It's not right for me

jangor_2

I moved last August into a small property in a fairly semi rural area (cost £217,500). The move was a disaster with far more work required than anticipated, which did not appear on my survey. I have however now spent approx. £12000 carrying out the necessary works, i.e. rewiring, replacing guttering, fascia boards etc., repairing the chimney, replacing and updating most of the central heating system, ripping out the old fireplace and replacing, replacing some doors, repairing shed and garage, some new ceilings etc. However the house still needs a great deal of work (most of the walls and ceilings need to be stripped of the old blown plaster and redone) bathroom is dreadful and sadly a lick of paint is not an option. The works involved are not really the sole problem but I am so unhappy here I am reluctant to put more money into the property. I am told this is not a good time to move and I should wait for about a year. Various estate agents have given me different advice about whether to put the house on the market, one has advised they would not market it for more than I originally paid. This has all caused a great deal of confusion and I just don't know what to do. I now dread returning here each evening. I viewed the house in the Summer and had not realised how isolated I would feel. I do not have a mortgage and am of an age that a mortgage is probably not a good idea anyway.

Has anyone been in a similar situation in not liking the house they moved into and what was the outcome?

Many thanks.

Gorgeous_George

I haven't but you can sell it and find somewhere that you like. It will cost you but that's house-buying and why it should be done with proper research and a full survey.

I suggest you consider renting. It's cheaper to move.

GG

jess1974

Yes i bought my house nearly 4 years ago, i felt the same as you, the work is never ending , i also felt isolated and cried constantly for about 3 months. It has taken me ages to settle but i think i am now, i have also started to get attached to the old place, which is really odd because i hated it when i first moved here...

ixwood

Sounds like it's teh state of the house/work involved and not the house that's the problem.

You should never really sell a house half finished. Chin up, stick at it and things will come good. you've done most of the hard/messy work now, don't give your profit/nice old house to someone else!

How about getting one room done 1st and then go from there one room at a time? Get your living room done and all nice and cosy and you'll have a sanctury as well as the satisfaction of getting it done.

clutton_2

why not do the "lick of paint" and then rent it out and you can rent somewhere else for yourself.

PasturesNew

jangor wrote: »

Has anyone been in a similar situation in not liking the house they moved into and what was the outcome?

Many thanks.

Yes, but my timing was different. I bought such a house on a big mortgage, my job finished, for the next 5 years I was living in a house that was half done and without an income to sort it out. I was down, couldn't see a way out. So I sold it.

But I was lucky as I sold it last year.

I do know how you feel about it. I bet you can't walk into any room without seeing all the things that need doing. And wondering whether to fix things or sell.

The bottom line is how much you are prepared to get out. Say, the house sold at £7k under what you bought it for, then it's cost you £25k to hate it. But if prices are dropping (and I believe they are) then leaving it another year will only make the price lower - and you'll have had to live in misery for another year.

Chuck it on the market, get rid. Move on. You will be losing money now, but I don't see that time will change that to be honest. The longer you have it the more it is costing you to keep it and the more its value is likely to fall.

I was dead lucky. I wish you well.

happinessfactory

I totally agree with Ixwood - get the place fixed up, and once your pictures are up and your books and nick-nacks arranged you'll love it. Make sure you have one fully furnished 'sanctuary room' (I'd prefer bedroom to sitting room but that's just me) and take it from there.

I've hated every place I've ever lived in whilst it's been a building site and/or money pit. The loneliness/exhaustion/blues all disappear once it's become a home.

PasturesNew

jess1974 wrote: »

i also felt isolated and cried constantly for about 3 months.

I did that ... but for 5+ years

No more crying. I sold. Now daren't buy another one to be honest!
Definitely going to buy almost new next time!

Doozergirl

You do get to a point where you just can't take the work that needs doing anymore. I certainly do with every house we've ever bought - to live in or otherwise. I can remember once exploding at the boy once explaining that I just couldn't take living with stripped walls any longer. I think I threatened to leave him :rotfl:

That was the push for him and we ended up with a lovely flat after not long. When it was finished I wanted to sell it and start it all over again, but that's another story