What Are Your Must-Haves When Buying a House?

[Deactivated] on 25/11/2019 - 17:50
Last edited 25/11/2019 - 17:57

Hiya :)

So…I have a mate who recently bought a house . The price was right, but when his missus and him moved into the property, they realised that it was not as livable as they hoped it would be and that not everything can be fixed. They have now moved back into his parents' "garden studio" with their tails between their legs :( Luckily, they were able to find a renter for their property. So all is not lost.

Which made me wonder, how prepared were you when you first started house-hunting? Did you make a list of must-haves? Did you end up having to compromise? Are you happy with the choice you've made? If you were to look at buying another house now , what would you do differently?

Cheers,
JJB :)

P.s: Just for the fun of it - out of these 2 properties:

Property 1
Property 2

which one would you get and why?

Let's just say, they are both at the very top of your budget and would leave no room for renovations for years to come. Ceteris Paribus.

Poll Options

  • 29
    Property 1 : smaller but has a pool
  • 88
    Property 2 : Bigger but sloping block, hence all those steps and decking.
  • 53
    Property 3: Live rent-free at the parentals but have to abide to their house rules.
Home & Garden

Comments

                          • thebadmachine on 30/11/2019 - 14:37

                            @[Deactivated]:

                            wordy, rather than poetic.

                            Or possibly ‘cold’ in other words, I am fine with cold (the film itself is quite cold actually).

                            I'm surprised you like it so much.

                            Yes I was surprised too. I thought it was closer to ‘very good’ than ‘good’.
                            The worst I could say about it is, it was ’forgettable’, as in I had trouble recalling it in its entirety when trying to process it.

                            The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

                            Yes I watched it once, it was good but after hearing from others it was their ‘favourite movie’ I think my expectations may have been too high.

                            One up-coming Sci-Fi I am hyped about (watched the trailer once on YouTube) is the one about space exploration / Nuclear extinction.
                            Basically in the future, some astronauts are on a scouting vessel near earth, when all out nuclear war breaks out and everyone on earth is obliterated.
                            And then the astronauts have to deal with the fact they are all alone, and have limited time to live and reconcile their realities.
                            I’m sure you’ve seen the trailer, the title is out of my grasp.
                            It may end up being big-budget Hollywood drivel, but that is my kind of story.

                            Oh and Ad Astra (possibly more likely to be decent).

                            • [Deactivated] on 30/11/2019 - 18:57

                              @thebadmachine: Wordy, shopping-list style…

                              You can imagine all the things that need to be done to dismantle your life and prepare everything for when you're gone. Starting with the simplest. Telling your employees, suppliers and customers that someone else will be taking your place from now on. But not to worry. That everything will continue exactly like it has until now.Giving instructions on how to finish projects.Selling your shares.Leaving your business in good hands.Deciding what to do with your most personal projects. With your dreams. Telling the people you love.Deciding who not to tell. Managing all the concern you will awaken.Telling your mother. Explaining to her that she is going to outlive you.Writing your will.Selling your properties. Emptying the house of your personal belongings. Looking at them for the last time.

                              And yes, the movie is cold too.

                              I am fine with cold

                              Could this be why you didn't like Eternal Sunshine.. as much as your friends? It is a bona fide love story : heavy with emotions and nostalgia.As anyone who has truly loved and lost knows, it is better to have never loved than to have loved and lost. The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind is where it's at:)

                              Re: Ad Astra,

                              Good movie and beautifully shot but boy, it's a slow burn. Special mention to Brad Pitt's face (you'll understand when you watch the movie).

                              • thebadmachine on 30/11/2019 - 19:09

                                @[Deactivated]:

                                Wordy, shopping-list style… movie quote

                                I liked that part. It is list like but necessary, almost like everything had its place, and the lack of simplification or excessiveness (in Mateo’s credit).
                                You may be right though it may very much appeal to the obsessive part of my personality.

                                it’s a slow burn.

