Converting a 1 bed flat into a 2 bed.

anewloginapparently

Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess I love living in this area so much & would love to live here long term but the market being the way it is in Glasgow (perhaps everywhere) at the moment, I'll need some kind of change to the market before that becomes possible. Even areas that were previously seen as a bit less of desirable like Cessnook & Govanhill have seen prices go through the roof! 

Financially once my partner is working, we should be earning 55 to 65k between us, so could afford a mortgage around here, it's just flats that were going for 140k 2 years ago are going for well set) over 200k now, but more to the point they're going for so much over the home report value that even my 45/50k equity will struggle to put down a deposit, pay moving costs & then find another 15 to 20k just to cover the difference. Last year I tried to move but was getting blown out of the water on 2 bed flats by cash buyers paying upto 40k above the HR at times! I guess the next couple of years are a chance to put more aside. 

As for waiting to have children I'm 40 this year so would probably not put it off too much longer. 

Also if I had gone down the internal room route I'd have probably suggested we sleep in there & the child have the bigger room to play & develop, but I agree a nursery in the bedroom & saving to buy a bigger place is probably more sensible. 👍 

GaleSF63

Leave it be - or at the most a partition in the bedroom made with concertina doors. And not yet. 
Otherwise you run the risk of:
1. Hating whatever you choose
2. Circumstances changing and it turning out not to be necessary.
3. Living with the change for longer than needed.
4. Paying too much for a not very good compromise. 

ryan7

I know the area and flats well. 
My advice.... leave it as is.
As your broodiness takes over and circumstances change, so will your priorities.
You'll be ready to leave the inner South Side and move a few miles further out.
If you've circa 20k to burn on rejigging the layout then I'd either put that aside for your next property or put it all in to reducing your mortgage. 

Doozergirl

anewloginapparently said:

Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess I love living in this area so much & would love to live here long term but the market being the way it is in Glasgow (perhaps everywhere) at the moment, I'll need some kind of change to the market before that becomes possible. Even areas that were previously seen as a bit less of desirable like Cessnook & Govanhill have seen prices go through the roof! 

Financially once my partner is working, we should be earning 55 to 65k between us, so could afford a mortgage around here, it's just flats that were going for 140k 2 years ago are going for well set) over 200k now, but more to the point they're going for so much over the home report value that even my 45/50k equity will struggle to put down a deposit, pay moving costs & then find another 15 to 20k just to cover the difference. Last year I tried to move but was getting blown out of the water on 2 bed flats by cash buyers paying upto 40k above the HR at times! I guess the next couple of years are a chance to put more aside. 

As for waiting to have children I'm 40 this year so would probably not put it off too much longer. 

Also if I had gone down the internal room route I'd have probably suggested we sleep in there & the child have the bigger room to play & develop, but I agree a nursery in the bedroom & saving to buy a bigger place is probably more sensible. 👍 

The best of luck to you.   It will all
be okay - kids are very adaptable
and even if you all stay together for the next two decades in that flat - it will be okay.   You most probably won't, but they're way more resilient than us 'grown ups'.  

I'm at the other end of the parenthood scale.   Still just about 43 with a 21 and 16 year old.  It is just different when you have little ones, gorgeous little parasites that they are, they will change the axis that your life spins on.