WWYD - buying dilemma!

[PussinJimmyChoos]

We decided not to extend and are looking for our 'forever' house instead...

Have found one that ticks all the boxes but is a relatively new build (12 yrs or so) and so the rooms, while a reasonable size are not huge. However, the house has the cloakroom we wanted and an ensuite, with a south facing garden and lots of storage. Its at the top end of the budget but we wouldn't need to do anything to it - literally just move in - not even paint! Also, the area is totally family friendly, quiet roads etc

On the flip side, there are older properties around - 1930s/1950s which are slightly cheaper but extra cost would come as we woud need to install a cloakroom..but the rooms are that much airer and more spacious

In a dilemma about what to do...very tempted to put an offer in for the new build (it may not even get accepted mind) and I worry that we would move in and regret we didn't go for bigger house, below budget...

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Its just a loo... Do you really want a forever house to be one that you could move into.

New build is a lot less maintenance. Valuable attribute when you have a young family.

Hmmm - I do understand your dilemma. My heart would prefer an older property - I love 1930's houses! But obviously a newer property requires less work and general maintenance. We've just gone for the newer property ourselves - well it's 20 yrs old and although needs updating we just didn't want to worry about damp and maintenance.

I would probably go for the new build personally but good luck with your decision whatever it is

I'd get the older one with bigger rooms, do the cloakroom with the money you save on the purchase, and have a nicer house for less money to live in for a long time.

I'd go for older. We have a new build, about 7years, even though it's 4 bed with ensuite and cloakroom, rooms are poky and drive me mad. I'd prefer to take on the maintenance with the more spacious rooms. Not to mention the character.

I dunno. We have a large 1930s house with high ceilings and lots of space - but it's a bottomless pit of money and time and maintenance. Sometimes I think it's actually cursed. We've been here 10 years and we've still not done everything that needs doing, and more things go wrong in the meantime. But we can live with that - if it takes 20 years, that's fine. We're not going anywhere.

Could you live with it, though? Are you a patient person, prepared to spend time maintaining and renovating? If not - go for the new build, because it is a stressful business.

We have a four year old and TTC no 2 so not keen on DIY beyond painting...we wouldn't mind installing a loo as that could be done by a builder and in a relatively short period of time but for bigger projects...mmm..no

Its just the house we have at the moment, although 1970s, the living room is quite spacious and I guess we have got used to it...on the other hand, the dining room is vvv pokey and no conservatory..in the new build, the living room leads to a dining room (has bi fold doors if want to separate the two) and dining room leads to a conservatory over looking the south facing, low maintenance and child friendly garden..

Kind of think am answering myself....

We live in a house built in 1904 having moved from a modern house several years ago.We have lived abroad for several years but always come back to this.We will never sell it as we have a fantastic view that we would never get anywhere else.We have lots of room and rooms that need adapting and knocking together as i left with one child and came back with 4 dcs.Kitchens have drammatically changed in the past 100 years and we are now in the throes of a kitchen and utility extension.Yes old house are a lot of work but the build is generally much better quality,the positioning is often better and the house can be adapted to modern standards with a bit of money.I would always buy an old house given the choice ,if you are planning on living in the same area for many years.But as you might of guessed i love my house!.

I would go for the larger property, most definitely, it's easy and quite cheap to add a bathroom and I'd want to do my own decorating regardless...

Just be aware of the dining room becoming a through room to the conservatory, we had this set up in our last house.

We used the conservatory as a playroom so kept all the toys in there.

I love old properties BUT hate any teeny tiny bedroom that the 2nd child gets lumped with.

My friend is in a gorgeous one but having a teenage boy with the most tiny bedroom is awful.

Also every time they tackle a job it unearths another problem that needs fixing.

Modern properties have less problems.

Yes we did think of that but there is a door from the dining room that leads to the kitchen as well as from the living room so more than one point of access, but I guess conservatory would end up as a toy area, at least living room would be clutter free though

Quite like the linking rooms though as I'm profoundly deaf and so makes life a lot easier for me to be able to see each room -open plan living = deaf person's dream

Hello Puss

We moved from a 30s semi to a 60s semi and the newer house is actually much more spacious. The bedrooms are all doubles and the lounge, whilst longer than wide, is a really good size. Our older house was a money pit and whilst some rooms were bigger and it had slightly higher ceilings and pretty mouldings, it wasn't as liveable IYKWIM.The layout was odd and bedrooms had not much space for wardobes due to chimney breasts, for example.

Around here at least older houses tend to fall into 2 camps - the huge, gorgeous and VERY expensive, or the smaller, quainter but less appealing but more affordable.

I actually like new builds - you can see them as a blank canvas to stamp your mark on, but in your own time as you tend not to have to shell out much in the early years on kitchens, bathrooms etc.

Happy searching!

Hiya Sidge - how are you and your lovely girls?

Thanks for the advice - the new build is so lovely as everything has been thought of iyswim...the lounge is longer rather than wider, but with a dining room and conservatory, that kind of balances it out. Our present lounge is pretty big but dining room is sooo pokey we don't entertain very often because of it. Also like that 3 of the 4 bedrooms have built in wardrobes so thats a space saver...lots of other storage as well and a garage...

Just debating about putting in an offer

Sidge - I'll link the house on facebook for you to give me your advice

Old! It costs v little to put in a cloakroom and with a bit of wall moving space and light achievable quite easily

Oooh it's lovely!!!

Very spacious for a new build and looks immaculate. The layout is good and the rooms are a decent size.

When can I come and stay?

Sidge - when you are in the area, just text and I'll cook for you and the girls (will cater for DD's needs if you let me know what they are) and DH if he's in tow - I love being sociable

Glad you like it - we were a bit worried about room size!

Come on then, let us all have a look.

Noooo...too shy to post it on a public forum...Sidge has good taste though so take her word for it