                                As long as it works then thumbs up. Patiently waiting for its release on stream.
                                I am extremely tolerant and quite careful with my choices so rarely do I find myself turning a film off.
                                (there is one film: Dogville, I am doing my best to get back to it but.. )
                                If we are talking about slow burn then give Terrence Malik some credit, slow burn with a loss of directionality & vague to interpretation (I have read some terrible reviews on his films that made me laugh e.g. “pretentious garbage” haha).
                                I think Malik’s “The New World” and his writing in “The Thin Red Line” are up there at the top.

                                Anyway getting off-topic here, always try to keep our discussions on “Sci-Fi”. Frankly the film world is too big to discuss altogether, especially by typing.

                                PS

                                to have never loved

                                From my part this statement rings true, or maybe I am just too realistic.
                                (Love will always be a foreign concept for human beings)

  • Euphemistic on 25/11/2019 - 22:15
    +1

    Have bought 3 houses. The constants for criteria are budget and location. Other things changed with needs (family) and are negotiable.

    I don’t think either of the examples would suit me.

    My needs/wants are probably different to others. Current house has most of what I want. Ie no of Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen is good, workshop space, views, yard etc Would be nice to be on a big bush block, but that would have put the location too far away or cost 3 times what we paid.

  • shaybisc on 26/11/2019 - 08:46
    +4

    North facing living areas.

  • Archi on 26/11/2019 - 09:01
    +5

    north facing yard. nothing worse than a damp musty yard that gets little to no sunlight.

  • Zachary on 26/11/2019 - 10:33

    Well obviously money to pay for the house is the first must have…no money, no house. And we don't see many house bargains here either….so that means houses are a luxury…..that most of us poor people here cannot afford…

    • HardlyCharly on 26/11/2019 - 14:28
      -2

      Replace 'poor' with 'millenials' and you're spot on. Houses are multiple times more expensive in comparison to income now than they were for boomers. I'm in my mid-20's, I was essentially born without a hope of owning my own home.

      • Wallyt99 on 26/11/2019 - 21:08
        +3

        You are far more likely to own a a house here than in the vast majority of countries in the world. Maybe try less smashed avocado?

      • freakatronic on 27/11/2019 - 10:33
        -1

        One day you'll have to take responsibility for your own life. If something is too expensive, that's on you. Boomers made their own suburbs, and their own towns. Why do you expect that living in established suburbs or towns would be affordable? Why should someone sell you their own work at a loss?

        • Randolph Duke on 27/11/2019 - 11:48
          +2

          Wow, I didn't realise Boomers had it so tough! Not only did they have to buy a house, they had to build the roads, subdivide blocks, build infrastructure etc etc etc
          Kids these days have it so lucky!

      • VictoriousBboy on 27/11/2019 - 17:58
        +2

        I’m also a millennial in my mid 20s and will be entering the property market in 2-3 years. I don’t go out partying every weekend, don’t go out to eat with friends frequently, use public transport, live with my parents, go on overseas trips every 5 or so years and have a financial plan. I’m also in an entry level office job and a single female. If every millennial sits around whinging, not making plans and not saving obviously you’re not going to get into the housing market. Both of my siblings are in that boat because they value instant gratification and buying expensive shit they can only just afford more than home ownership. I also know males who are 25~ from similar economic backgrounds to me (ie public school, no parent handouts) that have purchased multiple properties, also in entry level or slightly beyond jobs. They bought further from CBD and didn’t expect to get some mansion straight off the bat. The world changes. Millennials are happy to accept change like improvements to human rights yet cannot seem to understand other things in the world also change. The goal posts have moved so kicking to the old goal post location is obviously going to fail my dude.

        • kiitos on 30/11/2019 - 16:26

          Well done on your plan. I'm curious, have your parents indicated how there assets will be split between you and your siblings? I ask because it seems likely my in-laws may favour one sibling-in-law who is the only one without a property.

      • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2019 - 18:38

        Move to a more affordable city rather than Melbourne or Sydney. Single 27 year old owner of a 2br apartment here that costs the same amount in interest/bills as rent did. I've only been working for 3 years.

        • Michaelclarke86 on 28/11/2019 - 08:05

          And how did you save for a deposit in 3 years? Mummy and daddy chipped in I suspect. Anyone can pay a mortgage.

          • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2019 - 16:54
            +2

            @Michaelclarke86: I paid 10% deposit (added 1% to purchase price in LMI) saved it up in a year and a half while living in a share house.

    • Cheapskate Paul on 29/11/2019 - 21:02

      Your mistake was not selecting wealthy parents.

      • Zachary on 07/12/2019 - 20:17

        Hah, if only I could choose where I would be borned…..just like playing an RPG….

  • OzHunterNSW on 26/11/2019 - 10:49

    So "your friends" lash out 800+k without even researching Structural Inspection reports, Council reports, Pest Control reports, &c.
    Even eBay provides more info than what your "friends" sought.
    If they paid via PayPal, they could get their money back.
    Who buys a 800+k property without inspecting it?

    • monkeyfood on 27/11/2019 - 13:33

      and probably overpaying

    • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2019 - 23:23

      I was looking to buy an investment propertyand my matr asked if he could tag along to the private viewing. I didn't make an offer but unbeknownst to me, he did. He got the property for a good price, considering that much of it had already been renovated by the previous owner.
      The only problem is that it was renovated to maximise sale price at the cost of liveability. For instance, the original laundry and half bath were turned into a 3rd bedroom while the washing machine and dryer were relocated into a cupboard in the hallway. It all looked nice enough and modern but not very practical.

  • onetwothreefour on 26/11/2019 - 11:21
    +5

    Quiet street, not far from public transport and having spent the past 3 years renovating my place I don't think I'd buy such a run down house again no matter how cheap it is.

    • Adz81 on 27/11/2019 - 12:16

      Garden aside, it took me the best part of 18 months to do mine (still need to get around to the doors), but I was trying to do mine as cheaply as I could, but I'd do it again, particularly if I could pick up another place for $110k.

      • onetwothreefour on 27/11/2019 - 12:29

        $110k! I'd buy a house for sure at that price if it was here in NSW. Cheap for me was $410k.

        • Adz81 on 27/11/2019 - 14:27

          One of the few joys of country living… It's cheap(ish), even factoring in career prospects, paying a house off at $110/week isn't terrible. You can get something that needs a lot less work than mine (same floor plan) for $160(ish)k.

          • onetwothreefour on 27/11/2019 - 14:57

            @Adz81: How far away from Adelaide is that? I'm 90km north of Sydney and still the prices here are expensive.

  • HardlyCharly on 26/11/2019 - 14:31
    -1

    I really don't understand how they could not have noticed things which are apparently so bad to live with to them that they would prefer to move back. All my must haves apart from at least a double garage, large area of land and being away from a main road centre on how easy it will be to renovate. I don't mean renovate as in fix up, I mean renovate as in actually bringing in some taste, style and personality to the disgusting basic blandness of the average house. The idea of the ever present big white floor tiles literally can make me gag.

  • capslock janitor on 26/11/2019 - 15:03

    First home buyers?

  • randombrick on 26/11/2019 - 15:25

    Neither. The master BR right at the front is a neg for me. Pool is a no-no too - pain to maintain and I can't swim.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2019 - 07:51
      +1

      With 2 almost-teenagers in the house, a master bedroom at the front was a must-have for us.

      • azngamer on 27/11/2019 - 12:00

        I don't have kids yet, so I am curious why you would want a master BR at the front. Just bought a 3 bedroom house with the master BR at the back. Personally, I have no preference. I assume people want it at the back for privacy from guest?

        • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2019 - 12:12
          +1

          Try to sneak out of the house after dark? * More a reflection on the kind of teenager I was than what my kids are like.

  • abuch47 on 26/11/2019 - 15:31
    +2

    both are too small properties, back on the teat I go.

  • 91rs on 26/11/2019 - 16:28
    +1

    A house and it has out door garden space or a pool? Talk about just for fun, I can't even afford that shit in my dreams.
    1) looks like its on a corner, not a fan of traffic noise on two sides.
    1) Main BR is on first floor right at the front which I don't like, upstairs is a larger BR but no ENS.
    1) Dont care for the pool, doesnt look that big (no measurements) pain to deal with.

