OK guys, a bit of help here please

dopester

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-13230399.html

For some reason I don't like houses with tall chimneys like that. Or at least it plays on my mind you have to check they are in good condition, and what costs might come for repair of deterioration / weathering. I've noticed a few owners having chimney stacks which rise high above the roof, reduced in height.

I'm not keen on buildings which are caked in something which covers the brickwork, as a relative once told me it might disguise cracks and other problems. (Don't know how true that is but I banked the advice.)

dopester

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-13230399.html

Also the kitchen - whilst I'd put up with it if the overall price was right - doesn't look very family friendly. So small, with such a narrow lane between the units.

Looking at the furniture and finishes, I'd guess whoever buys at that price would be charitably providing the funds for the owners to downsize with a nice retirement fund pot to fall back on.

lostinrates

dopester wrote: »

I'm not keen on buildings which are caked in something which covers the brickwork, as a relative once told me it might disguise cracks and other problems. (Don't know how true that is but I banked the advice.)

My parents once had a special historical house's surveyor advise them on a house, whch was brick, the first thing he said was that the old brick rally suffers from being exposed and that the minimum measure they could take was some sort of protective seal/paint.

It could conceal problems, it could also prevent some, on that basis.

Davesnave

Modern buildings that are designed to have a rendered coating are usually fine, but older strucures made wth lime mortar & stone were, by accident or design, kept relatively damp-free by being allowed to 'breathe.' When new owners come along, slap an impervious concrete-based product on their traditional cottage and fit plastic sealed windows, they later wonder why it has become so damp inside.:rolleyes:

My last house was very like the one posted by Michaels. In that building, the render went to the ground and did conceal a problem; the below DPC brickwork was in ordinary commons and not engineering brick. They were rotten and collapsing. Realising this, I did the only sensible thing for someone who was soon to sell: nothing!:p My neighbour also discovered the same problem and had the brick course replaced; a job that was neither easy, nor cheap. For this reason, I might be more concerned about a render finish that went all the way down.

Taller chimneys are better for updraught and dispersing flue gases. If you don't have a real fire, they are superfluous, so many people reduce or remove them to save on real or perceived maintenance costs.

carolt

I'm not clear where the catchment areas are for the 2 schools you mentioned, but would none of these:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-23073424.html?sortByPriceDescending=false&minPrice=240000&minBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=6&premiumA=true&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2FSt-Albans.html%3FsortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minPrice%3D240000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26index%3D50

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-11346933.html?sortByPriceDescending=false&minPrice=240000&minBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=6&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2FSt-Albans.html%3FsortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minPrice%3D240000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26index%3D50

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-22546135.html?sortByPriceDescending=false&minPrice=240000&minBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=9&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2FSt-Albans.html%3FsortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minPrice%3D240000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26index%3D80

etc - all under 300K - not be in the right area for either?

We nearly bought in St Albans 4 years ago, and had had an offer accepted, but decided against the move when we found out I was pregnant again. But that was 230K for a nice 3 bed - that's why your choice sounds soo expensive!

michaels

Thanks. First two wrong catchment (and not as nice bit of town if one were being snobby). Third one is in Jersey Farm which is in catchment area but definitely a less attractive part of town with some social problems and a reputation for more recently built homes to be very small on the inside on small plots - a less posh version of the Bell View houses also mentioned in the thread.

The chimneys would go with a two storey side+rear extension with double garage, downstairs toilet and new large lounge on ground floor (current lounge which is a bit small would be dining room/study) and two bedrooms both en-suite on the first floor; the first thing on moving in would be to take down the wall between the kitchen and dining room to make large kitchen / breakfast.

carolt wrote: »

I'm not clear where the catchment areas are for the 2 schools you mentioned, but would none of these:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-23073424.html?sortByPriceDescending=false&minPrice=240000&minBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=6&premiumA=true&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2FSt-Albans.html%3FsortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minPrice%3D240000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26index%3D50

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-11346933.html?sortByPriceDescending=false&minPrice=240000&minBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=6&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2FSt-Albans.html%3FsortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minPrice%3D240000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26index%3D50

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-22546135.html?sortByPriceDescending=false&minPrice=240000&minBedrooms=3&displayPropertyType=houses&oldDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on&pageNumber=9&fromSummary=true&backToListURL=%2Fproperty-for-sale%2FSt-Albans.html%3FsortByPriceDescending%3Dfalse%26minPrice%3D240000%26minBedrooms%3D3%26displayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26oldDisplayPropertyType%3Dhouses%26includeSSTC%3Dtrue%26_includeSSTC%3Don%26index%3D80

etc - all under 300K - not be in the right area for either?

We nearly bought in St Albans 4 years ago, and had had an offer accepted, but decided against the move when we found out I was pregnant again. But that was 230K for a nice 3 bed - that's why your choice sounds soo expensive!

IlonaRN

dopester wrote: »

Also the kitchen - whilst I'd put up with it if the overall price was right - doesn't look very family friendly. So small, with such a narrow lane between the units..

Funny, my first thought was "galley kitchen - very good for cooking in!", though I can see that it may be less than ideal if your children are small.

I think you're right about the owners retiring, though!

dopester

I've enjoyed reading this thread so far... without referring to all of them, many interesting points made in it.

LIR... yes I can see how that might be so: 'It could conceal problems, it could also prevent some, on that basis.' At least you can identify the problem with brick which has suffered from exposure though. It is exactly an issue DaveSnake described which might worry me. Some rendered houses do look pretty though.

I just want to add how I've long warned of deflationary cuts, and I don't think 'good schools' will escape them. In fact I think they'll be hit quite hard, as any government will have to try and balance the books. Concerted inflation would be ruinous. Thus, lower spending and higher taxes. The only way the government will have to pay its bills will be to pay them. That will mean taking the scissors to both sides of the spending equation.

Michaels. It is a shame you seem to think renting is dead money. If you have significant savings towards the purchase of the house you listed (not relying on borrowing). I'd be renting and looking to buy something more suitable for your needs - with fewer improvement works required.

In otherwords, something which is currently a lot more expensive, but buy when prices crash a lot further. You're going to get cuts in asking price of of £30K in a blink of an eye with what is coming.. repeatedly imo. That would more than cover the perceived dead-money payments of renting for a couple of years. Or that house or similar, but at a much lower price so as to keep a nice cushion of savings or lower debt.

michaels wrote: »

Renting would cost 1200 pm compared to mortgage which is currently 350 pm making str an expensive bet (although I also see a second dip but would not be looking to move again - ever)

lostinrates

IlonaRN wrote: »

Funny, my first thought was "galley kitchen - very good for cooking in!", though I can see that it may be less than ideal if your children are small.

I think you're right about the owners retiring, though!

A galley kitchen is only good for cooking if you cook alone. I often cook with DH, and friends, people often talk to me while I'm cooking.

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

A galley kitchen is only good for cooking if you cook alone. I often cook with DH, and friends, people often talk to me while I'm cooking.

Yes, waited half my life for a kitchen I could socialise in as well as cook. Most of those semis have narrow through-kitchens. They can be adapted by going through the wall into the dining room, or by extending the house sideways as Michaels intends; (a better option IMHO.)

Now, with autumn here, I shall have to take out a mortgage to have some fuel delivered, so we can enjoy that other expensive country kitchen luxury: the Aga.:D