Would you buy a house that does not quite wow?

[PhysicsBowlChampion]

Looking to buy detached house with at least 4 bedrooms (and garage). This house ticked all the boxes (I thought) but downsides were: on corner of busy main road (set back a bit from it), living room was long/not huge and can’t figure out how to make it work without it looking like a corridor with sofas pushed up against wall,

Kitchen was ok but had a smaller dark bit for dining which put me off. There is a separate dining room but not connected in any way to kitchen so imagine would not be used much apart from at Christmas.

House was well-maintained and wouldn’t need to do much to it but I didn’t feel “wow”!

I love my current kitchen and feel I’m holding every house up to that standard. If we bought house, no money to start ripping out kitchen, doing major renovations. Would be interested in other views from people on what you think of house. Note garden/drive at front of house is nowhere near as big as picture implies!

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89913291#/?channel=RES_BUY

Yes I bought houses that were frankly, horrific.

My first terraced home was a repossession where a dog had died and disintegrated into the concrete kitchen floor, the house was covered in dog shit and rubbish up to 6ft high. There were live electrics exposed all over the place randomly. Perk was it was hella cheap and cash only. I did it up and then lived in it for 10 years. I sold it on as a totally functional family home.

I moved into another wreck, rotten floors sodden with dog pee, a leaking roof, 1920s electrics etc and again did it up and have now lived here many years. Again when I move it’s another derelict home returned to use.

No house wows me. I have no emotional connection to it - until my family are with me there. Until then it's only a question of whether it's a functional space satisfactory to my purposes.

Do you only have one DC? I understand about wanting more privacy but do you need so much space if you are soon to be empty nesters?

Are there options at those prices for smaller houses with bigger plots of land? Or cheaper houses with a better layout?

Wait a year until your child finishes sixth form. For that money, I wouldn’t be buying something that didn’t wow me. I’m spending 330k and love my new house that I complete on next month.

I think it needs to wow you in some way, but imo it's rare for houses - even £1m+ ones - to wow in every respect till you've put your own stamp on them.

The one linked by the OP has some kerb appeal, but it doesn't really sound like 'the one'.

Like @MaryFromGlasgow we've bought some real howlers that others understandably bypassed as they were so awful, condition-wise - the repossessed mill with no water supply, the six bed Victorian that was presented as five flats one of which had a shit-smeared bath 🤮, the thatched house with no plaster or electrics.

By the time we'd finished transforming them, all certainly had the wow factor and huge profits were made when we sold...but was the potential wow factor apparent when we first viewed? I'm not sure it was - but each one felt right, somehow. I think you instinctively know if it's the one.

We are in the process of looking to upgrade our house size, and it is difficult because everything we look at might be an upgrade in some respects, but also losing some of what we already have (first world problems, I know).

While the house doesn’t have to “wow” you, I think the minimum standard is really liking it, otherwise what is the point of moving?

it is hard to be patient once you decide to move, but we are trying to wait for a house that we love.

Also - I think living and kitchen is really important because that is where you spend a lot of time.

I would only consider it if I had at least £100k for renovations… The interior is hideous and you can do so much better with that budget

That decorative bit would really annoy me

@PhysicsBowlChampion How well do you know the area? I know it well but don’t want to tell you what you already know. Within that part of Ruislip the same house size/type will be priced very differently depending on the individual road.

That house is priced to reflect the junction - its not just a busy main road, its on a busy junction with a primary school and the cut through to major commuter routes, albeit set back behind the customary slip road. Its a cost effective way to buy a larger house in popular location with great schools and facilities. Its a short walk to the woods and playing fields but at very substantial discount on living by the woods (where turnover is very low anyway). However at your stage of life you might prefer to buy a bit smaller but in one of the better roads by the woods (with larger gardens as well).

Have you been to view the house in person yet? I’ve always taken the view that if a house is for the long term I’ll be replacing most of the insides anyway so its a matter of whether the price is right. If its a short term house obviously not. I’ve never regretted buying firstly for location even if I change the insides.

Well, you say one reason it appeals is that very little work needs doing, but I think it needs a lot of work — quite apart from the odd layout, it looks as if it has been decorated by a committee of people with no eyes! You say you don’t have the money for that, so it’s presumably a no.

The layout is dreadful but there is a decent amount of space downstairs so it would be possible to remodel into something better. Straight away you could swap the sitting room and dining room so it made a bit more sense. The breakfast room, kitchen and current sitting room need walls moving to make the space flow better. I'd want at least a loo and preferably a bathroom in the attic but I wonder if the water pressure isn't that great since they already have three bathrooms in the house.

What a load of money for a house so awkwardly layed out

Am I the only one who actually likes that house? It's gorgeous on the outside and you can change the decor inside.

Yeh it's gorgeous and the garden area lovely. OP is a millionaire by the looks of it, so really don't think they need advice on properties when they will have a pick of what they want

I would never buy a house I don't get 'the feeling' for but I do have the added advantage of being past the family 'forever home' stage. I trust my gut and usually know within 5 mins whether I could live there. Now I know just from the experience of having viewed, bought and sold a few houses over the years. The one thing I can not live with is a home with 'rectangle rooms' - as you describe-corridor type. I just hate them. That's why I probably prefer older houses with a window seat, a bay, or something unusual in its layout. Good luck OP 🍀

If I had doubts about anything, I wouldn't buy it.

I think it depends on individual priorities. I find that house bland at best, depressing at worst. If I couldn't afford to buy it and renovate, I would probably choose a smaller house that pleased me more in terms of layout and feel, or even to stay where I was. Only you really know what matters most to you.

@Tblock1800 There are a lot of areas where that's not the case.

Lovely house and good area, road can be busy though

My three non-negotiables:

Walking distance to primary school, a shop and a pub
Not on a busy road
The potential to create the space we want

Assuming you buy under budget you can make it wow over time.

What is it you love about your current kitchen? Also what is it your current house is missing?

I don't like it. If it was the same house footprint a bit cheaper and un renovated - maybe. Nice big garden but even that is pretty dull. Neither the sitting room OR the kitchen seem to be a place you would want to linger.
Houses in Ealing are often priced higher than they will eventually sell for...have you tried going to a higher price bracket and offering under ?

I would be a firm no as it’s on for £1.25 million!

At that price I’d want it to be my dream house and not require every room to be re-done etc 🤪

sounds like too many compromises to me so would not be long until you start complaining about it! downstairs seems to be all strange long corridor rooms though bathrooms not too good. The road will soon be got used to but its not the best thing to be by

Unless of course you’ve got the cash to do just that…in that case buy it!!