How much did you compromise when buying a new house & why?

[Ally T]

Long post alert!

We are househunting. We've lived in our pretty little home for 16 years this October, but as some of you are aware, a business deal for Mr T has been financially life changing for us. (Tiffany's here I come!)

We have 2 daughters & we have simply outgrown our house. They want a designated gaming room rather than sharing their dads office, he needs more space in his office, we need more than one lounge room as we all want to curl up & watch different things on TV & we won't allow tv's in bedrooms, we don't have a guest bedroom & very often have people to stay over with only a small downstairs toilet to help out... You get the idea. And now we are able to change all that & buy a perfect forever home.

We have viewed many houses & non of them have been right, even though a couple have been pretty spectacular. We all made a list of what we must have, what we would like & what was an absolute no, so we have a rough idea of where we are heading.

Yesterday we viewed the most amazing 200 year old property that is fully modernised & renovated whilst retaining character features. It's 7 minutes drive from our current village, but is completely isolated with no community within walking distance. It has 5 bedrooms, 4 garage spaces, 6 acres of land, outbuildings & a guest annex. It's sandwiched between a working farm & an equestrian centre, so technically there aren't any 'neighbours' unless you include sheep & more horses than I could count. But there are a couple of niggles.

Upstairs, only 2 of the bedrooms have ensuites: the Master & the smaller guest room, with the large family bathroom sitting between them on that side. The remaining bigger bedrooms are on the other side of the house & obviously the children want big rooms, so it would mean an expensive couple of en-suites fitting & connecting to the waste system on the other side. Everything else upstairs was amazing apart from cosmetics.

Downstairs, whilst the current kitchen is stunning & has a beautiful Aga, the layout is really odd & doesn't work for me. It's very far removed from my number 1 must have: my dream kitchen (& I detest cooking on an Aga) & there isn't a wine fridge. Mama needs a wine fridge! Everything else downstairs was stunning, even though we don't need 4 lounge rooms...

Outside, the house has large hedges & old well established trees across the immediate front of the property, screening the rest of the land & views. If I'm paying for the privilege of 6 acres, I want to be able to push the large glass doors back & inhale the happiness of the wildflower meadow & pond whilst I drink my coffee.

So it comes down to finances. Our new house budget is £2 million all in, so including complete new furnishings etc. This house is £2 million with no offers accepted. We will need to spend at least £150k on furnishings, possibly much more. To refit the kitchen space, which would be very important to me, would be around £40k. The landscaper has estimated what we want doing at a rough £25k minimum. The 2 en-suites will be around £30k due to plumbing issues.

I mean this house is amazing. The driveway up from the road is a quarter of a mile long & when we buzzed the gates at the top & they opened onto a further, shorter tree lined driveway & revealed the house ahead, all 4 of us gasped. It definitely has The Wow factor.

Do we hold off & wait to see if it gets snapped up, then if not then they might be open to a lower offer & we'd have budget left to do the work? And also, how will we feel being even more rural than we are now? We love bumping into neighbours walking their dogs when we're out walking in the fields & always ask one of them to pop in twice a day to feed our cats & fish whenever we are on holiday. This new house is really a lifestyle choice rather than just a new home. We really want to stay as rural as possible, but feel this might be taking things to the extreme. And when the girls leave home, it's definitely be too big for just me & Mr T. Urgh! What to do?!

Please share your house move stories, what you compromised on & what you regretted.

 

[missy]

You need a list of deal breakers. What you want and would like to have but also what you must have and cannot compromise on.

For us location was key for both our homes. I wanted to be on the sea at the Jersey shore house so that was a non negotiable for me. I also wanted to be near the Sea Streak ferry to be able to get into the city quickly. Location was it for me and because of the perfect location I overlooked many other things.

The fact it didn't have a generator (we put one in ourselves when we moved into the house) and that it didn't have enough closet space. One day I will take the attic and temp control it and build more closets and storage space.

It also didn't have a full basement which was something Greg wanted so he had the Yankee Basement dug out into a full basement.

And the kitchen was awful. We lived with it for a few years because we were making other changes and finally I got a decent kitchen. Not a huge one as there wasn't the space for it but it is a functional and pretty kitchen and sufficient for our needs.

