Would you buy a house with a dark kitchen?

Norman_Castle

A weird thing yesterday when we viewed the house, the vendors had the heating on. It was a really warm day and they were sat out the back with all the doors and windows open but the radiators were boiling hot! What's that about, could they be trying to hide something/prove the heating works/is there something wrong with it and it doens't turn off?! Also they locked us in, purposefully locked the door behind us when we came in and made a show of letting us out when we'd finished. That's odd right?

Some people always lock the front door and some doors need locking with a key rather than simply being closed.
I would ask about the heating.

Davesnave

gwynfil wrote: »

The house looks fine. I found this link.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/SN5/Ryan-Close.html
Think it is the same street/area. The good news is that people don't seem to move much in that area which suggests it is a nice place to live. House prices have gone up lots. However, the sold prices in 2012 are quite a bit less it seems. Is it a bit overpriced? It may be that prices really have gone up that much. I know a house is more than about making profit, but it's good to get it at a fair price.

Prices were still depressed in 2012 following the Crash of 2008/9.
By 2012 Bath and Bristol wre recovering strongly, but Swindon was always the poorer relation in this threesome and probably took longer.

RedFraggle

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=66991442&sale=55768403&country=england


It looks very bright in the hallway, a glass door rather than half glass will make a difference. Ours is darker as it's narrower.

KaratePigeon

Ah is that your house RedFraggle, that looks lovely and I'd be very happy with something like that!

RedFraggle

KaratePigeon wrote: »

Ah is that your house RedFraggle, that looks lovely and I'd be very happy with something like that!

It is, we love it, dark kitchen and all!:rotfl:

Savvy_Sue

I cannot find a picture of what I'm talking about, but at school we had wooden plate drying racks above the sinks: you washed, rinsed and slotted them in to dry. If I didn't have a window above the sink, I'd want one of them.

As someone else said, the one thing you can't change (in either house) is the location. Mirrored wall tiles / big mirrors could open up the space. I've known several houses which had windows from the kitchen through to other rooms - left in place when extensions were built, but no reason you couldn't put one in.

The other thing I've heard suggested if you want to be able to 'see out' is ... CCTV! Or similar. A friend's parents have moved into sheltered accommodation, and the view isn't great. He's suggested putting a large screen on one wall with a camera to the outside world.

Mnd

My wife says"what's a kitchen?" (Swindon girl as well)
Seriously, I would put the cul-de-sac option higher up the priority list for your child

westernpromise

I'd go for it. I'd replace the back door with an all-glass one and likewise the door into the utility room. The one into the dining room I'd lose altogether. That'll give you plenty of light and the other possibility is to put another window in alongside the garden door when you have the kitchen done.

That looks like quite a nice floor in the kitchen. Unless you really hate it, save you a few thousand not having to rip that up.

Savvy_Sue

westernpromise wrote: »

I'd go for it. I'd replace the back door with an all-glass one and likewise the door into the utility room. The one into the dining room I'd lose altogether. That'll give you plenty of light and the other possibility is to put another window in alongside the garden door when you have the kitchen done.

Obviously make sure you're using the right kind of glass in those doors - and check any glass doors which you're not replacing! Says the woman whose DS1 has a neat scar above one eyebrow from putting his head through the back door in a friend's house ...

ACG

I cant help but wonder how tall/short the person was who took the photos!
Someone has done a "being estate agent 101" course and took it to heart I think.

That kitchen is not too dark, there are ways to brighten it up further, but it looks bright enough to me - not to my taste but thats besides the point.

The living room looks a bit dark though?
Also looks like artex on the ceiling - just worth baring in mind as it can contain asbestos.