went to view a house - confused.
Discussion
we need help (me and other half)
I have bought a house before but it was my parents house so no need to make any decisions, it was cheap and i wanted to get on the ladder...
fast forward a few years, me and other half finally have enough deposit and a mortgage agreed to go look for our own place (have been renting)
So - this experience is completely new and scary.
Went to view a property last night in Cambridge. We like it, we like almost everything about it.
A bungalow, Its got a lovely big kitchen, it has offstreet parking for like 6 cars (the driveway down the side is only 6'6" wide so they'd have to be small cars!) Garden is a nice size & shape, has a small workshop with power/lighting and an electric full length shutter (guy used to have motorbikes and the side driveway goes all the way round to the end of the garden.)
We have two sticking points, 2 of the three bedrooms are smaller than average and its semi detached rather than detached.
Plus again, the place is finished to a really high standard and it comes in £18k under budget
I know this is really only a decision me and the OH can make but i'm not sure if uncertainty about the whole process is clouding our judgement and stopping us putting in an offer..
heart says yes head says... you need to think about it more.
we would be moving from Hornchurch in Essex so there will be a fairly major upheaval in our lives (her traveling into London each day etc)
anyone got any advice?
I have bought a house before but it was my parents house so no need to make any decisions, it was cheap and i wanted to get on the ladder...
fast forward a few years, me and other half finally have enough deposit and a mortgage agreed to go look for our own place (have been renting)
So - this experience is completely new and scary.
Went to view a property last night in Cambridge. We like it, we like almost everything about it.
A bungalow, Its got a lovely big kitchen, it has offstreet parking for like 6 cars (the driveway down the side is only 6'6" wide so they'd have to be small cars!) Garden is a nice size & shape, has a small workshop with power/lighting and an electric full length shutter (guy used to have motorbikes and the side driveway goes all the way round to the end of the garden.)
We have two sticking points, 2 of the three bedrooms are smaller than average and its semi detached rather than detached.
Plus again, the place is finished to a really high standard and it comes in £18k under budget
I know this is really only a decision me and the OH can make but i'm not sure if uncertainty about the whole process is clouding our judgement and stopping us putting in an offer..
heart says yes head says... you need to think about it more.
we would be moving from Hornchurch in Essex so there will be a fairly major upheaval in our lives (her traveling into London each day etc)
anyone got any advice?
"2 small bedrooms", "semi detached" are the problems you identify.
Is a similar detached possible for that extra 18k, perhaps by compromising on having the dream kitchen preinstalled? (it's never as expensive as you think if you can work a cordless drill)
Yes = buy detached.
No = unlucky.
For me, I'd consider detached to be a bigger factor than the room sizes.
Is a similar detached possible for that extra 18k, perhaps by compromising on having the dream kitchen preinstalled? (it's never as expensive as you think if you can work a cordless drill)
Yes = buy detached.
No = unlucky.
For me, I'd consider detached to be a bigger factor than the room sizes.
We bought a house with our heart over our head 18 months ago and now we are moving again, having wasted about £15k in stamp duty and the additional costs associated with moving again.
One of our compromises was that we bought semi-detached when we really wanted detached. We've been lucky as our neighbours are quiet, but we can still hear them occasionally. This is in a house built in 1885 where all the walls are solid brick.
It also depends on how long you plan to live there. We had only ever planned to stay about 5 years before upsizing, it just transpired that we have decided to pull the trigger sooner.
In my view, small rooms and semi-detached would be enough to make me rule out this property, but I don't know how desperate you are to move or your personal circumstances.
One of our compromises was that we bought semi-detached when we really wanted detached. We've been lucky as our neighbours are quiet, but we can still hear them occasionally. This is in a house built in 1885 where all the walls are solid brick.
It also depends on how long you plan to live there. We had only ever planned to stay about 5 years before upsizing, it just transpired that we have decided to pull the trigger sooner.
In my view, small rooms and semi-detached would be enough to make me rule out this property, but I don't know how desperate you are to move or your personal circumstances.
If there is no urgent need to relocate, I'd be inclined to keep looking.
I've bought 3 houses, and each time looked at loads. Eventually you'll find the place that feels right from the moment you walk in.
I apply the same rule to buying classic cars - if you feel any doubt, walk away. The one time I ignored that rule was the only one I regretted (and got rid).