    2) Same deal with Main BR on first floor right at front door.
    2) Kitchen area looks cramped.
    2) Does have more sqm but a lot used for the deck all around the place.
    2) bigger garage

    If I have to pick one for the argument of the post then #1, but the chances of that becoming any sort of reality are a joke.
    The only thing I really want where I do live / rent is good AC.

    Edited as who knew the # made things all shouty!

  • [Deactivated] on 26/11/2019 - 16:38
    +1

    Floor plan critique

    Property 1

    • Ensuite doesn't have a window (imo all bathrooms should have natural ventilation)
    • Not the ideal orientation for the bedrooms
    • Main bedroom located downstairs would not be ideal for parents with young children
    • Pool would be a plus if it were in Syd however I do concur with earlier comments re: maintenance

    Property 2

    • Appears to be a second floor extension?
    • The 2nd bedroom position downstairs looks a tad squished & there are no bathroom facilities on the ground level other than the main bedroom ensuite
    • Different floor levels inside & sloping block
    • No window in the WC upstairs
    • No BIW in the bedroom upstairs

    Did your friend purchase either Property 1 or 2?

    We definitely had a must-have list when we were house hunting and compromises had to be made as we realised we wouldn't be able to find everything we wanted in the location we wanted eg. size of back-yard/garage/west-facing bedrooms/ensuite.

    • [Deactivated] on 26/11/2019 - 22:02

      No.These were houses I looked at when we were house-hunting.

      My mate bought the house with the euro laundry and dark hallway.

      Why West-facing bedroom? They are horrible in Melbourne summers.

      • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2019 - 08:55

        West-facing bedroom windows was on our no-way list but we had to compromise and now have one 🙁 Ducted a/c helps but it still irks!

        So, did you buy Property 1/2?

  • Salty Pretzel on 26/11/2019 - 16:45
    +3

    One of my must haves was FTTP Nbn. It boggles my mind people don't consider this when buying a home,then complain about their crappy internet and the Nbn.

  • PopCounty on 26/11/2019 - 19:08

    Wish some other OzB members read this and get those two properties. Then You would have clear answer. The one u miss most was most suitable for u. Cheers.

  • netjock on 26/11/2019 - 19:44
    +2

    Must not bankrupt you :)

  • Freaksta on 26/11/2019 - 19:54
    +2

    Out of those two option 2.

    Still looking for a house but here are my criteria:
    North or North West back yard.
    Open plan kitchen / living onto back yard
    Minimum single garage
    Always at least a toilet on each floor
    Pref ensuite for main bathroom
    3beds
    Need grass in the back yard, No pool, pref flat
    Away from busy road
    Close enough to walk to the train
    +-30 to 40min to the city

    Pretty easy to find but not easy to find in my budget lol

    Will likely have to compromise on some of these things but one aspect I won't is the orientation of the house. Hunting to restart after the December break.

  • morse on 26/11/2019 - 20:44

    Property one in this scenario. Obviously location, cost, state of repair etc would be deciders.

    I’m very happy with the house and location of the property I bought with my husband. I had an area and property size in mind and when it came up and we both liked it we bought it. We do have a pool, which I use a lot, however if you’re not going to use it, it’s not worth it.

  • Worf on 26/11/2019 - 20:44
    +1

    Location
    Price
    Quality/condition

    …pick 2

  • TEER3X on 26/11/2019 - 20:59

    The more you use your pool the more cleaning it needs. The more sun/hot weather, the more "chemicals" it needs too.

    So in Victoria, maintenance would be far less than say Queensland.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2019 - 18:41

      You still need to run the pump every day for the filter/chlorination. That's not cheap, even if you aren't as often buying chemicals. Cleaning leaves, emptying traps, filling when it gets low.

  • Wallyt99 on 26/11/2019 - 21:10

    Sunlight. Quiet (not a busy road… Been there done that). Location Location Location.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/11/2019 - 21:26

    Send it to Crime Stoppers, leave your details. Police will get in contact with you if need be.

