Thatched roof homes

[GG.]

I love the fact Jobbo's old property had a garage bigger than the house. Very evo

[mik]

I wasn't sure if that type of drain was normal or not, but came to the same logical conclusion that you've mentioned there. Unfortunately you can't really see if it was there or not in the previous dated Map in 2009.

I just tried to do the same thing - get that bloody oil truck out of the way!

There is some difference in the thatch on the roof facing the pub on the 2009 image.

[Jobbo]

I love the fact Jobbo's old property had a garage bigger than the house. Very evo

I should probably have suggested the agent included one of these photos in the listing:

[Rich B]

What's your thoughts on the second bedroom? It looks like it's only accessed through the main bedroom. Works fine if you had it as a nursery, but not a lot else?

I expect there's no issue with building regs (because building regs didn't exist when it was built!) but it could put a lot of people off or have them classifying it as a half room or some other bollocks.

[Jobbo]

What's your thoughts on the second bedroom? It looks like it's only accessed through the main bedroom. Works fine if you had it as a nursery, but not a lot else?

I expect there's no issue with building regs (because building regs didn't exist when it was built!) but it could put a lot of people off or have them classifying it as a half room or some other bollocks.

That applies to my place as much as to Alex's. In reality you'd have to be pretty friendly with whoever occupies the bedroom which accesses the stairs to let them use it. But for a single person or couple it gives you a dressing room and an occasional spare room for someone to crash. Building regs don't come into it - an old timber-framed building like this couldn't ever comply with modern regs but it was built centuries before they were introduced so don't need to.

Of course, that is a secondary reason why you need to find the right buyer. If someone loves the property then they don't care about it as a compromise. I imagine Alex could find a 3-bed with en-suite on an estate somewhere nearby for a similar price, but like me he wouldn't have any interest in that whatsoever. - Edit: yes, here you go as an example: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/142481069 - someone looking at that wouldn't consider a cottage.
Or this: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/136609133 - astroturf! No thanks, I want my natural materials to include the roof

[Alex88]

Jobbo is spot on

But yes, the bedrooms sharing the same access through is absolutely fine. I'll use it as an office type space and my partner will use it as a dressing room. We'll have sofa bed for the rare occasion someone comes to stay.

Indeed, no interest in those other homes I'm afraid our current house is a Victorian cottage, which is lovely, but you just can't beat the character of the really old quaint cottages, IMO.

[Alex88]

Thanks for the comments, all. That was really helpful.

Our own house is going on the market today/tomorrow (I'll pop a link in when it's live) and we're going with the same estate agent that the seller is using. We've been getting on really well with the agent and the seller, so fingers crossed we can make it work!

The seller has actually accepted offers on two previous occasions, but they fell through. The first couldn't get his bank to agree his AIP due to the Truss mini budget making rates go bonkers, and the other let the process go as far as exchanging contracts before deciding they were worried about the thatched roof, so pulled out.

[Rich B]

Those new builds are particularly awful!

It's a pretty house - I can see the appeal 100%. Good luck with the purchase!

[Alex88]

Cheers Rich! Appreciate it. It's all in motion now, so fingers crossed indeed.

[Jobbo]

the other let the process go as far as exchanging contracts before deciding they were worried about the thatched roof, so pulled out.

Having just agreed the sale on mine, it won't surprise me if this happens. But I don't care, it's lovely and I don't mind keeping it a bit longer

[Holley]

Didn't see it's close to a pub. We had some trouble helping a client buying a cottage near a pub (HSBC's surveyors rejected it even though it shows on there criteria as okay).

For example Nationwide show - Considered - If any of the commercial activities are likely to cause a nuisance by virtue of noise, smell or unsociable hours, and demand for owner occupation is seriously adversely affected, the property is likely to be declined.

Of the high street lenders (that accept thatched cottages), Natwest, Skipton, Santander, HSBC, Accord and Halifax all show can potentially lend subject to valuers comments. Could be worth the risk if you have time (costs nothing to repeat the process as they normally have free valuations), if not a specialist lender would give you an easier time but generally charge for a valuation.

[Alex88]

Indeed it is. We currently live opposite a village pub and HSBC were fine with that, and the last two people who put offers in also had a mortgage approved, but obviously I don't know who the bank was.

I hope it will be ok, and that the surveyors incorporate some common sense..

Who would you say is a specialist lender? I'm hoping to port my rate with HSBC, but I have thought about getting the ball rolling with other lenders just in case.

[Holley]

Indeed it is. We currently live opposite a village pub and HSBC were fine with that, and the last two people who put offers in also had a mortgage approved, but obviously I don't know who the bank was.

I hope it will be ok, and that the surveyors incorporate some common sense..

Who would you say is a specialist lender? I'm hoping to port my rate with HSBC, but I have thought about getting the ball rolling with other lenders just in case.

It's just down to the surveyors opinion on the day which is frustrating (we've had the same lender accept and reject similar properties in a block of flats based on different surveyors going out).

So we can speak to say HSBC/Natwest etc and they go it's a property they can consider...only for the surveyor to later reject it. Just pot luck on getting a good result on the day.

I would just go with it and see what happens as it would be the cheapest option for you initially.

Would only go down the specialist lender road (for example Swansea) if after 2 attempts with a high street lender doesn't work (and of course you still really want it).

[Alex88]

Interesting, thanks. That sounds like a truly awful system with the surveyors. If I get rejected on those grounds, you can bet I'll be challenging it!

[240PP]

It’s pink…

It does look lovely, inside and out. Hope it all works out!

[Alex88]

Cheers! Our home hits Rightmove, etc tomorrow.

Before I saw it I'd have scoffed at the idea of living in a pink house but I'm surprised at how much I like the colour

[mik]

House is fab. I’ve always liked proper old school like this, or super modern contemporary - in between never really worked for me. We’ve had various 1890-1930’s places (realising that this is rather older)

[duncs500]

Nice! It's fairly close to us; we're in Arlesey at the minute. But as WFH is more of a thing, being near a train station/A1 etc isn't as important as it once was.

Ha, we're in Ickleford, give us a wave!

[Jobbo]

How's the purchase going Alex?

My sale completed today. I no longer own the only thatched cottage in the village

[Alex88]

Without meaning to tempt fate, it's going very well! Perhaps even suspiciously so

We put our home on the market and had a ton of interest. The agent ended up doing an open house and we accepted an offer of £20k over our guide price within about two weeks of it going live which was very welcome indeed, as the agent wouldn't let us put a formal offer in on the new house until we had an offer ourselves.

Our own offer was also accepted. We're now over a month in to the conveyancing and it all seems to be moving at a good pace. I'm getting excited now..

Congrats on the sale (and new home). That was a such a beautiful house. I loved the garden and garage arrangement as well, plus how private it was. Having said that, your new place is just awesome!