My house is a little mid terrace number, nothing fancy but it’s mine. Today three estate agents have viewed the house, I’m doing a comparison as that’s what they do on the telly. Now is not the best time to sell, as I posted before work isn’t very secure, but we’ve been working towards this idea of a move for over a year. When is the right time? Primarily, we are moving because of schools, which is very boring. A rise in the birth rate means we are very likely to be allocated the local one. It’s not my choice. Also, I have a yard and would like a garden and I brought this house 10 years ago, pre-Mr Noo, we would like something else, something together.
An elderly man lived here before me, he’d had the house since the 40’s, he was obviously very happy with it as he’d not changed a thing, it had the original electrics and a card in the meter dated 1942 which said ‘do not remove’. Along came me, big chunk of equity from selling a flat in Fancy London and too many evenings in front of DIY SOS and Property Ladder. I had plans. I thought ‘doing up’ a house would take a couple of weeks and involve cheery builders in matching fleeces. I drew up a list; re-plastering, new boiler, heating, kitchen, bathroom, floors, electrics, some internal walls a ceiling or two down. Oh and decoration through out – that should do it, so easy – on the telly!
A lot of weeping and a couple of years and the finished product. This house very much has my stamp on it, it has four double electric sockets in every room because I’d lived in lots of rented houses with one plug socket per floor and developed a paranoia of excessive extension cables. I’ve chosen all the colours with no deference to anyone else’s taste (would anyone else live with red walls?). I don’t know if I thought this house was my forever house, I tend to live without a plan and in the moment, even now we are not sure what our next ‘move’ will be, just that we will move. I am certainly very fond of this house.
best radiator in the house in bedroom & love dirty purple walls too
makes the living room warm and cosy, I heart the tiles
dining room fire place, wall colour is suppose to stimulate conversation
replacement frosted panels for a bit of extra light
brass things on the stair carpet (original feature)
kitchen & dining originally looked like this
now looks like this, light and airy, lovely oak floor too *sad face*
This isn’t a look round but it’s some of the best bits, the things I like, will miss and can’t take with me. Three estate agents 15K between the values – what’s that all about?
And remember *tries to sound like Granny Murray* every closing is a new opening… Just think how much fun you’ll have doing up the next place.
Granny Murray is cliche guru isn’t she – I will – thank you X
Love it! What an absolutely adorable place! I wish we had places with so much charm like that in the states. Wonder if I can talk to husband into moving to UK and doing his doctoring there so I can buy your place? 😉
houses in the US are much bigger, I think you would find this a rabbit hutch by comparison – but am sure I can find you a suitable something with lots of original features – but could he cope with the NHS – it has lots of original and historic features!
It’s lovely Gemma….I love what you’ve done with it and it’s great to put your stamp on it xx
thanks Heather! XXXX
JEALOUS! We love our house too, but it’s certainly not our “forever home”. It’s not ours for a start, paupering (is that even a word?) renters that we are. I can’t wait until we’ve saved up the ridiculous 25% deposit one needs to get a mortgage nowadays and can buy our own home. And then, like you, I will have a red wall. x
mad isn’t it – am so glad I am not at the beginning now. Good luck – you will get there XX
Ohh I love it, one of my best friends lives in a very similar house and has done her dining room/ kitchen in the same way. Character houses are gorgeous.
Thanks for letting us peek at the best bits.
So email me the address and I will be over for that cuppa!
Mich x
skip the cupa lets go straight for wine ! X
Gorgeous house, its a shame you have to move because of schools. I thought that only happened in London.
the city I live in has a very over heated housing market – based entirely on school preferences, it happens everywhere – RUBBISH!
lovely lovely lovely – I especially heart that radiator and your skylights in the kitchen. I spent three years painstakingly doing up and restoring a house with my ex. When we finally finished in all our new spare time we realised we loathed eath other, split up and had to sell. I wept over my slate floors, reclaimation find tiles and hand stripped wooden doors, bannisters and skirting boards more than him..ha! Ah well you live and learn and how brilliant to have a new place to feather with Mr Noo… and a garden – loads of flower opportunities 😉
that’s an incredible tale, what a nightmare – all that work! I hope you have somewhere equally good now X
It looks lovely, and I adore the original features, how nice are those tiles and the little brass carpet things? Good luck with your plans, and rest safe in the knowledge that if you do move, the next place will look just as nice! Emma 🙂
thanks Emma – am trying to be positive, all very strange at present!
Oh, I love the radiators too. They remind me of my parents old house. It was freezing and we used to sit with out backs burning against the radiators to keep warm. *drifts off down memory lane* Good luck with it all. Selling, buying, moving… making a new home.
BM
x
they are the best radiators, they stay warm for hours after the heating goes off – I do love it, it took two people to get them up the stairs!
ooh I do love a good nosy. Fancy coming and sorting out my place? Half our plug sockets are broken, the doorbell doesn’t work, we need to repaint the hall, ok it’s not sounding that inviting is it? Good luck with selling!
xxx
our doorbell doesn’t work either, I use that to my advantage – ignoring people I’m not interested in seeing!
I don’t fancy doing it again, but happy to browse design mags with you!
lovely house, you’ve done an amazing job and I love the detail (esp the ‘brass things’). We live in a 1980s town house which has very little in the way of features! I so miss fireplaces…
I do love fireplaces, especially in winter. 80’s are super practical, I am battling damp in this house – I bet your not!
Your house is beautiful. I love the stove, and the tiles, and the fire and the radiator.
Good luck with finding somewhere just as lovely.
thanks Ellen. It’s only little, these are just the best bits
Beautiful character house that has many wonderful outstanding features! *she says in the breezy hopeful voice of a young estate agent*
I like the red walls! It wouldn’t work in a house of mine because I need calming, not stimulating, but I think it looks dramatic and sensual. Love the fireplaces and tiling too. Can see why you’d be sad to leave but how exciting would a completely new project be? Especially with a garden to play with!!! xXx
love a garden, I couldn’t do another project not with a child and blog to maintain!
Best of luck!
We are selling our house at the moment too and we also had 15k in price difference. Our house belonged to my husband’s grandparents and was left to him and his brother when they died. We’ve lived here for 2 years and I love that our son’s first home was here. Somewhere that his dad has so many happy memories. It is with sadness that it will soon be someone elses, but we are looking forward to our next adventure. I hope yours will be brilliant too. x
good luck and best wishes – it’s very strange house values and the attachment you develop to houses, I’ve been looking at houses today on the internet, my reactions are very immediate – like or not like – hope you are finding what you want
your home looks rather nice, I will be round at seven with wine
I shall be in and waiting. Cheap wine only please x
It looks lovely, I could definitely converse near that red wall.
Read what Freakonomics have to say about estate agents getting you your full price.
Hope everything goes smoothly.
Lovely house. x