  • tik tok on 26/11/2019 - 22:28

    is this the same mate who stole your precious birthday cake ?

    • [Deactivated] on 26/11/2019 - 23:07
      -1

      Nope.

  • Tasmaniac on 27/11/2019 - 01:12
    -2

    If you were half as committed to finding deals as you are to bibble no one here would have to worry.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/11/2019 - 06:45

      If deals are what you're here for, stay in the deal sections.

  • HeWhoKnows on 27/11/2019 - 07:32

    As any agent will tell you

    Location
    Location
    Location

    Everything else can be fixed

  • tai gui le on 27/11/2019 - 08:43
    +3

    Really interesting question Jar Jar!

    1. Regarding the houses:

    • House 1 - Flat block, Pool (positive or negative depending on your circumstances). I like the laundry between the garage and kitchen, for dumping dirty gear before you come into house.

    • House 2 - Bigger. I like the setup of the kitchen, dining, lounge area. and alfresco. The second small bedroom downstairs would make a nice study.
      Sloping block can be an issue depending on what the drainage is like at the back.
      If you come to rebuild, it can be more expensive, and drainage can be a problem sometimes.

    2. One of the things I think that can make a big difference is storage space.

    What stuff do you have and where will you put it. Places for spare chairs for parties, folding tables, camping equipment. Suitcases. The kind of bulky stuff you need every once in a while.

    I see a lot of houses around where people park on the street because their double garages are crammed full of stuff.

    3. What everyone else has said about location is a given.

    Location both in terms of the suburb. As well as considerations within the suburbs, and even the street itself. eg Views if they're important, transport, walking distance to primary school. Getting in and out of driveway. High side vs low side of street (not snob value, but drainage can be a nightmare on the low side sometimes)

    4. Personal Circumstances

    If everything else is equal, and we're really just talking about the house, then I think it's up to your personal circumstances. And a lot of that depends on the stage of life you're at. eg Do you have kids? How old? Are you anticipating moving elsewhere at some stage? Would you be looking at renovating? Is your plan to rebuild one day?

    My sister has a pool and has primary aged kids. She lives close to her primary school. There's a neighbour's jacaranda tree right next to her pool that makes a mess of it. It's a lot of work. But totally worth if with the kids at their age. They use it almost every day through summer. Often several times a day. They have lots of friends drop in. Lots of kids get to hang out at their place. My sister gets to know the other parents and families. They entertain a lot in the garden. They love it that way. Some people probably couldn't imagine anything worse.

    5.From what I've seen of my friends…

    I think the ones who ended up doing best were the ones who bought an older place with a larger piece of land, in an area that they would one day want to live / raise a family. It's hard to see that far ahead. Some of them were persuaded by parents to make that decision, rather then buy the tiny inner city terrace or apartment. The inner city places did go up in value a lot, but they had to be sold when young kids came along. Then often there was another sale and purchase when the kids became teenagers. And finally 20 years later these people ended up with a larger more suburban block, closer to schools.

    I guess if the finances work out, you could do it either way. It just seems the ones who were able to buy the land they would eventually end up in saved a lot of time, money and effort. Some of them rebuilt. Some of them renovated. Most of them rented the place out initially because they wanted a different lifestyle when they were younger, or they wanted to save money, and so lived with family.

    6.I actually think your friend should be congratulated. He shouldn't feel too bad about himself.

    Sure, he should have done his homework better and been a bit more realistic after watching those home Reno shows. And he's a little embarrassed. But in the end, he's bought a place in a decent location, and got it rented. He's spent his money on an appreciating asset, rather than a big holiday or an expensive car. I've also seen people who could have afforded the mortgage on a house, but never got round to it, or never quite worked out where they wanted to be (suburb, state, country!) and regret it now. As long as your friend's finances are ok, he's made a start, and he's learning some really valuable lessons early in life. I hope things work out well for him.

    • ndftz on 28/11/2019 - 14:25

      Bravo to #6.

    • Killerbala on 28/11/2019 - 14:48

      He's spent his money on an appreciating asset

      Not really- time will tell.