I've bought 3 houses, and each time looked at loads. Eventually you'll find the place that feels right from the moment you walk in.
I apply the same rule to buying classic cars - if you feel any doubt, walk away. The one time I ignored that rule was the only one I regretted (and got rid).
I would imagine a similar property but detached, with 3 good sized bedrooms, would be substantially more expensive, would it not?
What do you mean two of the bedrooms are smaller than average? What does that mean? Are they single, children's rooms, but only suitable for dwarfes? Or does it mean you cant use them for a double bed for adults? If its a house with one master bedroom and two childrens rooms, that's what most 3 bedroom houses have. Perhaps you have scope for improvement too?
How many people in your family currently? And is that going to change?
Most people have to have semi detached homes until they are further up the ladder. We lived in probably 10 attached homes before we got into a detached. No I wouldn't go back to attached now, but it was impossible before hand to afford detached. Don't ruin your life or marriage stretching beyond your limit for something that's detached, but wont offer perhaps other good things, like the outside spaces you describe.
What do you mean two of the bedrooms are smaller than average? What does that mean? Are they single, children's rooms, but only suitable for dwarfes? Or does it mean you cant use them for a double bed for adults? If its a house with one master bedroom and two childrens rooms, that's what most 3 bedroom houses have. Perhaps you have scope for improvement too?
How many people in your family currently? And is that going to change?
Most people have to have semi detached homes until they are further up the ladder. We lived in probably 10 attached homes before we got into a detached. No I wouldn't go back to attached now, but it was impossible before hand to afford detached. Don't ruin your life or marriage stretching beyond your limit for something that's detached, but wont offer perhaps other good things, like the outside spaces you describe.
When looking for a house, write a long list of things you want.
Agree the list with the other half.
Rank each thing in preference order, most important at the top.
Accept that unless you are wealthy, you will need to have a number of items that you will need to agree to compromise on.
You might find that having three larger rooms is not high on your list, but having a great location/view/workshop might be right up there.
I would imagine that if you are at a low level on the housing ladder, being detached is not very high on the list, as apposed to having enough room for having kids etc.
Do you have a link to the house you've decided on? Would be good to see floor plan.
Agree the list with the other half.
Rank each thing in preference order, most important at the top.
Accept that unless you are wealthy, you will need to have a number of items that you will need to agree to compromise on.
You might find that having three larger rooms is not high on your list, but having a great location/view/workshop might be right up there.
I would imagine that if you are at a low level on the housing ladder, being detached is not very high on the list, as apposed to having enough room for having kids etc.
Do you have a link to the house you've decided on? Would be good to see floor plan.
Efbe said:
what about something like this?
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/42899675?...
What was the agent thinking with that picture in the pouring rain across a road with a telegraph pole in!! http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/42899675?...
Are you from the fens or have you lived there before? I am not sure what is going to happen to the economy when all of the Europeans are no longer allowed to migrate to work in food production. This time of year can also be cold and bleak. On the flip side summers are long and dry with lots of amazing sunsets.
London is a long way from Soham and the train from Ely/Cambridge is at 180% of capacity during peak times. You need to like standing a lot. Peterborough/Huntingdon is better but further away.
As for the semi/detached argument, it all depends on the neighbour. If I didn’t know them I would go detached.
Bedroom room sizes don’t bother me at all as you don’t spend any time in there being conscious.
London is a long way from Soham and the train from Ely/Cambridge is at 180% of capacity during peak times. You need to like standing a lot. Peterborough/Huntingdon is better but further away.
As for the semi/detached argument, it all depends on the neighbour. If I didn’t know them I would go detached.
Bedroom room sizes don’t bother me at all as you don’t spend any time in there being conscious.
hi all, thank you so much for the replies - i was expecting to get flamed with 'only you will know if its right..'
to add: we don't have any children and this is literally the first house we have looked at in person, but spent many many hours discounting properties online..
floor plan is ..
to add: we don't have any children and this is literally the first house we have looked at in person, but spent many many hours discounting properties online..
floor plan is ..
PixelpeepS3 said:
this is literally the first house we have looked at in person
There's your answer. Go and see more houses. Lots more. Even if they don't look perfect. Looking at their details online gives you only a small part of what you need to know about a house.You can't hope to make a good decision if you don't have anything to compare it to.
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