Lastly this house has no garage. Greg wanted one. We were planning on building one but then building codes changed so we really cannot do it without altering the look of our yard and blocking our house. But it isn't critical we have one now that Greg has his workspace in the basement and also he has a big shed in the front yard where he works on projects like the bikes.

Lots of things we wanted but the house didn't have that we changed over time. But the one thing we couldn't change was location of course. So we had a list of things we wanted and also a list of non negotiable and when we saw this house with all the things it did not have it didn't matter. We fell in love with it anyway. And over time we got most of the things we had wanted initially.

It always kills me on the house hunter shows how the couples want it all and want it all at once and for very little money. LOL. This was not how we were raised nor is it how it works IRL. My first apartment had a terrible old kitchen and old bathrooms and hadn't been updated since the 70s. It was my DREAM apartment. Located in my favorite neighborhood and right near the trains for easy in and out to work and all I loved to do.

Our second home also did not have what we wanted re features. We loved the location and space however and we gut renovated it. We made it what we wanted it to be.

Our third home was in the vicinity of the beach but too far from the beach for me. I want to see and hear the waves. But we got it because it was a starter beach house if you will. And we gut renovated that too since we were staying for a long while (10 years or so) and we enjoyed it while we lived there.

None of our homes were perfect but at the time they suited us and we made it perfect for us. Over time.

Good luck @Ally T with your journey. Enjoy it because this is an exciting time in your lives. And remember, nothing has to be forever. It can be if you want it to be but it isn't a life and death decision so try to enjoy it and make the best decision you can with your budget and your list of non negotiables.


One additional thought. You do not have to do all the work immediately. If you feel you will be devastated if the house sells from under you maybe that is your answer. And remember, location is key. Make sure you can be happy at that location. Think about it carefully and the answer will be clear.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

House hunting is really tough but our experience was that when the right house for us came along we knew instantly. Maybe this one is close but not “the one”. Location is key because everything else can be changed down the road. As I would say with a piece of jewelry, if it sold would you be devastated? Then maybe that’s your answer.

We bought in a competitive market in 2004, a lot of dud houses and everyone was buying. We have lived in our house now for 17 years but we compromised on no basement or garage, on the plus side it does force you to not accumulate stuff which I’m sure the kids will appreciate down the road.

Sending you best wishes to find your dream home!

 

[dk168]

When I walked into this house, I knew it was the one as it had a good vibe to it.

A number of significant changes were needed, such as relocating the boiler from the kitchen to the spare second bedroom, reconfigured the kitchen, turned the peachy bathroom into a wet room with a shower only, installed air con and underfloor heating, new radiators in new locations and decking in the garden.

It cost a fortune at the time back in 2006 as I had all the work done inside the house in one go, and I stayed in a bed and breakfast for 3 weeks.

However it was worth it as I would hate to live in a building site through the years.

The processes involved in house-buying, relocation from London and subsequent renovation of the new house were very stressful, and I swear I would not do that again.

If I did compromise on anything, it would have been the bathroom in that it was not big enough to have a bath as well as a big walk-in shower.

However I don't like baths, so it was fine for me.

The house only has 2 bedrooms, which means it is not really suitable as a family home. Therefore, having just one bathroom and without a bath is unlikely to affect its resale value much.

DK

 

[Bron357]

No house is likely to be perfect.
From your post I “read” that you love the “wow” factor but the price is at your limit, the location more rural than you’d like and you want to spend $$$$ on changing the kitchen (very expensive) and adding in two new bathrooms (likewise very expensive).
So I’m seeing more negatives than positives.
While your daughters won’t “die” without an en-suite each, the kitchen situation will be difficult to live with and trust me, a significant kitchen renovation is unpleasant if you’re living in the house while that goes on around you.
The location is also an important factor, personally I put location right at the top of my “must be right” list.
I would keep looking as the house is currently priced higher than you wish to pay though you can keep this one in mind in case the price comes down,

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Ha, I've visited close to 100 houses when hunting and the short answer is: even when this should be a purely and completely rational decision, there's still the emotional factor coming into play. When you fall in love you are willing to accept some deal-breakers (evidently staying in your budget).



It also depends which market you're in. We're in a major metropolitan area, so there were many (too many!!) houses with very very different features and locations. Visiting a maximum of houses was crucial in that scenario to get a feeling for the market. In a more rural outset that's obviously different.