  • payless69 on 27/11/2019 - 10:27

    put a disclaimer on housewarming party invites: We already have too many door mats, donate via paypal instead…

  • alienurbanite on 27/11/2019 - 10:38

    Flush toilets. I’m sick of using a bucket…

  • this is us on 27/11/2019 - 11:46
    +1

    Definitely no pool, but I don't like steep either.
    What is more important for me is location (max 30 min from/to work, 10 min walking distance to restaurants and coffee shops, a dog-friendly park nearby) and feeling comfortable at home, which for me means open plan living and natural light coming from huge windows (or glass walls), nice kitchen and bathrooms. I like modern rather than rococo style.

    Also, I hate the fact that many owners make dumb decisions like using delicate wood floor that scratch when you look at them… A floor is supposed to be stepped on and has to be functional. If you have to be that careful when stepping on the floor, that probably shouldn't be the floor. For me, decisions like that are worse than steep or pool combined. People have different tastes and styles, but architecture should prioritise comfort and functionality; unfortunately, that is not the case most of the time.

  • daleyboy79 on 27/11/2019 - 11:51
    +2

    My top 5 must haves:
    1) Quietish street and ample of parking
    2) Plenty of light in Garden (and a decent size, personally wouldnt consider blocks less 600m2 … also throw in not being able touch your neighbours house)
    3) Good water pressure (for decent showers)
    4) Approx 10mins walk from a train station (or close good bus services if no trains in area)
    5) Good internet (bought my house 6yrs ago and it just had FTTP NBN installed … hence i love the NBN)

    i could go on, but there the top 5

  • Seraphin7 on 27/11/2019 - 11:56

    You've got to wonder seriously about someone who buys a house and then determines not just that it is "not as livable as they hoped it would be and that not everything can be fixed", but that it is effectively unlivable in that they've moved out presumably in fairly short order after buying it. I'm not sure how anyone could be quite so reckless in their purchasing.

    So far as your two options are concerned, they look like effectively equivalents other than the pool. Therefore it would come down to primarily whether or not you want the pool and then personal choice regarding the specific layout and other factors not observable from just the floorplan.

  • Spootage on 27/11/2019 - 13:50
    +2

    Whichever house does NOT have a pool. I would never buy a house with a pool ever again.

  • Jackkkkkk on 27/11/2019 - 15:26

    Fast internet/4g

  • coolbzk on 27/11/2019 - 16:43

    gas cooking!

  • miicah on 27/11/2019 - 16:53

    What was wrong with the house that they had to move? Sounds extreme.

  • ShanB on 27/11/2019 - 18:15

    I like the 2nd house and I prefer a property with less maintenance. Not a fan of spending hours hedging and mowing.

  • tekisei on 27/11/2019 - 21:15
    +1

    A. Absolutely do not get a pool. Can cost you up to $2000 to maintain a year, not including repairs! Rear entertaining faces North/East which is ok. Is this a corner plot?

    B. Somewhat sloping blocks are better than flat blocks because the latter have poor drainage. I'd look elsewhere if the slope is more than 30 degrees though. Looks like you are on the low side of the street which is not as good. Rear entertaining faces South/West which is worse.

    all weatherboard

    I don't like weatherboard. I originally picked 2 but I'll go for 1 now.

    My criteria:
    1. Location - transport/streetscape/distance
    2. Good Bones - In a house there are some things you just don't want to fix - roof, joists, foundations, ornate plaster ceilings, floor supports, waterproofing.
    3. Price

    • stewy on 28/11/2019 - 00:11
      +1

      Probably costs me around $1000-1500k/year for electricity and chemicals for the pool here, but the wet season causes me to need to pump out a lot of water (which in turn means a lot of chemicals to top the pool back up).

      For repairs, I'd suspect somewhere in the vicinity of $1000/year on average for pool cleaning equipment, chlorinator, pump and filter repairs/replacement costs.

  • ro0sta on 28/11/2019 - 01:58

    My MUST HAVE is a cold hard $300K cash so I can actually afford a live-able "house" on land within 25km of Melbourne. Fking joke real estate. Nothing of fairt size is affordable.

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