Which of these 3-bedroom houses would you purchase? Edit to include option C?

SarahB16

I’m looking for opinions please as to which house you would buy, house A or house B? 

By way of background I live on my own and when the house is built and ready to purchase I will be approximately 54 years old and this will likely, I hope, be my last home so I need to think ahead to living there in my sixties, seventies, etc.  Try and imagine yourself as a sixty year old woman when living there please.    

I love that the homes have a top floor terrace and I anticipate that I will really make the most of that space for quiet reading in the sunshine but also for socialising which leads me to think house A is the better option due to only have one neighbour so the terrace is open on the two sides.

However, I will list my pros and cons too with the homes and would be really grateful to hear opinions on these two homes please.  Perhaps there are other considerations that I haven't thought of.   

As way of further information the front door at the side of house A will face onto the side garden and will not be directly on the footpath.  If that had not been the case then that would have put me off house A due to security concerns.  The side wall of house A will have a small garden at the side.  

Let's assume both houses are to be sold for the same price or ignore any difference in price which house would be better for me do you think.  I think house A but am curious to hear what other people think please.   

House A 

Pros:

Two open sides to the upper floor terrace compared to just one with house B so a feeling of being more open when on the terrace.  

Only one neighbour so less noise. 

Cons:

When at the front (north/east side) may feel overlooked due to people walking along the footpath.  

The front door (which will face the footpath) may be a security risk however can purchase an alarm and security lights etc.  

When in the back garden a feeling of being overlooked from people walking along the footpath (however I could buy taller shrubs to make it more private).   

House B

Pros:

Warmer as not an end terrace. 

Possibly less outside maintenance due to being a mid-terrace. 

More sociable when at the front as nearer to the middle of the row of terraces.  

Don’t have people passing on the footpath overlooking the back garden.

 

Cons:

Noise from neighbours on both sides. 

Only one view from the upstairs terrace.    

Thank you very much for your opinions.  

silvercar

B. I wouldn't like being near the footpath by A for all sorts of reasons. Security- particularly as you age and living on your own. Noise - especially if groups go down the footpath. I don't know where it leads, but is there a risk of  youngsters hanging out in gangs along it? Talking noisily/  smoking weed/ revving bikes? If it becomes a regular cut through, people may throw their rubbish over the hedge or even doggy poo bags.

ArbitraryRandom

It's a really personal choice, but with the limited info given, I'd go for 'A'. 

I'm not a fan of mid-terrace living and unless it was cheaper (and depending on internal layout) I'd prefer the ability to have my bedroom/TV on an external wall. Plus side/garden access without having to go through the house. 

Any chance of a floor plan? 

SarahB16

ArbitraryRandom said:

It's a really personal choice, but with the limited info given, I'd go for 'A'. 

I'm not a fan of mid-terrace living and unless it was cheaper (and depending on internal layout) I'd prefer the ability to have my bedroom/TV on an external wall. Plus side/garden access without having to go through the house. 

Any chance of a floor plan? 

Thank you for your opinion, really appreciated.  For me, I don't like to put televisions on walls.  I'm a bit old school and prefer them freestanding on TV cabinets.  

As I get older I do need to think of my safety/security concerns which is why I can also see the benefits of the mid-terrace (not that this is in a rough area though but there can be no good' uns hanging around anywhere).    

No floor plans are available yet.  

Really good hearing a variety of views.  

EssexHebridean

B. Remove the terrace from the equation altogether and it’s very clear that you prefer it too! The terrace will be a boon when the weather is lovely, and while you are in a position to go up there, and indeed to want to go up there - but the rest of the time you’re living in, and with, the rest of the house.

Annisele

I think it largely depends on where the footpath goes. I once lived next to a footpath that went between a housing estate and a supermarket next to a pub - never again! We got far more noise from the footpath than I'd ever anticipate from a halfway reasonable neighbour.

elsien

I live in a mid terrace. Only having noise from one side,not both sides, would be a bonus. On the other hand it really does depend about that footpath,  where it goes and how busy is likely to be. I do tend to associate some foot paths with antisocial behaviour. Obviously that depends on the area.

SarahB16

elsien said:

I live in a mid terrace. Only having noise from one side,not both sides, would be a bonus. On the other hand it really does depend about that footpath,  where it goes and how busy is likely to be. I do tend to associate some foot paths with antisocial behaviour. Obviously that depends on the area.

I definitely do not anticipate the footpath to be busy and overall this is a very nice quiet area.  However, I still do have reservations about being next to a footpath.  

When I wrote this post my thoughts were I prefer house A (great views from the gorgeous terrace, perhaps extra light inside the house too) and even though I genuinely do not think there will be problems with the footpath I do wonder if I would prefer not to be next to it due to the feeling of being overlooked when in the front or back garden.  

Then if I do go with house B I gain with the energy efficiency/warmth and having one fewer external wall to maintain.     

diystarter7

Hi OP

Do not, never go for a mid-terraced house. You will get sounds of people/etc from both sides and the possibility of complaints from both sides. Also, no side access to take out trash, garden rubble, move in out larger items through the bigger back doors etc,

Nosie at night time is even worse especially if one neighbour is quiet

Avoid at all costs.

Thanks

elsien

I don’t think you’re going to be feeling overlooked by the footpath. Is it not going to have a 6 foot fence?

400ixl

You keep saying about being overlooked at the back by the footpath. Is this footpath raised in comparison to the garden? Otherwise with a 6 foot fence you will be not more looked over than the other house next door.

Security wise it will make very little difference, maybe even less so as there is always the risk of the perpetrator being seen by someone walking down the alley which is less likely if they have hopped into one of the mid terrace gardens.

Personally i wouldn't choose either, but of the two it would be the end terrace hands down. Many of the risks are more in your control than in a mid terrace. The biggest risk is noisy neighbours which is doubled on a mid terrance, or someone sensitive to your noise.