My personal priorities became clear:
Location, location , location.

Rough geographical location ( west of big City), access to public transportation and basic amenities and micro location (something charming, like a river, a view, ...).

As for the home itself, I'm willing to compromise on changeable aspects. Even If they aren't in budget now, if I can change/upgrade later it's ok for me.

When doing alterations I prioritize regarding how much of a pita it is to change later. So for instance if the kitchen is ok, but not to my liking as well as the floors and I'd have the budget to do one, I'd do the floor now (who wants to get everything out again in 3 years to redo the floors??) and live with the kitchen for a while. Changing out the kitchen later with fresh budget is rather fast &easy with the right company (at least compared to ripping out the floors for instance).

Same goes for outside. It's not our personal priority. We have 60k of gardening ahead of us. Big ticket items inside keep coming in the way of this (old house as well). We prioritze those and are both fine with it (..and the pool to the tune of 140 l keeps getting pushed back too, lol). The garden is still completely fine and useable, though, I might add.

In your specific case you have a healthy budget. If you feel you shouldn't compromise and you have a clear view of the local market and know that there'll eventually be the perfect home, don't compromise.


In my area the truly gorgeous lots have been snapped up in the 1850 at the latest, so we always had to compromise.

Our garden is not flat and the neighbors are too close for the size of the lot, but our lot is about 4x bigger than average in this area and I know that I don't have the extra millions to get a freestanding manor in a flat park.

When we found a home with a gorgeous view, feeling like it's located in the woods, but only a 5 min walk from the amenities and public transportation, oriented fully south , big enough with a huge room to refurbish later if needed, high ceilings and spacious living area, we were willing to do a total gut job, accept neighbors and lack of flat garden.

My friends, however wanted a perfect, no hassle, no fuss home and bought a modern house with a very small, yet perfectly kept flat yard that was ready to move in.

We're both happy with our (educated ) choices


I'm very excited for you and am very interested how things will work out!!!

 

[MillieLou]

The house sounds gorgeous - but I'm getting the feeling you might be paying for things that aren't important to you, while missing out on the ones which are. Eg the six acres, four lounge rooms - sounds like you don't really need those, but you don't get your dream kitchen. With a 2 million pound budget, you should at least get your dream kitchen!!

It also struck me that you said the house would be too big once the girls leave home. I would think a bit more carefully on that. Adult children often come back, either to stay or to visit with their families, and having space is nice. But if, after consideration, you genuinely feel it would be too big then I would be reluctant to spend on a "forever" home that is actually a "for the next 10 years home" iyswim.

Think about maintenance costs too if the house is right at the top of your budget. Work out all the costs to run and maintain, including things like paying a pet sitter if you don't have near neighbours to look after your pets.

I agree with Missy's suggestion to make a list of non-negotiables / an order of priorities.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

The house sounds beautiful. I wanted the house we live in now so badly that the thought of not getting it created anxiety. I remember attending the home inspection with the owner. When it was over and the deficiencies of the house now known, the owner looked at me worriedly and said "Do you still want it?" I replied "of course." Nothing was going to get in the way of us living in this house. The needed repairs have been done, the house decorated to our liking. The house created an emotional response within me. That is how I knew it was THE house for us to buy. Hope that helps.

 

[rainydaze]

DH and I have bought quite a few homes. We have had our wishlist, and our dealbreakers. We looked at a LOT of houses in each instance.... in-person and online. Every time, I knew instantly when the house was 'ours'. There were compromises, there always are, but I didn't have to talk myself into them or justify it. There were always things to do to make it our home (kitchen reno, bath renos, painting, new floors, shed, etc.) but the foundation and feeling for it to be our home was solidly there.

Our home now had a similar story to yours in that we moved about a street away, to a house that was larger and accommodated our family better. Our original house was more isolated however, and now we live on a cul-de-sac. We really enjoy having neighbors who are friendly and whom we have chats with, wave to, can call on... we are introverts so we like the casual encounters without big to-dos. Everyone has plenty of land and there is privacy, yet we feel part of a little community. I thought I loved having a lot of acreage and total privacy, but for me it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I enjoy knowing we've got people around, and people we can count on.

