Dec 03, 2006 19:30
We are first home buyers (hopefully) and I would love some advice from anyone who has some more experience!
Some background: we currently renting a 2 bedroom semi. It was built in the 60s - cheaply, I think - and has a lot of problems with bad wiring and plumbing, which drives us crazy. Our daughters are 3 and 1, and we would like to move into a larger home. We looked at a lot of rentals, and frankly, they are all crap. So we are looking at buying.
We've been looking for a few weeks, and have found two houses that we love. But they are completely different, and I would love some opinions on which might be the better buy!
House 1 is a 2 year old duplex (so it has a common wall). It has 3 bedrooms and a bit of a study alcove area. It's two storey, all of the bedrooms are upstairs. Awesome kitchen. Little courtyard, but directly opposite a huge park. Two living areas, double garage. The front is not fenced. Everything is sparkling and the floor plan is really nice. Land is about 330sqm and it has its own title.
House 2 is a weatherboard house (50s? 60s?) on its own block of about 680sqm. It has 4 bedrooms and a little study. Huge yard front and back, all fenced in. Renovated (but older) kitchen and bathrooms. Polished boards. 2 living areas. Double rear access garage with separate loft for hiding bodies. Floor plan is surprisingly open for an older place.
Both of the houses are near enough to where we live at the moment, have equally easy access to my work and offer similar shopping and other neighbourhood facilities. The major difference in location is the reputation of the second suburb, and that it is beachside of the highway (for anyone familiar with Melbourne's south).
They are both going to auction and expected to fetch around the same price (+/- $20K).
Help plz.
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In other news, I will open my new blog in a minute. Trying to wind work up for a break over Christmas, so hopefully that will mean I have two seconds to spare!