MARIE: We’ve just been to inspect a possible new home for the second time (on a lightening quick trip, so don’t nobody get upset that we didn’t pop round). On the surface of it, this house may not look terribly exciting – a 1960s bungalow surrounded by older and more characterful homes, with two good-sized reception rooms but some rather small bedrooms, a bathroom about which the less said the better, and a very 70s sauna-cum-double shower arrangement in the basement.
But it answers (almost) all our very specific and unusual requirements. We are trying to be future proof here, that is trying to find a home that suits us now, and that will continue to suit us if/when Jon gets worse – and a home in which it is possible to have a pleasant life even if quite house-bound. That rules out the vast majority of houses, and when you then add my mad idea that I must have an oversized garden in which to grow raspberries and eggs, the selection really narrows down.
These are our requirements:
- Preferably a bungalow as stairs may soon become difficult for Jon (and if not a bungalow, then a house with a bedroom and full bathroom on the ground floor).
- Ideally as much as five bedrooms as Jon and I can no longer share due to his REM sleep disorder, and we each would like a smaller bedroom to use as a study as he now only works at home and I will increasingly have to do the same. Plus we would like a guest room as we will be living quite far from family.
- A large kitchen where Jon will not get “stuck” in the corners, and which can be adapted for drawers instead of cupboards (as bending down is getting difficult).
- A bathroom with a large shower cubicle big enough for Jon plus stool or Jon plus helper. Importantly, there must be no high edge to get into the cubicle. Also, ideally room to fit a urinal as Jon’s aim is deteriorating.
- A heating system that requires minimum input (many properties we have seen have had pellet burners which are economical and verging on sustainable, but which require regular topping up from heavy bags of wood pellets).
- Location not too far from the nearest neighbour to avoid isolation – e.g. if I am away and Jon needs urgent help. Ideally also with some kind of shop in walking or triking distance.
- A good condition that does not require much in the way of DIY which is now mostly beyond Jon and which was never in my reach in the first place. This means we are wary of older properties.
- Because of our limited future income from benefits, ideally something we can afford to buy without a mortgage and that does not cost a fortune to insure, heat or pay tax on.
- And then we want a very large garden, good outbuildings, easy access to the capital which holds most of our local social life and the national PD centre of excellence, and no road noise.
This somewhat uninspiring 60s bungalow seems to tick all these many boxes, plus has fantastic views of the sea and nearby islands (as you can see). We liked it when we first saw it under a blanket of snow, and now that we have seen it with the garden and surroundings revealed, we like it very much. There is still a structural report to be obtained, estimates on a new bathroom to be collected, the price to be negotiated, and the small matter of selling our current house. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this is where we end up.
But it answers (almost) all our very specific and unusual requirements. We are trying to be future proof here, that is trying to find a home that suits us now, and that will continue to suit us if/when Jon gets worse – and a home in which it is possible to have a pleasant life even if quite house-bound. That rules out the vast majority of houses, and when you then add my mad idea that I must have an oversized garden in which to grow raspberries and eggs, the selection really narrows down.
These are our requirements:
- Preferably a bungalow as stairs may soon become difficult for Jon (and if not a bungalow, then a house with a bedroom and full bathroom on the ground floor).
- Ideally as much as five bedrooms as Jon and I can no longer share due to his REM sleep disorder, and we each would like a smaller bedroom to use as a study as he now only works at home and I will increasingly have to do the same. Plus we would like a guest room as we will be living quite far from family.
- A large kitchen where Jon will not get “stuck” in the corners, and which can be adapted for drawers instead of cupboards (as bending down is getting difficult).
- A bathroom with a large shower cubicle big enough for Jon plus stool or Jon plus helper. Importantly, there must be no high edge to get into the cubicle. Also, ideally room to fit a urinal as Jon’s aim is deteriorating.
- A heating system that requires minimum input (many properties we have seen have had pellet burners which are economical and verging on sustainable, but which require regular topping up from heavy bags of wood pellets).
- Location not too far from the nearest neighbour to avoid isolation – e.g. if I am away and Jon needs urgent help. Ideally also with some kind of shop in walking or triking distance.
- A good condition that does not require much in the way of DIY which is now mostly beyond Jon and which was never in my reach in the first place. This means we are wary of older properties.
- Because of our limited future income from benefits, ideally something we can afford to buy without a mortgage and that does not cost a fortune to insure, heat or pay tax on.
- And then we want a very large garden, good outbuildings, easy access to the capital which holds most of our local social life and the national PD centre of excellence, and no road noise.
This somewhat uninspiring 60s bungalow seems to tick all these many boxes, plus has fantastic views of the sea and nearby islands (as you can see). We liked it when we first saw it under a blanket of snow, and now that we have seen it with the garden and surroundings revealed, we like it very much. There is still a structural report to be obtained, estimates on a new bathroom to be collected, the price to be negotiated, and the small matter of selling our current house. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this is where we end up.
3 comments:
weiiiii...this is very exciting!
Yep. Now in the lap of the Gods - I mean banks.
Marie
wow - I can't imagine taking on all of that. We did the opposite at my husbands request. We moved from a huge 232 2m bungalow home in Sundbyvester to a 94 2m apt in Islands Brygge. I just couldn't do the house and the yard and the dog and my full time job anymore. So this was a good plan for us. However now we have gotten to some extreme sleeping problems like the 2 of you and this makes me wish we had an extra bedroom.
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