Two houses! Help me choose please!

[billyidol]

Both 3 bed detached which is our requirement

House 1
23 years old Barratt home.
Preferred location
Integral garage which impacts on downstairs space quite a bit. Downstairs living smaller than we’d like and layout not ideal - have to walk through lounge to galley kitchen.
Pretty garden but overlooked
Almost brand new kitchen and 2 bathrooms. Beautifully decorated
Bedrooms really good sizes

House 2
4 years old Persimmon
Not ideal location
Detached garage
Slightly larger downstairs than house 1 as the garage is separate
Preferred layout with hall and rooms that are separate.
Nicely but blandly decorated and kitchen is cheap flat pack persimmon standard kitchen
20k under the price of house 1
South facing garden not overlooked

I actually love house 1 and have discounted and gone back to it time and time again to see if we could make the smaller space work for us. House 2 would be more a ‘ticks more boxes’ buy.
So mixed up!

We’ve just been for a walk to house 1 and the location is lovely, it’s a nice peaceful estate. Most houses look well kept and there was no noise, only people out washing cars etc. We discussed putting a solid roof conservatory on the back or converting the garage, it’s nice to know we have options if we feel it’s too small initially. We think we’ll go for house 1 🙈 we’ve been 27 years in our house so it feels a huge deal

You might need to buy new furniture, or scale back on what you have. So what? Perfect opportunity to redecorate!

House 1 for sure. Plenty of space for DGC, and having them at a table in a separate dining room makes it safer with boiling pots etc

Definitely house 1

Yes I wouldn't consider sleeping space for children/grandchildren. I spent 2 or 3 nights in my childhood max at either set of my grandparents in which case you can definitely find make do situations. My children are unlikely to ever spend more than a couple of nights total at my parents. Y

The entertaining space is a different matter. I would factor in adult children plus potential partners for living dining space acknowledging that day to day its unlikely to be all over at once. I reference my parents in a previous post. Their downstairs is set up so that week by week it is spacious for the two of them, comfortable for 4 adults and 0-2 children and can manage less comfortably but only occasionally (2 or 3 times a year) for all of us (8 adults and 2 children) for lunch

If a house has the right feeling and location there is usually something that can be done about sizing - whether that is different furniture or modifying spaces

Use tick boxes up to a point. Then use your heart.
Location matters.

House 1. Easily.

Another vote for House 1.

Why not keep looking? You've figured out what you do and don't like about these houses but they aren't quite right. This could be the last house you buy, it would be worth waiting a bit longer for me ticks on your list. Are you a keen gardener? I am and I wouldn't buy a house with a north facing garden, in retirement you might spend even more time outside. I'm not good with not knowing and want to make a decision so it's done, maybe you're the same.

House one is lovely and I thought the gardens were equally overlooked.. House one's kitchen is lovely.

Being able to walk everywhere easily could be very important to you one day, that would be a priority for me in retirement.

I wouldn't worry about future grandchildren, they can sleep in the living room on a airbed or a tent in the garden etc if need be. I have ever slept at my grandparents and my DC haven't ever slept overslept at theirs either.

Good luck with your future new home. I hope you find one that really love.

House 1 is lovely.

House 2 looks depressing on the outside, claustrophobic on the inside, and who on earth can fit inside that shower cubicle?!!

House 1 despite the north facing garden.