I am trying to help my friend find a house, and was wondering, with only 50% of her original house sale to put towards something new, she has the option of mainly ex-council, some bordering not very good estates, with local reputations. Should she buy a smart well maintained ex council house, or a slightly more run down, but characterful semi..... she is deciding in the next 24 hours, and I need some good advice to give her. Over to you folks.

ex council link
http://www.findaproperty.com/agent.aspx?agentid=0670&opt=prop&pid=669159

semi with character
http://www.findaproperty.com/agent.aspx?agentid=1174&opt=prop&pid=022452

Thanx Folks!

OK. Can't make the decision for you/her, but here's a few things to bear in mind...

Location, location, location. I don't know the area, but if one of these is in a better area, this will make living there nicer and selling it in future easier. There's a reason the show has this name!

Bear in mind she is buying a HOME not an Investment. Which one would she prefer to LIVE in?

If she is still struggling, then try this trick... (you can't use it too often mind!). Ask her to let you toss a coin to decide and abide by the decision. Make the toss, give it a second, then ask how she honestly feels about the result. The feeling of elation / disappointment can be very telling in discovering true feelings you were finding it hard to pin-point (in my experience!) so this can THEN help make your mind up.

On Little Britain, Tom Baker once said: "Council estates are where the thick & the poor live." My parents and I fall into the "poor" category whereas most of my neighbours fall into the "thick" category!

I think, as one forummer has done, buy ex-council in a rural area, or somewhere that isn't on an estate. Make sure that the next door neighbours don't use their gardens to dump old Ford Sierras, or any old tat for that matter: this may affect future saleability.

The semi looks very nice, I wouldn't say its run down at all. Seems like the better buy out of the other 2. Am I right that Leatherhead isn't as desirable as Epsom?

I don't know either area very well, but based on style alone I'd prefer the Leatherhead house. It has way more character.

I wouldn't buy on a council estate, I lived on one as a child and while it was nice when we moved in, a few years afterward some of the neighbours changed and it got quite bad. Then we moved and the people who were put in after us were really dreadful, and caused an awful lot of problems. Anyone who could afford to get out, got out and the whole estate just keeps getting worse.

While you can't control your neighbours anywhere the odds of living near someone unbearable are worse on a council estate. And even if everyone is really great now, you can't predict who will be put in next time someone moves out. It would be worth checking out how many of the houses are privately owned and how many are still in the hands of the council. And remember to check the street at the back of the house as well.

However according to Phil & Kirstie's top places in Britain to live Epsom and Ewell were number 1.

Thanks for the input, well appreciated!
Yes, Epsom is more sought after I think than Leatherhead, but this ex-council is on the edge of Longmead Estate....
Whilst it appears to be hunky dory in the day time goodness knows what happens at weekends and friday nights.
It is a sobering thought that 250 grand buys you a first timers property around here.....
She is going back to see character semi tonight, and will offer on it. (I hope!)

quote:

Whilst it appears to be hunky dory in the day time goodness knows what happens at weekends and friday nights.

Then for goodness sakes, before commiting any money to either property, go see what it is like at those less palatable times. How safe do you feel after dark falls? pub throwing out time? coming home from work?... you need to visit the area several times to get a feel of what it may be like to live in.

Ary.

The traditional semi, hands down for me, no contest.

Because money will be tight, and she can have students from the local stage school, and it needs less work to maintain, she chose the ex-council. Offer accepted. Thanks for all your advice...