Advice on this house please

Steppy1234

Hi there,

I've been helping my daughter find her first house. It's been a nightmare to be honest, but after a lot of discussions and expectation management. We have finally agreed what she wants and, more importantly, what she can afford. We've just seen this...

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73213328.html

It's an ex rental, cosmetically, needs a good going over but I've seen nothing major apart from a patch of damp in the pantry, the old coal house is on the other side so I'm thinking nothing major. Newish boiler in a cupboard in the second bedroom and the electrics don't look in bad condition, apart from it's pre payment, can these be taken out?

Daughter is keen, as a 5 year plan and get her foot on the ladder, next door is under offer after only 3 days
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54674556.html
(around 80k, but they wouldn't tell me exactly) they have had offers on this house but all too low.

We have another viewing with hubby tonight and will be hoping to offer tomorrow.

Not sure what I'm asking to be honest, feel like I need to find her a good house and I don't want to be taking the earache if anything goes wrong. Is there anything that stands out on the pics, or anything we should be asking when we are there again tonight?

Any advice would be very appreciated

mangog

I'm a first time buyer so I may not be the best person to answer but to me it looks like an ideal first home. You say it's been a nightmare, can I ask why? Knowing where you've had trouble might help people identify any similar issues with this house.

I can't answer about pre-payment meters but I'd be very surprised if you can't change that. And a homebuyer's report will give you more answers on things like damp and the general condition of the house, if she does go ahead and make an offer.

At the end of the day though it has to be her decision, not yours, so you really shouldn't have to worry about "earache" if anything does go wrong! Perhaps that needs to be made really clear to her before she commits to anything?

need_an_answer

Pre payment meters can be changed,if you go with certain energy companies the swap is free others charge.

From memory EDF don't charge but googling will give you an up to date view of who charges and who doesn't.

Either way its shouldn't be a reason to reject the house,its easily rectified.

walwyn1978

If you're not in debt to the energy company you can change a prepayment meter for a normal meter, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Rambosmum

Looks ok, I don't know the area - is ok? I personally hate boilers in bedrooms, so buy her a CO detector as a housewarming gift please!

D_M_E

Doesn't look too bad, no pics of outside though.

Some of the pics look like the floor could do with being sanded - pic 5 for example.

Buy some blackout curtains for the front - there's a streetlight right out the front.

Some people might also be put off by it being number 13.

EDIT - once lived in old property with bricked up fireplaces. It suffered from damp which was only cured by putting air vents in the sealed up fireplaces.

Steppy1234

Thanks guys, I agree a co2 detector is a must and we will be looking to move it if possible. The area is okay, we got talking to the lady next door and she's been there 45 years, the house that is under offer was her son's house and he's moved only because of his growing family.

It's managing her expectations that's been a nightmare really, the kind of house she really wants is a second or even third house, with a third house price tag which she can't afford. The idea with this one, would be to live in it, do the work to update it and then sell on in 5 years to increase her deposit on the house she really wants. If that makes sense. Finding a house she happy enough to live in for 5 years has been the nightmare lol

Nullboris

Looks fine , compared to many of the dumps I've lived in ... no idea about price , looks incredibly cheap compared to london . Check the lease , in case its getting too short 80 years or under?
does your daughter own a car , and will she want to park outside? residents permit etc

mije1983

Nullboris wrote: »

Check the lease , in case its getting too short 80 years or under?

It's probably freehold being an older house.


Price seems reasonable compared to other local ones, the next door one that has just sold seems on the expensive side though.


Love the EA speak of...

FRONT & REAR GARDEN

A thin strip of concrete now passes for a front garden :rotfl:

Steppy1234

It's freehold, there is rear access with the scope of off road parking depending on the access rights, both end houses have garages with access off the rear alleyway so hoping it could be a possibility. The front garden is laughable really but it's one thing my daughter insisted on, she didn't want a house where the front door opened straight onto the street, a foot is better than nothing lol

PasturesNew

Cooker looks to be plugged into a regular socket.... didn't think you could do that. I thought that a "full sized cooker", in the main, drew far too much energy if you had it all on full blast, than a regular plug could take, so you need to ask somebody who knows about these things... or one might pop up in this thread soon.