Which type of home do you prefer!

I am about to move from a large detached bungalow to a smaller semi new-build. This is for a number of reasons: very sad memories here, all my friends are back in the village where I am going, and the bungalow, though beautiful, is not homely. It has a long corridor with rooms off and is quite hard to heat - I have been very cold the last few weeks.

I am looking forward to being somewhere a bit cosier, and with all my friends. I do worry about the semi aspect, but have my fingers crossed that all will be well.

I’m in a split level bungalow on the coast which I came to reluctantly from the city when I married my golfing husband.
It’s been a happy house though for bringing up the children. I’m trying my hardest to turn it cottagey (bungalow swallowing I believe it’s called) with shutters and wooden arches. Now widowed, it’s too big really, but as the ac/grandchild in normal times come regularly, I’ll stay, god willing. I really don’t fancy the upheaval either, even though the back garden is huge, more like a field...
In flights of fancy, I see myself living in the centre of London, lots of bustle, or even Paris and although I love going around stately homes and manor houses, would hate the responsibility.
I do agree about neighbours, we had some with rabid non stop barking dogs. Thank god they have gone.

Calistemon, we built it ourselves! As the children became independent, we saved up, then at the end of our working lives, cashed an insurance policy. That gave us the money for the plot.
We had already spent 5 years visiting building shows and looking at plots we couldn't yet buy so that we had lots of ideas.
We were able to stay rent free nearby whilst we began the build, financed from the sale of our house.
As soon as it was watertight, moved in - we were sort of 'camping' in the shell of a house! We did most of the work ourselves - using paid help for things that were too heavy or specialised for us to tackle.
We got it all done before my arthritis became too bad, thank goodness.
No 'Grand Designs' dramas, as we kept it simple and affordable.

Nothing too big , prefer cosy, but outside space important

I’ve lived in Victorian and 2 1930s properties. Never wanted a ‘new build’. Having to move out and sell my previous large 1930s property to live on my own, I purchased a relatively ‘new’ build - for all the reasons I chose not to previously! Houses built close together give me a sense of safety. Much smaller garden easier for me to maintain. The massive saving in heating bills. Watch out though for the management fees - even though it’s freehold.

yes, daughter 2 lived in several different ones and had friends with big lovely houses on The Park.

Our house here dates from 1587...it is only a money pit if you allow it to be. Won't be getting a new kitchen soon, for sure- this 1970s kitchen, with solid ring cooker and washing machine in the corner will just have to do. That's OK.

Good job mine aren’t money pits! I’d have nothing over to spend frivolously.

biba70 it really is a lovely place to live, and there are so many beautiful and unique house styles there.

I like older houses too,, my parents house is Georgian with lots of character - although they are money pits.

My youngest just loved her aparment in the Park too.

I love old houses with tons of history- our house dates from 1587.

I’m not a bungalow fan, I really don’t like the idea of sleeping downstairs. My parent still live in the house I was brought up in, they are in their nineties now and have refused to move - it’s an old three storey house, and they still have their bedroom on the top floor, I think it does keep them fit going up and down.
My favourite house for the house itself was actually a flat in a massive old Victorian house in The Park in Nottingham, it was stunning, very quiet but within walking distance of the city. I think I’ve got delusions of grandeur.

charleygirl5 ?

I live in an end terrace of three in a small cul de sac. Heathrow is not that far away but we are not on the flight path so it is so quiet living here. The 3 bedroom house was 8 years old when I bought it around 20 years ago. I love red brick houses. It is less than 10 minutes walk from a good bus service and central London is a bus and one tube away.

I quite fancy Urmston's way of life!

I’ve lived in just about everything, inc. 13 years of ‘bungalows’ aka single storey prefabs on construction camps in the Middle East.

I wouldn’t choose a bungalow now - at least not while I’m still reasonably fit and mobile. My folks downsized to one in their late 60s, not because they particularly wanted one, but because it was all they could find in their chosen area.

