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Original poster

Help me choose between two houses - which is the best house for a young family?

82 replies

Cazwa · 19/06/2009 21:43

We have accepted an offer on our house, just waiting for the survey to happen so Im looking online at various places. We LOVE the area we live in, walking distance to the beach etc. but its quite expensive and you dont get things like a garden without paying a fortune. We have 2 young DCs, age 1 and 2 who share a room in a 2 bed house with a living room and kitchen and tiny yard. We want a bigger house and were hoping our next one would be a 'forever' house, however its slowly dawning on me that working part-time and the state of the market mean that Im better off thinking the next house is a 3-5 year one and then when back full time at work aspiring to a bigger better 'forever' house.

OK, ramble over. So, I cant decide between the following two houses, I will of course go and view both once the survey on ours is done, I dont want to fall in love with either just yet by viewing properly.

First house
Second house

The way I see it Im getting an extra bedroom in the first house but no extra reception room. The second one has the extra reception room but no new bedrooms. If you had a young family would you be better with more reception space, or with the extra bedrooms?

OP posts:
IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 20/06/2009 16:17

When we were looking for the house we were in now (dc's 5 and 3) we were keener to have them share a bedroom and have an extra downstairs room. Mainly for the reasons below, the children really at this age only use the bedroom for sleeping in and we wanted an extra room to have a bit more space for the toys and things childrenhave at this age.

In the end we were lucky and found a 3 bedrrom plus a seperate dining room so had best of both and the children still wanted to share so we have a spare room.

FigmentOfYourImagination · 20/06/2009 16:21

I like house no 2 more but I would go for 3 beds rather than 2. I'd be holding out for somthing with the 'feel' of house 2 but the extra bedroom of house 1.

Heated · 20/06/2009 16:33

I like the charm of the first house but it's been tarted up so unless you extend on it (to give you an extra bedroom as that third bedroom is minuscule - you'll be able to fit a bed and perhaps a small wardrobe) it'll be hard to add value.

The downstairs space on the 2nd house and the master bedroom are the draw, but nothing else overwhelms me tbh. It needs the 'charm' putting back in it.

Are they the best of the bunch?

NickThrobinson · 20/06/2009 19:20

It's not the actual number of rooms you need to look at but the amount of square footage. Are there floorplans available?

The courtyard garden in the second one will be in almost constant shade and might feel a bit bleak because of that whereas house no. 1 looks to have a more favourable orientation.

QuintessentialShadow · 20/06/2009 19:26

Neither?

You will need a 3 bedroom house shortly. Dont plan on having to move again soon. Moving is exhausting.

Have you seen this house

DontCallMeBaby · 20/06/2009 19:51

The second one - is the bathroom beyond the kitchen? Cos the thought of trying to cook in that corridor with just my one DD rushing past yelling 'I need a poo!' makes me feel like crying, let alone two DC.

First one's bath, whilst cool, looks hellish for bathing small children in.

QuintessentialShadow · 20/06/2009 19:54

oh my gosh! it certainly looks like the second house has the bathroom beyond the kitchen! Ask about that before you even go view it. What a nightmare to carry potties with wee and poo and bowls of sick through your kitchen..... And when you need the toilet in the night, you have to drag yourself down the stairs.....

Original poster
Cazwa · 20/06/2009 19:55

Its really interesting to read everyones views, I would say you are split 50/50 on this, like me! I feel I owe everyone a visit to them both, but DH is pleading that we dont in case I fall in love and then our sale falls through again. I will definitely report back if we do view.

Quintessential, I have ummed and aahed about that house. Its a slightly less nice street, its got a mixture of flats, terraced houses and faces onto a new build mini-estate. I love the garden and the front of the house, but it looks like it might be a bit small. The fact there is no photo of the kitchen or bathroom makes me think they are dated. I will probably view it though. DH really likes it on paper.

NickThr, no floorplans available. Hippo, I am in agreement with you, I love old houses and Im not sure if what theyve done by opening it up has lost the traditional feel. Then again, putting a kitchen in a back reception room is pretty unusual in a victorian terrace.

Heated - yes, this is the best of the bunch in my price range in this location. A couple of fab ones have come and gone whilst Ive been on the market. I feel if I buy either of these it will be a slight compromise as there was better available, but its rare.

