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How important is the exterior look of a house to you?

50 replies

HeadFairy · 25/02/2009 20:55

DH and I have very different ideas about what's important in a house (surprise surprise!) To me character is important, I'd even rather live in a lovely old house that might be on the small side than a large but ugly house.

OP posts:
noddyholder · 25/02/2009 22:39

1 by a mile just on style.2 is prob a better family houae and could be tweaked to look better but is suburban looking

Tinker · 25/02/2009 22:50

Much prefer the look of Property 1 but wouldn't be able to say No to Property 2 garden

funnypeculiar · 25/02/2009 22:58

Like many others, 1 is pretty from the outside, and has (by the look of it) wisteria over the front door. Which counts for a huge amount in my book . 2 would probably swing it on garden though - the garden in 1 is too small for kids imo. And actually, I think 2 is still quite attractive.

We have a similar dilema - although with no price diff - and decided to go for the (imo) uglier exterior rather than the victorian one for garden/space reasons. Owners promptly found a private buyer and took it off the markets.
I am destined to live in Victorian squashedness

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 25/02/2009 23:21

Not important at all.

You don't spend time looking at the outside of your own home.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 25/02/2009 23:24

I like No 2 better. Garden is bigger and although bedrooms are smaller it has a loft room. But then I only have 1DC so I may be more worried about small bedrooms if I had mroe kids.

The kitchen seems nicer in 2 as well.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 25/02/2009 23:30

Sometimes I think you have to go with your heart. Do you need the extra space/bigger garden in No 2? I've just spotted No 1 has cellar space for a laundry room, etc which would be useful as I thought the kitchen there was a bit small?

When we moved to our current home it was between this house and one down the road. The one we bought was 5k more expensive and smaller. But I preferred the layout, more features and it had a bigger and more private garden.

We'd have had a much bigger sitting room and a large loft conversion if we'd bought the other house. But for 3 of us I guess the extra space wasn't as high a priority for us.

HeadFairy · 25/02/2009 23:36

we're seeing them both on Saturday. I guess we'll know when we walk in... I've always thought that you can tell if you like a place the second you walk in, it's a gut feeling.

OP posts:
ohdearwhatamess · 26/02/2009 09:40

Property 2 if you can fit all you need into the bedrooms - they are tiny. Garden and parking would do it for me.

As it is on the market for £50k less, perhaps it would be possible to extend and renovate?

1 looks nicer from outside though.

MrsMattie · 26/02/2009 09:54

They're both lovely. I can totally see why you prefer Property 1 (very cute) but I think Property 2 is a better investment - seems more spacious, and that fab garden! Go with your gut, though, definitely.

RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 26/02/2009 10:04

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RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 26/02/2009 10:05

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brettgirl2 · 26/02/2009 14:31

I think they both look really nice, I thought that you meant really ugly.

To be honest the most important thing to me is that the place is light - unfortunately that tends to be a feature of 1970s boxes!!!

wombleprincess · 26/02/2009 18:08

on the basis of the outside, property 1 definitely. 2 looks a bit pikey.

deste · 28/02/2009 20:59

No 2 definitely, bigger garden and more space.

Karamazov · 28/02/2009 21:47

Deffo number 2. Personally I don't like Victorian clones that far too many people mistake for character. House no 1 is a victorian clone. House 2 is more practical, and you will give your house its character. Plus with the extra money, you could extend to the side or whatever. The most you can do with house 1 is to turn it into a clone if every other victorian house - adding nice fireplaces, and cornices etc... so that it looks pretty, but the same as every other victorian house, just in a different shade of beige maybe. House 1 is bigger and has the extra money for you to be able to individualise it, and make it into what you want, and for you to give it its character - to turn it from a house into a home.

HeadFairy · 28/02/2009 21:57

well we had a look today, number 2's exterior isn't so bad actually, but there's a lot of work to be done on the house. It really needs updating, but there's lots of room around for expansion. Lots of the similar houses in the area have conservatories and double height extensions over the garage at the side, so that's always a possibility. However, it's not in that good an area... it's definitely a bit shabby and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of life around there.

Property 1 was immaculate and gorgeous, but the garden was a bit too small, and there was no where to extend in to if we wanted to. It was really close to town though, a five mins walk and you're on the high street which is great.

We've actually written both properties off now and are thinking about these two...

property 3 is lovely, a really pretty cottage, there's actually a second living room which is nicer than the one shown on the photos. The garages would make a great office, we could keep one and put bifold doors on the other two and convert it in to a home office/guest cottage! The garden is really nice and large too, needs a bit of work but good in terms of size. It's not in the best area but as it's such a nice house I'd be prepared to over look that.

property 4 is really nice, much more spacious and airy than it looks on the photos, the garden is surprisingly large and it's in the more desireable part of town, only a ten minute walk in to the high street. There's very little work to do and the loft is ripe for conversion. The only down side is no off street parking but apparently it's not too difficult to park there, week days are a bit busy but as we'd be at work that wouldn't be a problem for us.

What do you think? Anyone want to buy a 2 bed flat in Battersea, South London so we can get moving now?

OP posts:
Tinker · 01/03/2009 00:01

Both very very nice. Off street parking is not to be underestimated though but would be happy with either

bellabelly · 01/03/2009 00:16

Property 1 and property 4 are both gorgeous. The garden of property 2 looked lovely but hated everything else about it. Property 3 looks ok.

violethill · 01/03/2009 12:45

The outside would be very important to me.

even if the inside was gorgeous, a boring exterior would always grate on me.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 01/03/2009 22:27

I like the look of number 4. I know that conservatory will be a bit chilly in winter but I'm a sucker for daylight coming in. I love that kitchen / conservatory layout to make one big living space.

Property 3 looks small from the pics.

And WTF are those antlers on the wall, LOL!

ChasingSquirrels · 01/03/2009 22:32

agree on the conservatory - ours is similar to that.
I would say is the conservatory is south facing then it would make me reconsider, it could make the house unlivably hot.

CantSleepWontSleep · 04/03/2009 16:44

Ah, just spotted that you have 2 new contenders. Property 3 for me.

Lulumama · 04/03/2009 16:47

loving number 3 !

Lulumama · 04/03/2009 16:47

especially if they left the antlers

expatinscotland · 04/03/2009 16:51

No. 3 for me.

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