Bungalow - whilst young?

Dimey

Road_Hog wrote: »

Well, you have the stigma of living in what is perceived as an old person's home.

On the reality side, it often means that much of the plot/garden is reduced due to the house all being on one level.

Having lived abroad, where the cost of land is much cheaper, it is quite normal to have single storey housing and it isn't considered an old person's option.

One thing to consider is, during the summer when it is hot at night and you want to leave the windows open, would you feel comfortable with them being on the ground floor and someone being able to enter the house whilst you were asleep.

That's interesting RoadHog, you must come from the same area as BlooLagoon.

I've never heard that bungalows have a stigma as an old person's option. Not that there's anything with wrong with older people choosing to live in a bungalow.

In my area, bungalows are up market where the wealthy families live.

In your area - do property prices fall if older people have lived in the house then? What's the stigma exactly? I'm interested.

In my area prices just go on location, condition and acreage. But I'm in the south east where the property market is lively and I guess folk are too mercenary to make up superstition type stuff.

Having said that - haunted houses are sought after round here.

POPPYOSCAR

We lived in a bungalow in our twenties and had one of our children there, no problem with sleepovers etc.

When we moved the plot we built our house had planning for a bungalow but we changed it to a house so that we could enjoy the views.

Sometimes I regret the decision, especially when I have to lug things up and down the stairs!

margaretclare

The very first home my first husband and I bought, back in the 1960s, was a bungalow. All young families around us.

Now, DH and I live on an estate of 1930s bungalows. There are people of all age-groups around us, young families, retired people, you name it.

BornAtTheRightTime

Road_Hog wrote: »

On the reality side, it often means that much of the plot/garden is reduced due to the house all being on one level.

Generally actually the exact opposite. Most bungalows were built many years ago and as a result come with larger plots than their counterparts.

One thing to consider is, during the summer when it is hot at night and you want to leave the windows open, would you feel comfortable with them being on the ground floor and someone being able to enter the house whilst you were asleep.

Don't you have a night position on your windows? With a lock? Most modern windows do. During the summer it is often far cooler in a bungalow to start with. I'd rather definitely have a better chance of a good night's sleep than the tiny chance of someone getting through the 2-inch gap on my windows. Plus there's a far greater chance I'll hear them trying it, being on the same level...

Like the OP I at first discounted bungalows on account of me 'not being old enough'. Then one came up on Rightmove that ticked all the boxes and many more besides and I realised my reasoning was shallow, took a look and that was that. My sister-in-law has now gone and done the same, despite having no intentions of moving originally.

Davesnave

Road_Hog wrote: »

On the reality side, it often means that much of the plot/garden is reduced due to the house all being on one level.

One thing to consider is, during the summer when it is hot at night and you want to leave the windows open, would you feel comfortable with them being on the ground floor and someone being able to enter the house whilst you were asleep.

As others have mentioned, bungalow plots are not necessarily any less spacious. Bungalows were often built where land was cheap, or as lifestyle properties, where a decent garden was a priority.

True, there are many bungalows on small plots in seaside resorts and similar places, but they represent a fraction of the whole.

As for nasty persons climbing through windows, the technology is out there to prevent this, or there are Rottweilers.

bloolagoon

BornAtTheRightTime wrote: »

Like the OP I at first discounted bungalows on account of me 'not being old enough'. Then one came up on Rightmove that ticked all the boxes and many more besides and I realised my reasoning was shallow, took a look and that was that. My sister-in-law has now gone and done the same, despite having no intentions of moving originally.

That is my exact position, I have asked to view, I appreciate I am being stereotypical and illogical, but I have preconceived ideas of bungalows.

J_i_m

A bungalow would suit me very well as a singleton, and I'm 30.

If someone else had a problem with that and decided that it ought to be stigmatized then quite frankly that just shows their own unfounded prejudice.

phoebe1989seb

We haven't actually lived in a bungalow, but at 40 we moved to a location (in Essex, close to the Suffolk border) where our Tudor house was literally surrounded by bungalows that had been built between the 1950s and 2000s. Unlike some areas where the bungalows are on very large plots, many of these had been crammed in to small spaces leaving small, *manageable* gardens - I guess because that was what was assumed the older people more likely to buy there would want Our neighbours for the three years we were there were predominantly retired people - I would hazard a guess there were only a maximum of five families/younger couples (ie, 40s max) living on the whole estate. Goodness only knows how those children occupied themselves

The whole atmosphere there was very strange - whilst you'd expect it to be quieter than your average estate (and we'd never lived on one before so had nothing to compare it with), it was in reality full of gossipy retirees who enjoyed practising karaoke loudly in their garages and having boozy parties outside in the warmer months. All local amenities seemed to be geared towards the older generation - bingo & karaoke nights in the pubs and community halls and a proliferation of chemists and health clinics

Although the area was a popular destination for retirees to downsize to, the property prices were lower than average and sales could take months if not years to achieve if a property had been renovated to a standard taking above the (very low) ceiling price for the area, where expectations decoration-wise were particularly low.

Where we live now however - in the wilds of rural Wilshire - whilst there aren't many bungalows, those there are tend to be very large, on huge plots and highly desirable, both with younger and older buyers.

Personally speaking, even as someone who no longer has kids living at home, I wouldn't want to live in a bungalow or an area surrounded by them again - for one thing, I believe stairs keep you fit and love the fact we currently have three storeys - and even when retired I can't see the appeal unless the property wasn't on an estate and had very large grounds......just my two cents

Road_Hog

Dimey wrote: »

I've never heard that bungalows have a stigma as an old person's option. Not that there's anything with wrong with older people choosing to live in a bungalow.

In my area, bungalows are up market where the wealthy families live.

In your area - do property prices fall if older people have lived in the house then? What's the stigma exactly? I'm interested.

In my area prices just go on location, condition and acreage. But I'm in the south east where the property market is lively and I guess folk are too mercenary to make up superstition type stuff.

Having said that - haunted houses are sought after round here.

Well you've heard it now, bungalows are for old people (AKA coffin dodgers), in this country.

I'm not sure how property prices are affected by old people living in bungalows, as I don't tend to live in them. Although I did once, in a rental property (job relocation, in between buying) as it was the only place that would have the three cats and two dogs. Not only was it a bungalow, it had spiral carpet and flock wall paper. I still feel dirty to this day.

And yes, I have experience of the market in the South East, I'm selling a property in West London at the moment and the market is quite lively, more buyers than sellers.

elantan

Have lived in a bungalow since I was 28 we love it, I would suggest though have a good think about the noise ... Our room is next to the front door so when so decides to stay over and pops in at 2 am he can wake us up, or when I'm nights and the post man delivers the mail etc

You also don't want your bedrooms too close to the living areas

If the house is laid out good though it shouldn't be a problem

I love my bungalow and don't see us ever leaving it