Would you (or have you) buy an ex-council house?

chelseablue

Just having a bit of dilemma regarding houses.


We are viewing houses at the moment, and want to purchase a place where we don't have to move again, so looking at 3 or 4 bed semi or detached.


Been looking at various places both ex-local authority and houses that have never been 'council'


Its becoming clear that the 1950's ex council houses are bigger in terms of room sizes and garden, plus very well built


Im just a bit worried about spending all that money to live on a council estate, we're looking at spending £375 - £400 k


Am I just being stupid? Anyone purchased an ex-council house?
Pros? Cons? Regretted it, or loving it?


Thank you

Stevie_Palimo

There are lots of factors here to consider and neighbours could well be housing authority but could also be fine to live along side, You can move into a private estate and get idiots that cause problems so long and short of it here is to carry out enough research when buying and this does not mean asking the EA what an area is like as they only want the sale, Look at crime stats, School grades and so on prior to considering the purchase.


Remember a house is the most expensive purchase people tend to make so spending more time on the research will pay off in the end.

theartfullodger

chelseablue wrote: »

.....Im just a bit worried about spending all that money to live on a council estate, ..

Do you have a problem with normal people?? What's this prejudice against council estates??


See
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/aug/13/ex-council-flat-in-central-london-sold-for-record-12m

2 of my sons have bought ex-council flats in London: As you say, compared to the evils of capitalist spec-building rabbit hutches they are relatively spacious & well-built.

AlexMac

I'd be happy with an ex-Council house. The pluses of an ex-local authority are a bigger house, bigger rooms and hopefully more garden than you'll get for the same money up the road in an area that's always been owner occupied. The price will be lower because of the original discount which the first 'Right to buy' purchaser enjoyed, and the slight stigma attached to the possibility of living next to tenants rather than other freeholders (I'm assuming that most ex-Council semis and detacheds are freehold, but do check those you consider buying, as if the Council have retained the freehold and are only offereing a lease, there might be the issue of service charges to maintain the house or the estate, the need to seek the freeholder's permission for things like new windows or extensions and possibly even decisons being taken about major works such as cladding or insulation over which you have no control. Not that all Councils are unreasonable; I'm happy with the freeholder of my two little ex-Council BTL leasehold flats))

That's why our kids bought an ex-Council house in SE London; they couldn't afford anything else; they got lucky; a nice house, nice street, OK neighbours (the street was 50-50 public and private, half having been bought out) and the Council did a great re-furb job with new roofs and cladding on their properties, so the street looked tidy; the LA ones made some of the 'bought' houses look shabby!

And they sold well, as the people who bought applied exactly the same logic; they even bust the £250k SDLT threshold and got the highest price to date in the street when they sold three years ago.

So apply the same critique as you would to any house purchase; assuming you're not snobs (I was brought up on Council estates in rough areas and didn't turn into a feral yob!) then look at the area, the schools, the adjacent houses, and the sold prices on Zoopla etc... And if you can spare the time, cruise the area not just on a sunny Sunday morning, but when the pubs chuck out at midnight on Saturday to get a real feel for the manor... Good luck

Johnnytwostep

What about all the anti-social behaviour on the estate. The burned out cars, feral children roaming around, late night fights, having to listen to next doors Jeremy Kyle on their wide-screen 100" TV.

chelseablue

theartfullodger wrote: »

Do you have a problem with normal people?? What's this prejudice against council estates??


See
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/aug/13/ex-council-flat-in-central-london-sold-for-record-12m

2 of my sons have bought ex-council flats in London: As you say, compared to the evils of capitalist spec-building rabbit hitches they are relatively spacious & well-built.

I grew up in a council house (which my parents still live in and now own) I'm just worrying about the money we would need to spend so it has to be the right move for us and our son (cant afford to move again!)


So I thought I would ask others opinions

chelseablue

Definitely 100% not a snob

stator

Check the type of construction, 1950s could be non-traditional.

There's a reason they are cheaper, they are less desirable because of the area and neighbours.

However I am probably going to buy a former council house. You do get more space and often a bigger garden.

DTDfanBoy

Johnnytwostep wrote: »

What about all the anti-social behaviour on the estate. The burned out cars, feral children roaming around, late night fights, having to listen to next doors Jeremy Kyle on their wide-screen 100" TV.

Not all council estates are as rough as yours Johnnytwostep, in fact chances are that when you move from your estate the vast majority of those problems will probably move with you

GwylimT

Apart from the home we now have I have only ever bought ex council properties, why buy a more expensive property thats smaller, has smaller outside space, virtually non-existent front garden. Narrow bendy roads, little space for any visitor parking. You also tend to find better local amenities like shops, a bus route etc where as these are more of a lottery on large private estates.

chelseablue

stator wrote: »

Check the type of construction, 1950s could be non-traditional.

There's a reason they are cheaper, they are less desirable because of the area and neighbours.

However I am probably going to buy a former council house. You do get more space and often a bigger garden.

Where we're from (South-East) they're not even cheaper, just bigger with a bigger garden