bomb damage or gas historically? Or is it just wet bricks. There is no street view to check.

What a waste of words.

Completely agree!

£1.6M for a 3 bed terraced house that needs work? London price are mad.

I paid a third of that price for a 4 bedroom detached house with drive and garage and 50% more floor space.

Sure, but you're probably somewhere a lot of us would pay £1.6M (or more) to not be. Honestly, what on earth is the point of these posts? Do some of you really believe the OP has no idea at all that property is cheaper farther away from the heart of one of the most sought after and vibrant neighbourhoods in the world?

@ChewedBlanket I walked down that street on Sunday. Wish I'd seen this before, I would have made a point of checking it out.

Yes of course I know the OP realises that, hence why I said London prices are mad. Personally I wouldn’t choose to pay £1.6M to live in a tiny terraced house but obviously plenty of people do.

Comments like this on property threads are so tedious. Of course you can buy a different type of property in a different location. Not everybody wants or needs a bigger house or wants the ballache of looking after a big garden. Plus you will always need to pay more for easier access to better, higher paid job opportunities, a greater range of excellent schools, frequent public transport that's free for children and older people and world class cultural experiences on your doorstep.

I love the open fire - I hope it is still open and the chimney hasn't been closed off.

Hate the man hole cover in the kitchen, sadly I wouldn't be viewing it as a result.

The gated community out back is social / council housing - Islington Council, and it appears to be housing for elderly people.

and that's the joys of living in a million pound + house in London.

Otherwise I love the house and the location.

I’m always shocked at how small these houses are inside.

Buy how are your comments helpful to OP? What does she care if houses are cheaper in other areas or in other countries? We all know that alredy. What exactly are you bringing to the table?

I’m just highlighting how mad prices are in London.
An interesting discussion point on what is after all a discussion forum.

And who knows, it might plant a seed in the OPs mind that it could worth spreading the net a little wider in her property search.

Breaking news indeed.

To answer your actual question… I think that bedroom is fine, I have a similar size one and it fits a double bed, a desk and a chest of drawers easily enough. Not sure you’d need much more for non-permanent use.

Glad I have been able to enlighten you.

And who knows, it might plant a seed in the OPs mind that it could worth spreading the net a little wider in her property search.

For that price in my area (North Mids/Cheshire border,) you could get a 6 bedroom

Please bring back the laughing emoji and include an eye roll for the most ridiculous replies and suggestions from some people.

Yes OP, maybe you should widen your search criteria from Islington to include anything within 200miles! Heck, why not just look at buying a tent instead or moving to a cheaper country abroad! 😂🙄

I did try to obviate the need for comments on prices in central London by mentioning them myself in my first post 😂

200 miles? Even 10 miles you can get an awful
lot more for your money.

But obviously there are people willing to pay that kind of money for small terraced house, so each to their own.

Love it.

each to their own

Well, yes. If you posted about a house local to you and I popped up to comment that it was too far to commute to EC1 and to wonder how would get home from Sadlers Wells in the evening, you'd think I was an idiot, but that's basically what you've done here. People have different priorities and requirements. Houses in different areas cost different amounts. It's beyond tedious to have to keep pointing this out.

Would want a toilet on the top floor rather than going downstairs during the night

I used to have a manhole in a sitting room, where we extended over an existing one. We never had issues with it - it might be a private sewer (ours was)- and in a way if there are issues, better to have the access to it than not.