Compromise - but on what?

patricia..xx · 25 February 2014 at 4:18PM

It seems as if we are rapidly being priced out of the area we want to buy in. We are going to have to be less fussy but not sure how.

I am thinking either: we change area, buy something with fewer bedrooms, or something not to our taste (e.g. newer build with smaller overall rooms)

We originally were planning to stay in a house about 5 years, but if we have somewhere smaller probably only 2.

What would you/have you compromised on when it comes to house buying? All of my options have a downside, and even my preferred which is get somewhere smaller may be tricky as they sell quick too.

carslet · 25 February 2014 at 4:28PM

patricia..xx wrote: »

We originally were planning to stay in a house about 5 years, but if we have somewhere smaller probably only 2.

i don't think staying only 2 years is sensible with all the extra costs, moving, valuations for next property , solicitors fees.

patricia..xx · 25 February 2014 at 4:33PM

That's the problem, if we compromise on area we will have to move in 2 years for school issues; on size it means we will be downsizing and not really have enough space long term. Which leaves buying somewhere ugly where my heart will sink everytime I see it.

The other option is to rent, but even with fees etc it will still save us money if we buy.

Upping the budget is another option but as we are hovering around the £250k mark anyway it seems unlikely as we'd have to find a lot more to make the jump to £270k+

AnnieO1234 · 25 February 2014 at 5:12PM

Could you compromise on size with a view to extending what you buy? I ask because we purchased with a view to extending rather than messing around moving in a few years time. DH and I want individual offices eventually, plus two kids rooms and a spare, best will in the world we couldn't have got this in our chosen area without seriously paying for it. Instead we bought a three bed detached with a large enough garden to build the house again.

You could also cast your net further afield, we originally looked at a neighbouring town to the city where we grew up, not falling in love with it but it was a commuter town to our home city. In the process we ended up falling in love with a rural town in totally the opposite direction, closer commute time that ticks every box. We would never have considered moving here at any point were it not for a random comment made by a family member that caused us to consider it and fall in love with the place.

What I'm saying is, don't outright discount other areas, look around and see what is available. Xxx

Grimbal · 25 February 2014 at 5:13PM

We've always chosen area over house. We extended & renovated to make it our own.

Ugly can be made pretty

ACG · 25 February 2014 at 5:28PM

Grimbal wrote: »

We've always chosen area over house. We extended & renovated to make it our own.

Ugly can be made pretty

Youve not seen manchester on a Saturday night :P

I would go with what one of the other posters has said, buy somewhere smaller but extend when it becomes affordable.

Would your heart really sink every time you came home?

Grimbal · 25 February 2014 at 5:54PM

I also think it doesn't hurt to re-evaluate how you feel about the look of a place & challenge any preconceptions you may have. From my own experience, I disliked the 1960s facades (inside you can make entirely your own anyway) until I bought one. It was the location that sold it for us. We then improved the external appearance until we found, one day, that we suddenly realised that we were "home"

patricia..xx · 25 February 2014 at 6:09PM

Thanks all. I may just go take a look at somewhere I have dismissed which is nasty looking from the outside but is big and has a 90 foot south facing garden.

Small plus extention is a possibility as we would have plenty of cash left to do it, it is just a question of one of them coming up for sale

Grimbal · 25 February 2014 at 6:49PM

would you be willing to post a link on the "nasty looking" one ? Someone may be able to suggest options that you could do to improve it

Kynthia · 26 February 2014 at 4:37PM

I know someone who bought an 'ugly' house. Thankfully they could see that other houses in the road weren't ugly so knew something could be done. They rendered, redid the drive and converted one if the garages into a play room and WC. It now looks good and is worth more.