We really can't afford the house we want/need will things get better for us or just forget it?

68ComebackSpecial

hazyjo said:

Or stick a floor plan on here for suggestions...

We had an architect round to look at extending our house to give us an additional living room and a larger kitchen. As we have an integral double garage his plan was to use half of it for the living room and then extend sideways to reinstate the garage with the additional chunk of new kitchen space behind it. Lots of talk about RSJs and issues about roofing the extension because of a bathroom above and obstructing its sole window (possibly leading to remodelling the bathroom and resiting window to rear wall). Totally put us off as he was quoting a six figure sum for all the work and it would have meant a lengthy period of building work........... Then we had our boiler replaced and I got talking to the engineer about extending and his immediate reply was "Why don't you convert the integral garage into a kitchen, turn the kitchen into a living room and build a new, separate double garage?". Total genius idea which will cost a fraction of the original plan, be far quicker and less disruptive ....... but one the qualified, experienced architect didn't suggest! Definitely proof that you don't need to be an architect to see a workable solution.

mrsmortgage

By all means, that's the house and all it's outside space that is at most 2x3m. 

getmore4less

the OP does have issues that there is little/nothing they can do with their property.
I would not get overoptimistic what it would fetch.
I did the rightmove more like this back in may
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78349534/#Comment_78349534

remember they are not on the market so if anything comes up they are back of the queue

As for buying bigger the biggest problem is the lack of choice with a restricted search area.
and up against this
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78350499/#Comment_78350499

this was one that had been looked at.
on at £425k but they were looking to buy at £380k
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/81714277#/
I did a search to go with that one.


This is the RM search for 4bed+  in their area + 3mile upto £450k
for sale 15/40 SSTC (£400k is 12/27)

see if anyone can find a suitable one for the family mix.

£325k there are these 2. leaves £50k to do some work(they need it)
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108545024#/floorplan?activePlan=1&id=media2
4 beds 2 reception rooms, scope to extend  lack of bathrooms.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76582425#/floorplan?activePlan=1&id=media0
again plenty of bed space(4 good sizes), needs the kitchen knocking through to dining/extending 

£350k 5 bed, 3 bathrooms and 2 reception  and a garage (proabably too far out though)
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/106826210#/

getmore4less

mrsmortgage said:

By all means, that's the house and all it's outside space that is at most 2x3m. 

here are the room sizes to go with the plan

LIVING ROOM

15' 1" x 13' 6" (4.59m x 4.12m). A dual aspect room with feature exposed stone alcove, an open fireplace (not currently in use), radiator, television point.

DINING ROOM

13' 6" x 10' 10" (4.12m x 3.31m) measured to face of staircase. A dual aspect room with exposed timber floor, feature fireplace with tiled hearth, useful incorporated desk/study area beneath staircase, storage cupboard, radiator.

KITCHEN

12' 10" x 6' 6" (3.92m x 1.98m) measured wall to wall. Window to rear aspect, obscure glazed door leading to the rear garden, a range of wall hung cupboards with matching base units below work surface, integrated Lamona microwave, Bosch 4-ring hob with oven beneath, part tiled walls, spaces for under counter fridge and freezer, stainless steel sink, integrated wine rack.

FIRST FLOOR LANDING

Staircase rising from dining room, access to loft space.

BEDROOM 1

10' 9" x 14' 5" (3.27m x 4.40m). A good size room dual aspect windows and views towards Truro cathedral, television point, useful storage cupboard with shelving, radiator.

BEDROOM 2

15' 1" x 8' 6" (4.60m x 2.59m). Window to front aspect, radiator.

BEDROOM 3

12' x 5' 3" (3.66m x 1.60m) measurements excluding alcove. Window to front aspect, alcove with shelving, radiator.

mrsmortgage

The £425k is still on the market, he'd take £400k though (and we viewed it at a time my mother said we could count on her £££).

£325k (first one) is too far away for us. I can't do the school runs until I finish work at 5 and there's not enough wrap around care for them until I can go and get them (that house would be closer 545PM). From next September their other parents have agreed for them to take the train, but they would still need to take a bus, my company has tons of meetings around that time so unfortunately I can't go and pick them up from the station.

  Second £325k we've viewed it and it's in unliveable conditions as it is. We would be able to use downstairs at all and the walls are crumbling down. Plus there's not much you can do with that kitchen as it can't be extended. 

mrsmortgage

@getmore4less we're actually on the market now, but not on RM (we actually have a viewing today). But we don't want to be on the open market until we're confident we can find something that works for us. 

eidand

We had a similar dilemma in regards to room sizes. we're a family of 4 with 2 daughters and used to live in a 2 bedroom house so of course they had to share. 66 sqm, 2 bed, semi detached house basically.

We then started looking at 3 bedroom houses but gave up on the idea because they were similar in size or just a bit bigger and they only had 1 bathroom and that's an issue for a family of 4.

Then we looked at 4 bedroom houses and we must have seen over 30. None of them had bedrooms with decent sizes, at most 2 double bedrooms and then another 2 shoeboxes masquerading at "bedrooms" and tiny kitchens that would not fit a dinner table.
In the end we settled on a 3 bedroom bungalow which is double the size of our previous house and every bedroom is at least 13 sqm, plus a 15 sqm kitchen, huge living room, 2 bathrooms and also a double garage. It's bigger than any 4 bedroom house we saw and the layout works.
So there you go, a bit of thinking outside the box helped. 

getmore4less

Here is a plan of the 4 bed(still in the town) at £325.
loads more space
if the kids are sharing either of the 2 bigger bedrooms any 2 from the 4 here is better one is bigger than both of the options in te cuurent house.
10' 9" x 14' 5" (3.27m x 4.40m)
15' 1" x 8' 6" (4.60m x 2.59m)

mrsmortgage

I'm not a big fan of bungalows, lived in one and was really glad the day we moved. I don't mind split level flats / maisonettes, etc.... Part of the issue is the location and the lack of public transport for the older children and my working hours.

So in balance yes, we could get some space somewhere else but school runs make everything substantially difficult. 

mrsmortgage

getmore4less said:

Here is a plan of the 4 bed(still in the town) at £325.
loads more space
if the kids are sharing either of the 2 bigger bedrooms any 2 from the 4 here is better one is bigger than both of the options in te cuurent house.
10' 9" x 14' 5" (3.27m x 4.40m)
15' 1" x 8' 6" (4.60m x 2.59m)

That's the one we viewed this week. I cried when I saw it back on the market as I thought it was "the one". All of downstairs is covered in mould, all the walls are crumbling down (so are the ceilings). The kitchen is smaller than ours (and nothing (or much can be done about it). 

It had already sold but came back to the market after the previous buyer did all the surveys and said it wasn't worth it (and we tend to agree) if the garden was at the back and we could extend into it, I would have given it more of a thought, bit the garden is across the road.