So, we went from a smaller house to a considerably larger house. Oftentimes the one thing I dislike is *how* large it is (though smaller than what you are aiming for, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 living rooms). It's a lot to clean, it's a lot to keep tidy, it's a lot for maintenance, bills, repair costs (re-roofing, interior and exterior painting, siding, windows, even how many candles i put in the windows for xmas and how many batteries I need each year), etc., etc. I prefer not to have a housecleaner but I am happier with an organized, clean home (not a neat-freak, but I do like it restfully neat). If you plan to have a housecleaner/housekeeper than disregard, but if you will be the one cleaning and maintaining the property I had pause when reading how many bathrooms and living rooms this home has. Are you prepared to take that on? Are your kids helpful with cleaning? We also have a much, much smaller second home and the relief I feel when I go there is palpable - it's so much easier to maintain, I only need four xmas candles and 8 batteries, if we need to replace the floors or the roof or have the exterior painted it's a breeze.... Just something to consider.

All this to say, I suggest factoring this into your thinking... this home sounds grand and lovely and if you plan to hire a crew to help clean and maintain it as well as the grounds, no problem. If not, it sounds like it's just large enough to be a bit burdensome. Maybe your ideal house - that still has all the wants with a couple less bathrooms and living spaces to clean - is out there yet? I also picked up from your post that maybe you are not entirely sure about wanting to be so isolated. The draw of land is real, but it can feel lonely. Only you and your family know if that will really tickle you or if you have a sneaking feeling deep down that while it sounds lovely, you'd prefer to have the feel of some folks around you. I would just suggest really considering that, as DH and I both realized how much of an impact it had on us going from an isolated home to one with some neighbors.

I would also just like to add that I was desperate to move this last time, but it took over a year for the right house to come along. DH dismissed it out of hand the first time we saw it whereas I knew it was the one. He dismissed it because it lacked one of my wants and one of his wants, but everything else was there. The deal fell through for the other buyers and I jumped to see it again. By this point, we had seen that many more houses which allowed DH to recognize how great this one was, and we moved forward. With our second home, we looked for 4-5 years, maybe more. We made offers on several, and we had contracts on a couple that didn't work out. The one we ended up with was so meant-to-be, and 110% the one for us. It may take time, but I strongly believe that when you know, you know. And as frustrating as the process can be, the right one will come along - if you are patient you will be rewarded ten-fold once you are finally in and can truly enjoy it for the rest of your lives or for however long you choose to live there.

What a wonderful position to be in! I know you'll find your dream home - maybe this one is it - and I am excited for you!

 

[Cerulean]

This home sounds breathtaking! Can I move in to help counter some of the costs?

Jokes aside, I am actually going to be buying my first house in the next year or so (waiting for the market to cool off) so not the same situation (I live in a tiny vintage condo now that is terribly overcrowded)

but one thing that struck me was the size (others have addressed) and the isolation

I’m not sure if you plan on staying in this home for ever, but the size and the isolation may be even more complicated to deal with as you age

my elderly father loves very remote rural homes and we finally had to move him into a town because it was posing a risk to him to have to drive absolutely everywhere for human contact, he lived alone and we were constantly fearful of something bad happening to him and that no neighbor would keep an eye out

As his child, it also made visiting him more challenging because he was in such a remote location

My point is, moving in your late 70s when you don’t really want to but HAVE to…no fun. It’s been a painful experience for everyone

just wanted to offer as a food for thought

 

[rainydaze]

One other thought I have, regarding the cost and thinking about the future. It's good to think about how this house will serve you when the kids are moved out, but it's also good to think about how comfortable you will be financially staying in this house as the years go by. The bigger and grander the house and grounds, the higher the taxes (I don't think you're in the US so I'm not sure if that translates, we have property taxes), the higher the upkeep and maintenance costs, the higher the utility costs, etc. If what you received in the sale of DH's business covers the costs of buying the house, updates to make it yours, and all costs long into the future, then no problem. If, however, the costs might become a bit more uncomfortable in say 20, 30 years...but you've made this your home and you are attached....then it might be worth considering a home that meets your wants and needs but is less house/property overall, giving you the option to remain in it quite comfortably for as long as you like.

 

[oceanblue]

Congratulations on your search for a dream home! The house you describe sounds so nice, much space is way better than not enough space.

