Flat vs house

Catatonia

I know the obvious disadvantage to flats are usually no garden, neighbours on top of or below you, and having to pay management charges etc. But how would you feel about living in a flat rather than a house? Would you always choose a house instead of a flat?

There is a 3 bed flat (no outside space, 2 storeys) up for sale near me, which is a lovely building and looks to be in good condition. However, I'd vowed never to buy a flat again after having a noisy girl upstairs in my last flat. This one is above an Indian restaurant though, which I guess means no noise after it closes, possibly. Although it might mean I end up very fat.

My immediate thought is to discount it because of it being a flat. It's in a good location though, and is about £100k less than a similarly sized house. Am I being stupid to let it go just because it's not a house? Is there anything else I should consider in this decision?

BitterAndTwisted

If I had the choice I'd never buy a leasehold property: I'd want to be master of my own destiny. Even if I would consider a leasehold I'd never buy one above a restaurant in a million years!

Doozergirl

If I can afford a house of the size I need, I will always buy a house. It is so very much simpler, I don't need other people to agree with me to get things done and the cost and timing of work is up to me.

Flat living is fine when there's nothing needing doing and your service charge is reasonable, but it can be such a headache when something goes wrong or you have neighbours that just can't be bothered.

Question mark over the availablity of mortgages above a restaurant. It won't be easy to sell on if you do get a mortgage.

Yolina

I guess it depends where in the country, in a big town then I'd go for either, it would just depend on whatever I like best when viewing, however in a small town or village or out in the sticks then for some reason I'd prefer a house. The thing I'd be concerned about buying above a restaurant apart from possibly the noise is the potential smells from the kitchen you may get - whatever is extracted from the place has to go *somewhere* and if you're just above it you may find it all blows into your place depending on the whim of the wind!

I'm in London and bought my flat over 10 years ago including share of freehold, it's a nice gated development, I've got a 15sqm south-west facing terrace and although the charges are fairly high, we get what we pay for (24h porter - this means that any maintenance issue is acted upon immediately, lifts, communal areas cleaned weekly and redecorated regularly, snow cleared and everything gritted, etc...) Our charges also include a contribution to a "sinking fund" meaning that when big works are needed we don't have a massive bill landing on the doormat. Granted, if I was in a house then I wouldn't need to contribute to all these things (well other than having something aside in case the roof needs fixing and the likes) but it's nice to not have to worry about it The flats are staggered rather than built straight up on top of each other which somehow limits neighbour issues . On the very few occasions that someone has been inconsiderate then a quick word has usually sorted it out.

timmyt

own your own house, or 'borrow' another persons...not exactly a tough choice if you can afford freehold

Doozergirl

timmyt wrote: »

own your own house, or 'borrow' another persons...not exactly a tough choice if you can afford freehold

Are you sure you're a solicitor?!

PasturesNew

I'd rather have a 1-bed house than a 3-bed flat. Knowing it's "my space" is priceless.

jackieb

Only £1000 difference between a flat and a house. It would have to be house every time. I've once stayed in a flat and hated it. Have you thought about the cooking smells coming from the shop downstairs?

mrs_simplify

Say it turned from an indian restaurant in to a brothel ! you would be seen going in and out!:j

TrickyDicky101

mrs_simplify wrote: »

Say it turned from an indian restaurant in to a brothel ! you would be seen going in and out!:j

Instead of ending up very fat, Cat then might just end up very poor

seven-day-weekend

I can see the advantages of a flat. (No external maintenance for example).

However I would not buy one over any sort of shop, especially a take-away/restaurant. How do you know, for example, that the nice little hairdressers below you is not going to turn into a tattoo/massage parlour (it can do so without any sort of permission). Or that the craft shop beneath is not going to turn into a shop selling drums and guitars (ditto).

As regards the takeaway/restaurant, have you thought about smells/noise/litter? It could be open until 2am. Even if it closes earlier than that, there will still be cleaning and clearing up to do. What about the waste disposal from the restaurant? Are the bins just below your window or next to your front door? Ditto the extraction system?

I would give this particular flat a miss, whilst not necessarily ruling out others. It would depend upon the block/area/size of service charge/efficiency of management company as to whether I bought a particular flat or not.

Good luck with your purchase, whatever it may be.