For some homebuyers, the idea of a furnished new build house that's ready to move into almost straight away is a dream come true while others prefer more outdated properties that they can transform and renovate by themselves to make it their own.
However, it's important to remember that a huge renovation project is more than likely to come with a few hidden issues and expenses that often originally go unnoticed.
Manchester Evening News speak to different homeowners every week to find out about their experiences with buying a new home as a part of their Where I Live Series. This week they spoke to Ruth and Chris Moore who bought a '1950's time warp' Edwardian property on a 'whim' which they envisioned to be their dream home.
Ruth, 32 and Chris, 35 spontaneously purchased their 'dream forever home' back in 2019- a semi-detached period house in Stockport but admitted that they have been met with many setbacks along the way.
The couple who had been together for 10 years were living happily in their first home together but jumped at the opportunity to secure their ideal home when they spotted it for sale on Rightmove.
Ruth told Manchester Evening News: ''We were happy in our first house and we weren’t really intending to move. We got married in 2019 so it was a bit of a busy year.
"I'm always on Rightmove and one day I saw this three-bed Edwardian house just around the corner which had so much potential. We've always loved period houses because we find that the rooms are generally bigger and they have a bit more character about them.
I sent it to Chris as a bit of a joke and said ‘this could be our dream forever home’, but it was super dated and we weren’t thinking about moving so we just left it. But after speaking to my sister and her husband, they said 'well there's no harm going to see a mortgage advisor and just seeing if it would be possible,' and it was.
"We didn't look at any other houses, we were blinkered and went straight for this one - we effectively moved around the corner on a whim." However, despite immediately falling in love with the older property, the process of moving in was not as straightforward as the couple had first expected.
Ruth, who is a marketing manager, explained: "We got a full survey done to check everything because the house was so old and it needed so much work. It actually came back undervalued on what we'd offered on the house.
"So then we had a bit of a decision to make as to whether we walked away or went for it. My husband is very handy and lots of my family members are very skilled in different trades, so I knew we had help and advice there, but maybe I was blindsided.
"I think we were quite brave going for it in hindsight." However, the couple got straight to work as soon as they secured the keys to their new Edwardian home in April 2019.
Ruth said: "We moved in straight away because we couldn't afford not to - but it was literally a 50s time warp, it looked as though it hadn't been decorated for decades. Everything needed doing to it - a full rewire, plastering, painting, knocking walls down and ripping out units.
"The house is still a work in progress because there was just so much to do, but it's around 80% complete now. Chris who has done the majority of renovation work himself with some help from family and friends to cut costs admits it has been very stressful at times.
Ruth added: "I think the kitchen was probably the biggest bugbear out of them all. It was really vintage and retro but just not very practical with freestanding units and tiny worktops.
"We also found out that the joists were rotten in the kitchen area so we had to fit all new joists which was a nightmare." Ruth who gets a lot of her inspiration from home Instagram accounts describes their interior style as traditional with a mix of modern.
She said: "Before we moved in I had a vision for each room and knew how I wanted things to change. I either start with mood boards, or I find an item that I love and then build a room around that.
Ruth says her and Chris make a 'great time' because she has the vision behind the ideas and he brings them to life. Ruth, who usually chooses all the styling and colours, said: "One choice that I was quite surprised that he let us go for was to paint the whole kitchen dining area pink.
"I think the colour makes it a really nice light, bright and sociable space which is what we always wanted. What I love most about our house is the space, the high ceilings and that it is a reflection of our personality.
"Also that we've grafted for it as we’ve worked really hard for nearly four years. I think a lot of people thought we'd bit off more than we could chew so I'm proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in such a short amount of time."
In regards to the future, Ruth said: "I think we’ll certainly be here for the foreseeable. I don't think either of us have the energy to do this amount of work for a long time.
"There's so much potential so we wouldn't really need to move. It's got cellars and a big loft, so you could have make it a four bed house quite easily with a dormer."
However, she did warn others that to take on such a huge project, they should be prepared for any problems that may arise and expect to be 'patient' as it is a very long but worthwhile process. The proud homeowner said: "It’s taken us nearly four years but it's all been worth it in the end.”
You can follow Ruth and Chris' home renovation journey on their Instagram account @mutch_moore_restore.
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