My two cents:

Make sure you get your dream kitchen unless, of course, your windfall includes a full time cook. This seems to be where, at least for me, I spend most of my working time.
Endless manufacturing of meals, you need a perfect place.

Every family is different but maybe you have to many peoples input. Maybe don't take your kids to showings. Put you and your husbands needs/wants first and unveil the new home to your children, I am sure they would be happy with whatever you pick out.

Good luck and hopefully you will be able to share a picture of your new English manor soon.

 

[nala]

Location. Location location.
Good bones. Layout. That was what I realized that I would not compromise on and to this day I know that I made the best choice.

 

[Arcadian]

For my current house, not only location but I was not wanting to do another fixer. I did have to sacrifice on size 2 things; a garage and a wee bit more yard space. I'm OK with it now...lol because I'm mowing that bad boy every week! But I do miss garage. All the other needs were met.

 

[josieKat]

It sounds like you need to decide if the location is or is not going to work for you. Everything else can be changed with enough time and money if you want, but I hear the most hesitation about the location and that of course is what it is.

Location plus a family room was my priority last time I moved (as a newly single mom moving to a new state who was worried about being able to get to work and the kids’ school if, eg, my car broke down) with no budget for changes, and I accepted a lot (no garage, because the family room was a garage conversion, siding I didn’t love, the tiniest powder room I’ve ever seen as a second bathroom) because those priority factors were there.

 

[wildcat03]

I just wanted to note that I'm concerned you are underestimating the costs of renovations you have proposed. We did a moderately complex bathroom project- creating two bathrooms where one had previously been. I believe that cost us over $80,000 (I actually think it was more like 90,000). To renovate our 1980s kitchen I have been told to expect 60,000 on the low end and 100,000 if we go with top end appliances and high end counters and cabinets (it is a large kitchen).

 

[rainydaze]

I often talk around a question (my friend says if you ask her DH the time, he proceeds to tell you how to build a clock, lol). So, in a more direct response to your question:

We compromised on:
- no second-floor laundry (it has first-floor laundry)
- no first floor office for DH (we put one in the basement, but there is space for him on the first floor to work, albeit not a dedicated office)
- no wood stove (there is a fireplace - we thought we would install a wood stove but instead opted for a pellet stove insert)
- level, nice backyard (back yard is sloped. I have vision though and knew we could do something with it. Indeed we did: we hardscaped in a multi-level patio that turned a nice-to-look-at-but-hard-to-use backyard into a wonderful space that we use all the time.)
- size (I would have liked a bit smaller of a house, however this is the going size for houses in this town so smaller wasn't readily available. There were plenty of larger houses with more bells and whistles - within budget - but I knew for sure that I didn't want quite that much house, and we also preferred having more financial security over having more house.)

We did not compromise on:
- four bedrooms
- location (not just the town, but also specific area in town)
- privacy of the lot/neighborhood
- larger kitchen with a great layout (we needed to renovate it; the price of the house allowed for a dream kitchen that functions perfectly and is beautiful)
- neighborhood, preferably end of the cul-de-sac
- layout (the layout functions beautifully and has a flow that I feel calm and happy existing in; we don't need to 'make it work' as TG would say, it works seamlessly)
- price (fell well within the lower end of our budget with plenty of room for all of the updates we determined we would want in order to make it our own)
- quality and 'bones' (solidly built and well-maintained house, just needed cosmetic updates)
- no mishmash, i.e. additions, different kinds of wood floors, etc. It's all cohesive (quirk of mine; I absolutely can appreciate all kind of dwellings but for *me* *personally* to reside in, I like a cohesive dwelling.)

 

[Ally T]

You guys absolutely rock. I rarely come here for anything other than jewellery, but when I do, you always provide food for thought & reassurances.

In answer to some of the questions above, yes, both us & the children down the line will be financially secure long term, so we would be able to maintain & pay running costs & upkeep, as well as have amazing experiences & take the girls to crazy places. I will definitely be getting a cleaner - my kids are absolutely crap at helping out until I blow a gasket at them & Mr T works long days. I'd rather rather when he finished that we took the girls to dinner or to see a movie than have him start doing the ironing

I have just asked Mr T if we were told in the morning that somebody had made an offer that was accepted, how would he feel. He shrugged his shoulders & said "OK, I think?" And I feel the same. We viewed our current home at 5.15pm & knew instantly despite viewing 10 others, that it was The One. I was on the phone at 9am to offer, scared someone else might get it before us.

