Hmm.. which option would you go with?

[MantaRay]

I think it's a decision you have to make hun - but a smaller house would mean less cleaning

[Inanna]

I think I would keep looking too.... I think the proximity to town is a really really big draw card. He could walk you only need one car, If the schools are good - which usually the closer the cBD the better the schools...
I wouldn't go flight path - too much pollution both noise and aviation fuel. Not good. The power line thing... Are they high voltage? If not thern they are probably the run of mill ones that most of us are subject to.

I would go larger house smaller land. Less maintnenance and there are lots o parks. Good luck with your decision...

[Nicambhar]

Hmmm, I agree with a couple of other posters, keep looking. It kind of doesn't sound as though you are in love with either of these houses as much as you were in love with the land IYKWIM...
As for buying a house needing reno's, 3 young kiddies and reno's = HUGE HEADACHE, that's just me anyways.
Best of luck x

[Arimeh]

SW - apart from the fact that it would be out of our range that we want to spend (we could get a loan for more money, but I want to stay at home with the kids so we need a fairly low mortgage for that) its a crap house thats falling apart. Yesterday I couldn't even get the oven to work until I swore at it continuously, banged the door shut and turned it off and on a few times

Nic - yeah I know. Theres just something about that older house thats all.....

[somewoman]

Theres just something about that older house thats all.....

personally, I'd go with the older house. The extra land would be nice, but the older house seems to scream of potential.

My theory is buy the worst house in the best street! The house can always be improved, the neighbourhood, not so much

[MummyTummy]

Personally I would wait. If neither really float your boat they just aren't right. There may be something just right come on to the market in the next couple of months. I would research where you really want to live (area wise) and focus your attention there until you find the house that is just right.

But if you are really set on one of these houses my opinion is go the flight path over the power lines. I live in an area with powerlines, which also happens to be in the flight path too. We can't see any power lines here, and I know when we bought we put an offer in on a house that you could see powerlines in the distance, and it really put me off. I was actually really happy when we didn't get the house, which really told me something. That was waaaay more than 150m away. We did buy a house under the flight path but we really barely notice the planes (we are 20mins drive away from the airport though, so they aren't too low) and the times we do, we get the opportunity to point them out to Jett!

Also some advice we were given by a friend who is a builder about whether to buy a house needing renos or as is, he said that we are better off working the full week, earning the money to pay for a place that needs no renos, rather than working the full week, and then working for the weekend on renos, that drag on and on for months sometimes years always feeling like you are in temporary accommodation IYKWIM. And also doing it yourself you lack the skills, so you will always have to get tradies in for bits and pieces (electrician etc) and you may find you make mistakes and waste money in correcting them. If you are paying for someone to do the renos in one fell swoop that is a whole other story. We ended up buying a house that needed no work (updating the bathrooms is on the agenda, but not necessary) and it has been great. I like the idea of DIY, but if it wasn't done quickly I think it would really get me down.

HTH and Good Luck!!

[Sterla]

I would say the bigger house, simply because you have the option of more space without having to do any building, etc. Riverside is nice, and I've heard only good things about the schools too .

[indie24]

I would say wait. It doesn't really sound like your heart is for either house. I know when we bought a house we were looking for something that didn't need renos. Simply because we knew we would never get them done.

[somewoman]

If you're happy in the house you're renting, and think the owner is considering selling, can you find out if it fits within your budget? Just thinking how much simpler life would be without moving house!! Especially with three littlies.