Roll on 3 years and they decided they didn’t like the area after all, and moved again - to a house. And found that the lack of stairs had really affected their level of fitness. It came back of course, but I think it gave them quite a shock that whereas they’d never even thought about stairs before, they’d become an effort.

I've never lived in a detached property or a bungalow, other than that I've lived in a variety of dwellings. Always in London but have never had noisy neighbours. I currently live in a large semi detached on a busyish road, it's not a main road just a busy cut through. The lounge is at the rear of the property so traffic noise is never a problem, plus we have a large drive so the house is set back from the road. I like my house and have no plans to downsize and think I'd rather have a stairlift than move. I think good neighbours are more important than the style of the house. I've spent the last 20 something years altering my house to suit me so would be reluctant to move but if I did the only thing I would rule out would be a flat. I need outside space to potter about and will probably always have a dog and they need outdoor space too.

We downsized 10 years ago. We now have two small apartments. One in South Manchester and one on a residential road in Malaga. Both places have shops, chemists, bars and restaurants on the doorsteps. We just lock up and go!

Minimal upkeep, no fence panels to creosote, no guttering to paint or clear of leaves, which means less to spend on utility bills and decorating so on a modest income (enough for our needs in retirement) it means our disposable incomes can be spent on FUN! Leisure activities, eating out whenever we fancy, flights to and fro. The tail no longer wags the dog!

I ❤️ our lifestyle with two tiny abodes.

Started married life in a small semi-detached bungalow, and 3 years later moved to a large 1930s semi, which we still live in. Hated living in the bungalow, it felt like living in a flat and I missed going upstairs to bed. If we ever move, I wouldn't mind downsizing, but I couldn't live in a flat as I love to have an outside area; a small garden or even a yard would do, just somewhere to hang out my washing and room enough to sit in the sun or have a BBQ. It would ideally be an older house; within walking distance of a few shops and on a bus route in case driving was no longer an option for me. One of our sons lives in a lovely Victorian terraced house, it has a small front garden and a back yard and is in the heart of a lovely village; I could quite happily retire to something similar.

We used to live in a semi detached in a busy street. Noise from all angles. Now we are rural and detached . Absolutely lovely. Peace and quiet.

I live in a detached chalet bungalow with 1 upstairs bedroom with it's own bathroom which is perfect for guests.All other rooms are downstairs and are bright with large windows and views of my small,easily managed garden.
I am within easy walking distance to a very frequent bus service into Town so it is perfect for me and my life as it is now.

I have lived in detached, semi, terraced, bungalow and apartment. I have lived in the middle of town, lived on many estates and have lived in small and large villages. At the moment we are rural/coastal detached but i already have my eye on a 2 bed apartment in a converted Victorian mansion with a small walled garden backing on to the beach, town, library and Doctors are within a 5 minute walk. Good neighbours and location matter more than the style of building.

Posted too soon. The house I loved best was our villa in Spain with beautiful views over the mountains and valleys but, funnily enough, the house I always dream about was our first home. It was a terraced house that cost us £1,500.

I would love a detached bungalow, with a very small paved area, on which I could put plant pots

We live in a stone detached 3 bed house that someone had built in the 1970's. We are in a small village.

I have lived in a terraced cottage, a top floor flat and in a semi detached house which I love.
The present house is the last semi at the top of the street, it had enough space for us to almost double the size of the house. We are 100 yards from a bus stop and half a mile from two supermarkets.

I have enjoyed living in all my homes, from a terraced maisonette to our current detached. It is who shares the space that makes it a home.
Though I guess neighbours can make or break a home or if the surrounding changes..i.e a quiet side road becomes a busy bus route or HS2 changes local environment.

Detached bungalow is now our dream. There’s a lot to be said for bungalows at our age! Otherwise apartment in a complex for the ‘Elderly and Beautiful ‘!