When the worst house is best bet

Seeing the potential in some properties on the market can be a challenge. Years of neglect and dated décor can be a real obstacle to many people but don’t be seduced by an immaculate walk-in condition either. First and foremost the layout must work for you and your family.

We had clients who had found a house in their dream location, which they asked us to view.

A lot of work had been done to the house but the layout did not work for our clients and their four children.

Much of it would have to be undone to make the necessary alterations. On the same street there was an identical house for sale, however, our clients had ruled it out because it had been untouched since its purchase by the original owner and over the years had become quite neglected. The poor condition of the house made them feel that they would need to do a huge amount of work to get it right but in fact the cost of altering either property would be similar.

Property descriptions are often a little misleading and can obscure your view of its potential. I heard an interview with an estate agent recently who insists on describing his properties warts and all.

For example, one property in Galway is described as having classic old ruins comprising three vaguely house-shaped piles of stones, some with mature trees growing out of them, covered in moss, ivy and history.

At least with a description like this you know exactly what to expect and will be able to make up your own mind about it.

Giving over-elaborate descriptions doesn’t help prospective buyers to see what’s possible – it actually confuses them and leaves them feeling tricked. This more honest approach is far better as it makes no promises and allows people to have their own ideas rather than struggling to see the agent’s take on the potential.

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a property such as location, orientation and proximity to amenities such as schools and public transport.

My advice would always be to try to find a house situated on a good site. The site you can’t do much about but the house you can do anything with – maybe not immediately but over time you can alter it to suit your needs.

If you have found a house that ticks all the boxes regarding location, etc, but are unsure if you will be able to transform it into your ideal home, look to see if there are any houses on the street that have done work and ask if you could possibly take a look to see what they did. When approached correctly, people will be very happy to let you see their home and you can also ask them about any possible issues they encountered when doing the work. This is particularly relevant with older properties that often have hidden pitfalls which are impossible to detect until the works have started.

Pay attention to whether or not the property is protected as this will mean that making changes will require a conservation report and planning. And the old adage holds true that given the choice, always go for the worst house on the best road rather than the best house on the worst road.

Denise O’Connor is an architect and design consultant