I live here for those who want a nosey.
And this is the house we have lost twice due to sales falling through or someone else beating us to it and is now under offer . We were going to do it up.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 20/06/2009 19:59

Extra bedroom.

but I would consider whether it is possible to split the master bedroom of House 2 with a partition wall. The 3rd bedroom of house 1 is tiny.

DeborahBorr · 20/06/2009 20:01

What is your maximum budget so we can look for you?

SoupDragon · 20/06/2009 20:04

I would hazard a guess that the bath for house 1 is not a full size bath. The depth is meant to compensate for that.

2nd house definitely has the bathroom beyond the kitchen (click on brochure and it tells you)

Original poster
Cazwa · 20/06/2009 20:05

Deborah, I am so fussy about streets though... I have lived in 3 different flats/houses within a few streets of where I am now. Max budget is £185k, so I guess that includes up to £200k houses that would take less?

OP posts:
DeborahBorr · 20/06/2009 20:10

FIVE beds on same road?

Appreciate what you're saying though about needing to know the roads well.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 20/06/2009 20:10

Could you conduct a SWOT analysis on them in order to help you decide?

S- Strengths
W- Weaknesses
O- Opportunities
T- Threats

I do prefer the 2nd house as it is much lighter and airier and you have the extra space for a play area. The 1st house, although it has a 3rd bedroom, feels dark and the bath just looks odd.

Galava · 20/06/2009 20:11

Lovely spot. I love King Edwards bay !!

ChippyMinton · 20/06/2009 20:12

House 2.
Your DC are young, let them share a bedroom. I would also consider giving them the big bedroom, to accommodate all their stuff. As adults, you will only use your room for sleeping/dressing, and will appreciate the extra reception room for a bit of peace and quiet.
Keep the front reception a toy-free/adults only zone and live in the back rooms.
Downstairs bathroom will be a godsend for potty training etc (they can use a potty upstairs at night if necessary) and for keeping an eye on them when you shower etc.
And that bath in house one is hideous IMO.

SoupDragon · 20/06/2009 20:16

Do other houses in the road have loft conversions? That would gain you an extra bedroom.

Original poster
Cazwa · 20/06/2009 20:18

Deborah, I confess I have viewed that one, I went on friday. Even though I promised DH I wouldnt view any, I went on my own! It is HIDEOUS inside. The photos have been done by a genius, it looks a complete blank canvas, I thought great, I can just move in and make it mine. But no, every single wall needs replastering, the kitchen is not finished with cupboards still in boxes upstairs, the shower is still in its box, one ceiling has suspiciously been freshly plastered but not painted with a bathroom above it, damp throughout the downstairs. It would be top of my budget and still need £20k spending on it. Plus, behind it is a plot of wasteland that has planning permission to put 12 flats on that is up for sale. . When it came on the market I thought it would be great but it just goes to show that viewing makes all the difference.

OP posts:
FAQinglovely · 20/06/2009 20:20

is that actually a seperate reception room in the 2nd house - or a through one that's got an obvious "divide" between then - as it looks suspicioiusly like one big space to me........also don't like stairs in the reception room - like a proper hallway.

I'd go for the 1st one - the extra bedroom, plus a proper hallway - and if you look at the sizes it's not a bad sized house - I think it's the overkill on dark furniture in the 1st house that makes it look smaller.

Plus the period fireplace is to die for

Heated · 20/06/2009 20:20

And I guess you've looked at or discounted these?

no1

no 2

no 3

no 4

Heated · 20/06/2009 20:22

Ah, have just seen your budget, higher than I thought so will scout again, jic.

SoupDragon · 20/06/2009 20:24

I can't help but have the niggling feeling that the 2nd large bedroom on House 1 is on the ground floor. The fireplace is not a bedroom one - they tend to be smaller.

Heated · 20/06/2009 20:26

edith st

edith st interesting decor

john street

Original poster
Cazwa · 20/06/2009 20:32

Heated:
House 1 - talked about earlier, might consider it, not a great street
2 - On a bad street, opposite factories/warehouses
3 - v busy road, buses passing all the time with traffic jams outside window
4 - Not nice street, lots of flats, often hear parties from that end.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cazwa · 20/06/2009 20:35

Edith street houses I have often considered but they are really small inside, look at the room sizes.

HANG ON, that 1st one is lovely!! Its a bit pricey, but nowhere near as small as I thought they were. I am going to definitely view that one. Thanks Heated!!

OP posts:
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