The location might just be too rural. And @rainydaze made a very good point about being in a cul-de-sac & having enjoyable but casual chats with neighbours. We have that here & our little village pub is a hive of friendship. We love the people here, they are good, reliable professionals who have known our girls since the day they were born & we love this little village dearly. The girls know they can walk to ANY of the other houses if they needed to get help. If we could stay, we absolutely would. But there are no suitable properties here that we would want, besides non being on the market & everyone very settled. And we can't buy a plot & build, because it is protected greenbelt belt with 99 years left on the farming lease. No new building is allowed here, in a nutshell.

You have definitely un-jumbled my brain & helped me focus

Location is the priority, the house can be altered. And we are in no hurry. As you guys say, the right one is out there & one day it will be ours!

 

[Jambalaya]

I don't know, it sounds complicated. But I just wanna say that I am loving living vicariously through this - I do love a good house hunt!!

Just one thought about the girls leaving home and it being too big....before you know it, they'll be visiting and bringing spouses and children along!!!

 

[Ally T]

I don't know, it sounds complicated. But I just wanna say that I am loving living vicariously through this - I do love a good house hunt!!

Just one thought about the girls leaving home and it being too big....before you know it, they'll be visiting and bringing spouses and children along!!!

My eldest said exactly that! She said "Just think how my children would be super excited to visit Granny & Grandad T's house for hide & seek & playing in the fields! "

She's 12...........

Thank you for your kind words, as always. I shall definitely be taking PS on the house hunt!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Wow! I don’t have anything helpful to add, but I really enjoy reading your story and others responses. What an exciting time for you! I am very jealous. That house you described sounds so beautiful and picturesque. I love reading peoples success stories and share your joy with you!

 

[MRBXXXFVVS1]

Congratulations on the business deal and for house hunting for your dream home - what an exciting time! It sounds like you've found a place that you really like! In terms of rural vs. neighbors, it's a personal preference and trade-off.

Adding ensuite bathrooms that require framing and new plumbing sounds quite expensive. I do not have direct renovation experience, but have doing a lot of research. I would likely budget $50K+ per bathroom (small bathroom without plumbing work and modest fixtures I am estimating $25K/bathroom). In terms of your dream kitchen, if the layout needs to be fixed, I would estimate it would be a $150K+ renovation (a higher end kitchen without major layout changes is probably $100K).

I would definitely factor these costs into your budget, and honestly budget 20-30% more especially with labor costs these days. Personally, if you can do the renovations before moving in it would be much nicer than living in a construction zone especially with COVID and everything (having contractors coming and going).

I also think the landscaping cost would probably be more depending on what you have planned, I did a very small backyard renovation (400 sq ft?) a few years ago and it was easily $10K with basically just swapping out plants. Currently, my grounds maintenance cost is about $30K/year. This doesn't even include anything related to the actual house and structure whatsoever. We honestly bought this house with no concept of how much maintenance would cost, but I've come to accept it. I would definitely look into how much it will cost to maintain 6 acres and everything. Also, you'll want to do inspections if it has a well and/or septic.

A £2 million budget is generous and will buy you a nice house, but I've realized nothing is perfect and there are usually trade-offs. It depends on how much you "want" the house and are willing to "live with" before you can do all of your renovations. Another thought is there are always more houses and likely could be another one around the corner. The housing market is also very high right now, so I would definitely take that into consideration as well. From personal experience, being "house poor" is not fun, lots of stress and tears shed. It is much more comfortable to buy something well below your budget. Our current house is a fraction of what we could afford, so even as painful as the maintenance costs are, it's not a big deal.

In terms of housing analysis and negotiation strategy, what I would do is create a spreadsheet and outline all of the expenses and costs. You can model a few different scenarios. Depending on how long the house has been on the market, you can always make an offer below asking (there is no downside other than paperwork) and see where that takes you. You can also ask the realtor to contribute part of his/her commissions towards closing costs to help offset some of the costs. Then, live in the house for a while to see what you like and what you want to change, and fix it up as funds allow.

Best of luck!

 

[GoldenTouch]

I hope you find what you are looking for.

