Dad worried they've brought the wrong house

blushingbride_3

My parents started moving yesterday & now my dad (59yrs) is panicing that the house is too big.

it is bigger & they were supposed to be downsising!

It has 7 bedrooms & very large downstairs rooms.

The only advice i've given him is to so it up (needs some decorating etc) & see how they feel.

There is also a small barn/outbuilding which me & hubby would like to convert & live in. this would mean they have help onsite etc & wont be on there own.

Anyone elses parents live in big houses? is it a major problem as they get older?

BB

ILW

Just think of your inheritance.

blushingbride_3

haha indeed but i also need to consider their happiness

poppysarah

7 bedrooms is huge if there's just the two of them living there.

Stairs are a problem as the legs get older - curved stair chairs are possible but expensive. The number of rooms will be an issue regards heating perhaps.

Get round there and talk to them about the reasons why they bought the house. Did the previous owners have lots of large furniture? Does it look empty with normal sized items?

ckerrd

Sounds like a ridiculously large house for a couple to buy.

Are they going to run it as a B&B perhaps - sounds a good size for that.

I had relatives who did that in a large house. Stopped when they were in their 70s so 59 is no age at all.

(And I presume you meant "bought" in the title?)

EDIT - if they were meant to be downsizing then yes - he has bought the wrong house.

blushingbride_3

I havent been in yet so i will give better insight tonight.
I think they had quite large furniture, mum is fine about it, think dad is just panicing, but there is a lot of decorating etc they hadnt invisaged u know when furniture is moved etc.

I think heating is the main thing dad is concerned about as he's saying he wanted a nice cosy house not a georgian house with large rooms.

They'd been looking for ages & mum loved the house, think he was in denial & its just sunk in.

blushingbride_3

Dad already has a business so they wont be doing that.

Mum wants the space as there are 4 of us so we can all come and stay etc

Bogof_Babe

Why on earth did it take them until moving in day to wonder if it was right for them?

I'd say they DO need looking after!

Doozergirl

You can't really say that 7 bedrooms is a sensible size for two people living alone especially getting older, I'd struggle with it! At 59 it's fine I'm sure but at 69 you're really pushing it. My in laws moved from a 14 bed to a 7 bed house a few years ago when they let us convert half of it to flats. They now have a three bed house and are ten years older than your parents but the question now is whether they should be moving to a bungalow when they've only been in this house for about four years. Maybe they should have considered the future a little more carefully but it's hard to admit that you won't be able to cope in the future if you can cope now.

The problem with downsizing is that many people feel claustrophobic when they're viewing smaller houses so they don't feel capable of downsizing by much. Evidenced by your parents, I guess But 59 isn't old and there's time for another move yet - I can't imagine 7 beds being the forever house, not sensibly anyway. Heating bills will be a problem, especially in a Georgian house! I know someone else with a very large and draughty Georgian house and they have their energy on a business tariff!

poppysarah

Get him to look into ground source heat pumps if he's worried about heating costs. not sure what floors you have in a georgian house or what issues there might be doing work on it.
One of my dream houses is this one
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-19292404.html

ILW

ckerrd wrote: »

EDIT - if they were meant to be downsizing then yes - he has bought the wrong house.

Previous house may have had 20 bedrooms.