How to choose between 2 houses to buy (London) HELP! Need cool-headed advice!

silvercar

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48972364.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50643647.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48758707.html

Hoploz

Are the plot sizes the same? Parking/garden? Any other factors to swing favour for you as a family later on, eg loads of steps up to front door being awkward for a pram?
Crime statistics?
North or south facing gardens?
Some of these things could be deal breakers for some people.

Have you checked out the prices of any recent sales in the same roads as these houses?

Hoploz

Haha just looked at those links briefly ...I see I was on the mark with the steps thing!

MilkyWay

Thanks for links. The first one is the right one. The expensive house is not available online at the moment, it came out to market yesterday, and agent arranged viewing for us earlier, because "we are highly motivated" customer... Is anybody from from postcode?

Snakey

£200k is a big difference even as a percentage. You need to get to the bottom of why this is. If it isn't obvious (e.g. floor space, layout, parking, outside space) then don't assume it "must be" blah-blah. Is one of them priced very low for the area generally? Could be neighbours, subsidence, damp, there are lots of hidden problems although the survey should pick most of them up you don't want to have lost the other place in the meantime. Is the other one very high? Could be the buyers trying it on (is it new on the market?), could be that they're thinking they "ought" to recoup every penny they've spent on doing the place up when perhaps that isn't realistic.

No matter what your budget, there's always going to be a better place not far away that you can't quite afford. It's the way of the world - or at least, of London in 2015 where there isn't really an upper limit to what you can pay for a property. If you stretch yourselves you could have difficulty remortgaging if your income has dropped due to kids or if there's a correction in the market.

MilkyWay

Yes, there are steps... Garden size and condition are the same

Rollinghills

The first one has a north facing garden and is on an A road. Both of these are absolute deal breakers for us. Whether that explains the price is hard to say but houses on A roads are always cheaper. And this is not any A-road, this is the South Circular, it is very very busy. What street is the other house on?

bouicca21

It's a lovely house but I would never, ever buy a property on the south circular.

Jhoney_2

silvercar wrote: »

Is the less desirable street in an up and coming area? Consider what both areas will be like in 5-10 years time.

Not so familiar with schools in w.dulwich, but generally unless you are paying for school education, everyone moves from east dulwich when their kids are ready for secondary. quite good on the primary front though.

Ps Not sure I would be up for a shower next to the window in pic 5! Not a deal breaker, but would have to factor in changing that if it were me.

The north facing garden would be a no-no for me regardless.

MilkyWay

The expensive one is on Croxted road, west faced garden. No link or exact post code because house is on market since yesterday and tech details are not ready according to agent