I would also keep in mind how much work it takes to keep 6 acres of garden looking neat. The last house I owned was large on 4 acres. It was SO much work…. I loved the house & the garden but I don’t miss all the work.
My next place will be a two bedroom cottage on a small block with a low maintenance garden.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

You LOST me at no wine fridge.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

OMG I'm such a NYer. My family of 4 lives just fine (plus a dog and two cats) in 700sq feet and one bathroom We hope to one day afford about 1200sq and a bath and a half, that would be the dream!

 

[qubitasaurus]

Is it important to you that it can be resold for what you paid down the track? Is it important to your husband too? How far out of the typical spectrum is the price, and how many people wish to live in a more remote community with that kind of disposable income?

I am also a bit worried that location and view are the two things you can't really change, and it doesn't seem seem to be winning on these fronts. 4 living rooms, 5 bathrooms and 6 hectares of land also sounds like a lot of cleaning. Assuming the cleaner can clean one room every 30 minutes (in my experience this is true if the rooms were cleaned recently and aren't too dirty) and comes back once every 3 days; you may end up with needing to have someone around for 7+ hours every 3 days and still be running around the house for an hour or so a day to keep it clean.

Can I suggest you look at what you currently have and ask what worked well about it? I suspect that the girls don't have ensuite bathrooms, but is that working OK and would it continue to work well as they got a little bigger? Conversely if you had to live without something you currently have, then how pained would you be by that?

 

[Calliecake]

@Ally T, I don‘t think there is such a thing as a perfect house. We had our home custom built and I was involved in every detail with the architect and picked out everything. After living in the house for a few months there was something I wish I had done differently. I angled a window in the kitchen and to this day I wish I never had. My friend built a home a few years ago and she has a few things she isn’t happy about too.

 

[Austina]

No home is perfect, there are always some compromises. When we bought our last house, it was brand new, but there were things we didn’t like about it, (plus it was way to big for us really, we didn’t need 7 en-suite bedrooms ) but we bought it anyway. You’ll get the picture when I tell you we had premier league neighbours @Ally T

Anyway, what I’m trying to say it, unless you’d be devastated if someone else snapped it up, then I think you’ve answered your question.

It’s always been the case for us that we’ve walked in, and I’ve known immediately that it was “The One”, we did that when we downsized to here, despite the fact there were things that weren’t perfect. We have made offers on properties that subsequently fell through, and something better always came along.

As you know, we’re about to relocate, and the house that’s being built is perfect for us, we’ve chosen everything we want in it, the downside is it’s a little further than we wanted to be from DS and DDIL. We looked at ready built houses, but the compromises were always bigger than an extra 10 minutes distance.

 

[Ally T]

No home is perfect, there are always some compromises. When we bought our last house, it was brand new, but there were things we didn’t like about it, (plus it was way to big for us really, we didn’t need 7 en-suite bedrooms ) but we bought it anyway. You’ll get the picture when I tell you we had premier league neighbours @Ally T

Anyway, what I’m trying to say it, unless you’d be devastated if someone else snapped it up, then I think you’ve answered your question.

It’s always been the case for us that we’ve walked in, and I’ve known immediately that it was “The One”, we did that when we downsized to here, despite the fact there were things that weren’t perfect. We have made offers on properties that subsequently fell through, and something better always came along.

As you know, we’re about to relocate, and the house that’s being built is perfect for us, we’ve chosen everything we want in it, the downside is it’s a little further than we wanted to be from DS and DDIL. We looked at ready built houses, but the compromises were always bigger than an extra 10 minutes distance.

Premier League neighbours - ooh la la! The closest neighbour that I have to that is the head coach of the local tennis club

I know exactly what you mean though. We knew as soon as we walked through the door of this place & it gave us a warm, homely hug, that it was The One. We didn't feel like that about the one we just viewed, sadly.

 

[Ally T]

Update - the house had an offer put in this morning of the asking price, so the Agent phoned to ask if I'd make a higher offer & I have declined.

It's not The One & although it was AMAZING, neither Mr T or I feel too sad about deciding not to go for it.

I have made quite a long list on the back of your feedback & suggestions, to use going forward. We have realised that we ARE prepared to compromise on the size of the gardens as long as the house is great & in the perfect location. And we DO want a handful of neighbours & not complete isolation.