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most important home features for family life?

20 replies

mamatilly · 19/03/2009 13:44

we are trying to move out of rented into a first bought home.. what is really important in your home?
-good primary school - does walking distance matter or are school runs not so bad?

  • big garden for wild little boys?
-kitchen/diner? -separate sacred adult space?
  • how many bathrooms?!!!

are we crazy to buy now in case market still falling?

thanks
x

OP posts:
AMumInScotland · 19/03/2009 13:51

Some outdoor space - a garden makes it much easier to send them out to run round when they need to let off steam. With littlies, an enclosed garden would be best, so you can be confident they're not wandering!

At least a second loo if not another bathroom - I grew up with 2 siblings and one bathroom, and a peaceful bath was just impossible as someone would always be hammering on the door...

PrettyCandles · 19/03/2009 13:57

Good primary and secondary schools, as well as community feel. We wanted to cut down on our commuting and walk to school/into town as much as possible, whcih meant that we had to compromise - a modern house in the sort of locations we like was affordable, whereas a character-filled Edwardian house was not.

The school run can be knackering, but walking is much more pleasant and less stressful than driving and having to find parking.

For us the heart of the home is the kitchen-diner, particularly as it overlooks the garden and has doors into other parts of the house so isn't isolated.

Sacred adult space can be created by the clock, rather than physically. We do have a study, but as the older dc use it to take refuge from the toddler when they want to play with fiddly or fragile precious stuff, we only get to use it after they're in bed. OTOH, as the toddler gets older perhaps we'll be able to teach them to respect each other's space - as well as ours!

Bathrooms: having two is brilliant, as long as you don't mind the ensuite being available rather than being your haven. More than two would be too much cleaning IMO.

Garden is useful, but size not necessarily critical. Though you might have the sort of boys who really need to kick around freely. Or maybe a nearby park would be better. Outdoor space of some sort is imporant. Also should not be too precious to you, at least at first, so that you won't feel gutted when they trample your bedding plants chasing after that football, or rip up the daffodils to give you a "Sorry" bouquet.

noddyholder · 19/03/2009 14:02

Good schools
Downstairs loo
eat in kitchen
Seperate grown up space
Small manageable garden
Storage
In an ideal world of course!

stealthsquiggle · 19/03/2009 14:05

Schools - we don't have any choice, but walking distance nice from a friends perspective.

outdoor space good but boys can amuse themselves in trashing even a small garden

room to eat/do homework/otherwise hang out in the kitchen great

extra loo essential, extra bathroom not

francagoestohollywood · 19/03/2009 14:15
  • walking distance to decent schools/shops/bus stops or tube.
  • safe area
  • 2 bathrooms
  • Lots of storage.
I secretely long for a pantry. I don't care about gardens.
fatjac · 19/03/2009 14:41

Utility room

Downstairs loo

En-suite

Linen cupboard

2 reception rooms

Eat in kitchen

Garage/shed

Enclosed garden

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 19/03/2009 14:47

a kitchen big enough for a table.
Outdoor space for the children to play.
downstairs loo (preferable)
good storage space
Garage
walking distance to good priamry school/shop/pub/takeaway.

fatjac · 19/03/2009 15:04

Yes corner shop with off licence nearby.

WilfSell · 19/03/2009 15:09

downstairs loo
walkable primary school and nursery
green space (garden or nearby park)
I would have a kitchen/diner if poss and ideally separate playroom so you do have a living room you can keep free of plastic tat
somewhere to store bikes is becoming increasingly valuable as our 3 boys get older
somewhere to store muddy wellies!
utility/laundry room is brilliant if you can fit one in

mamatilly · 19/03/2009 16:22

thank you for all your lovely ideas...
more please!
x

OP posts:
ChippyMinton · 19/03/2009 17:40

What everyone else said:
downstairs loo, preferably accessible from the garden without traipsing across carpetted areas
area by back door for outdoor footwear etc
primary school walkable, secondary not so important
shop/pub walkable

agree with prettycandles about adult space - a big basket for a quick tidy-up of toys works well. we do have a separate front room but i never use it because the sky+ is in the family room

TheFallenMadonna · 19/03/2009 17:45

In-between space. We used to have a small house with good size rooms but no hall or landing to speak of, and there was nowhere to put stuff.

Sorrento · 19/03/2009 18:02

Yes you are crazy, wait another 12 months and you'll get a lot more bang for your buck, this is the begining not the end, have you ever seen a house price crash before, they gather real pace after about 12 months, this one started in Sept 2008, there's a long way to go yet.

Ps House by me was on the market for £275k in March 2007, figures just published on ourproperty show it sold for £205k, nearly 25% off

claireybee · 19/03/2009 18:06

Storage storage storage

Mammina · 19/03/2009 18:34

at the moment things on the top of our list are:
garden
good schools nearby
eat in kitchen
spare room as we're moving away from friends & family so want them to be able to come and stay comfortably
a downstairs loo would be good or at least space under the stairs to fit one in - useful for potty training!

in an ideal world 2 bathrooms would be heavenly but I know i won't get that, and a separate adult space would be great but again it's just not going to happen

ooh, i forgot, storage - at the moment we have no storage and it's a pain in the arse

ickletickle · 19/03/2009 21:51

cellar to send naughty kids to.

Karamazov · 19/03/2009 23:03

Mine are...

  1. Good Schools. We are looking at moving house. Where we go will be dictated by schools. I wouldn't even look at a house if it was in the catchment area for a bad school. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. For me, this is more important than the house itself. The local area is also tied in to this.

  2. Smallish (but not as small as brand new houses) garden. If the lawn can't be mowed in half an hour, the garden is too big and I would not buy the house. (We hate gardening and a large garden would only lead to divorce for us!).

  3. Downstairs Loo. Absolutely essential. My house is always a tip upstairs and I do not want visitors traipsing arounf upstairs in my house.

  4. Playroom. Doesn't have to be a big or formal room. I'd happily have a conservatory which I could use as a dining room and then convert the dining room as a playroom. Just space for the kids to play so they're not under my feet all the time and somewhere large enough for me to enforce my 'no toys in the living room' ban.

  5. Garage. Preferably integral. Somewhere to put my junk and if I don't even have to go outside to do it, even better!

  6. Cupboards. The one thing from this list that my current house has not got. I miss the large cupboards from my old house!

  7. Open plan. I hate the feel of small rooms, so I'd prefer somewhere open plan.

  8. Developable - I'd like to buy a house that I can develop - build on top of the garage, or to the side or something. Just that I know we won't outgrow the house in a couple of years and need to move on.

These are my priorities for the houses that I'll have when we look at moving house later this year / early next.

HTH

Karamazov · 19/03/2009 23:07

Forgot to say preferably detached and preferably modern. Unlikely to get a detached house again when we move (more expensive area), but I like not having to worry about or hear the neighbours! Also, I like new houses or post WW2. Not keen on Victorian houses myself - wouldn't want to live in a mid terraced house.

Karamazov · 19/03/2009 23:08

Oh and finally (I promise thsi time!) On an estate. Somewhere where mykids can go out to play and make friends. Would hate a long road with cars going past... Prefer friendly cul de sac or something similar (another reason why I go modern!)

higgle · 20/03/2009 16:48

It isvery nice if you can get 2 x ensuite ( quite common in Gloucestershire) then your visitors are more independant.

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