Owning your own home

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All positive by the sounds of it.

Highly likely they weren’t withholding papers to hide anything, just that they’re not very efficient. Hanlons razor innit.

The deeds of my flat in HK is about 2 inches thick including everything about the flat.

This used to be the case here until it all got digital around the late 80s I think. In theory everything you now need is available to download from the Land Registry. Some people kept the big package of ye olde wax sealed calligraphy paperwork and it’s kinda fun to receive it, but most of the time in was binned.

provided a 'certificate'

"This is to certify that we dumped everything in the middle of the road on Pilgrims Way".

It's issued by the 'dump' not the removal company.

Asbestos used to get 'stored' on a friend's farm (covered in gravel) before they'd do a runner, so it's an important step!

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Has anyone bought an extremely ugly house in a nice area?

Can you learn to love one in time?

There's a house in an area we like, within our budget, with some really nice features, but it's really ugly (also needs a fair bit of work).

Grow some wisteria up it and it will all be fine? Or hold out for something that actually stirs the loins?

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Yep! You spend most of your time inside it anyway, and you can make it home. Plus all of our ideas of ugly / beauty change over time - that house isn’t intrinsically ugly, and in X years’ time it will be considered quaint or cool or desirable*

*see mid-century / 1970s / the third coming of flared jeans

Nice enclosed flowery front garden instead of concrete with bushes for privacy, make the ground floor window full height doors, put the 1st floor window back to the original width (weird btw) and it’ll be great. As long as the space more or less works as is, there is enough light inside for you and you like the immediate and not-so-immediate area it will work out. We live in a classically ugly ex-council house but its pleasant to be in, and an OTT front garden makes up for it IME.

Get some pebbledash on that!

Depends how much it is really. I assume it's not a cheap house given where you are looking? Personally I couldn't do it because from an architectural standpoint it's not a looker, but I'm a raging snob.

The first floor window baffled me - but they've carved up what was formerly a full-width bedroom to allow for a first floor bathroom, and put the stud wall where the window used to be.

The views and light from the back of the house are incredible (south-west facing over allotments, a canal, a floodplain and distant hills), and the (also very ugly, from the outside) renovations make full use of this.

It's hard to think that our big once-in-a-lifetime move out of London could end up with us living in what looks like a council house in my northern hometown, but the location isn't quite the same I suppose.

I guess it could be worse.

It's cheap enough that we could still afford to get the loft done, have it redecorated and get the garden landscaped - which for the area, is unusual.

We've got our sights set on a desirable area of an unaffordable town, so beggars can't be choosers I suppose.

It's cheap enough that we could still afford to get the loft done, have it redecorated and get the garden landscaped - which for the area, is unusual.

internet opinion but that'd be pretty convincing to me

Looks just fine

I mean that really is what it boils down to. It does look like ex LA housing. I think the fact you've raised it as a point of contention might mean it would play on your mind? Who knows. House buying and selling is bloody stressful so don't make any rush or knee jerk decisions. If you don't go for this one something else will likely come up for sale that you could make a good fist of.

Our house is hideous and makes me sad every time I look at it, but it’s in the right place and if it were any better it would have been financially beyond us. So in that regard ugly is a plus! Worst house in a good place is better than a good house in a bad place and all that.

Everything is redeemable with time and money, and having somewhere to live is quite handy. Getting angry at all the irrational choices of previous owners is a fun game to pass the time too, helps break up the crushing misery of it all.

I quite like that. Red brick generally looks pretty nice I'd say.

I'm sorry to hear that, but it's definitely comforting!

One issue here is that some fucking idiot paid £800k for a 900sq ft semi with a downstairs bathroom last year, and since then all the houses are overpriced and (but not really selling fast). I think it's putting people off selling their houses because they're waiting for things to start going for silly money again (which we hope they won't).

We might start putting notes through doors if we don't plump for the ugly duckling house in the end.

Is that the front of the house? It’s gopping

But if you are in it you don’t have to look at it I guess

I don't like houses with side-facing front doors. But perhaps you could add a simple porch between you and the neighbours so the front door faces forward and you'd have a more secure back garden. Otherwise, apart from the reduced width window it's ok. Planted front garden would do a lot.

“Northern”?? Unless my googling is terrible we have different definitions of the North!

It looks like it’s in a fantastic spot, I see what you mean re the back - not beautiful but assuming that’s the main bedroom imagine waking up in the summer and opening the door up to that view.

I have no idea what places cost there, but wisteria (or a rose on a trellis so as not to fuck the pointing), a flower garden and hedges for privacy as suggested by @RodSaetan and a complementary herringbone brick footpath. It’ll be great.

Looks just fine

This.

We live in a post war red brick semi. In fairness other than the quirky 60s places near us there is nothing else we'd have been able to afford that fit our criteria. I don't love it, but I've realised that having a big garden, off street parking, out building/shed etc. are what impact my life. The bit you really see is the path and door. Since we've done those it feels much more inviting and nice to walk up to. We've also grown a now decent star jasmine up ¼ of the front.

However, if you're asking on here for opinions then I feel you may already have your answer - sort of like choosing to ask your amoral mate whether you should keep sleeping with the hot girl with a boyfriend. Deep down you've made your choice.

Also fancy lindab etc metal gutters, steel or copper if you’re flash
https://ibb.co/MnfZRrD
https://ibb.co/Z6tLnQL
https://ibb.co/FbQLjZJ
https://ibb.co/k9Tqt5w

Edit: I’m too thick to make photos work

It’s looks perfectly ok, postwar housing, probably riddled with asbestos. But if it’s in the right place and you’ll be there for a long time then it’s worth the time and effort customising to make it nice.

Ive seen worse 1960s cheap concrete council houses and flats being sold on TMH. It’s all about presentation.