Detached, terraced, Victorian, new build, character, blank canvas, we all have our idea of the ‘dream pad’.
I suspect you are similar to me in that the search criteria you enter on Rightmove isn’t always that realistic. My current wish list contains 4 + bedrooms, en suites obvs, detached, huge kitchen dining room, characterful, playroom, massive garden, and if I am feeling flush I add in a swimming pool, wet room, utility room, dog cleaning room and hell, a gravel driveway. Humph. And if I could pay like £200k that would be fab. Double humph.
I suppose looking at houses on the interwebs is no different to looking at pretty dresses in stores or new technology online, we aspire for more. Bigger, more valuable and better. It drives us forward to work harder (or rob a bank), dream bigger and also realise how torturous the property market is. Well it is in my neck of the woods. St. Albans has this little property bubble where NOTHING goes down in price, a 3 bed ex-council house in an awful condition will go for £400k! I mean, wtf! So my search criteria above for my dream pad is looking at the million mark in St. Albans. Bugger.
TV programs like Location Location Location thrive on this desire for bigger and better. This is why they are so popular. Well this and the fact we love to be nosey. Honestly, Autumn is my favourite time of year as people still have their curtains and blinds open when it starts to get dark and their lights go on. Walk down your favourite street and there you have it… it’s one of my bestest things to do. Ok, just me then.
Compromise, that word is a firm fav with Kirsty and Phil, and generally they right. Unless you have a bottomless pit of money or you have the self drive, and of course the money too, to build from the ground up there is always a compromise to be made. Whether that is location, size of bedrooms, smaller garden, it’s always going to be something. Our compromise when buying our home 7 years ago was the style of house. It’s an ex-council 70’s terraced. It’s not the prettiest house from the outside. But we don’t care (too much). Inside it is our home and that’s the point isn’t it. And that’s what I mean by interior styling for the masses. Whether you have a £5 million swish pad in Mayfair or an ex-council house in St. Albans, it really doesn’t matter as long as it is home to you, it’s yours to love.
Doesn’t stop us dreaming though hey?