Big family home outside London vs second home in Wales

[meliec]

Hi all,

I am new to Mumsnet, and as a 30-year old about to get married (and planning to start a family in the next few years), I have started reading Mumsnets threads with great interest!

My future husband and I have come up with this crazy project recentlywe want to buy a cottage in the Brecon Beacons, somewhere that feels like a second home and where we can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and build up family memories. We currently live in a decent size flat close-ish to central London. It was in decent condition so we only had minor work to do, but we loved gradually decorating it and making it feel like a home.

The dilemma is, should we put everything we have in a big family home (which would probably imply to get further away from central London) or should we keep our main home small and easy to maintain, and have this countryside getaway? We both grew up in small spaces and do not feel we need to have a supersized family home, but thats easier said than done now that we have no children. My husbands parents took him and his sister to the countryside every single weekend and he has amazing memories from it. We love going on long hikes and cut ourselves from the external world, and want to enjoy a getaway with our friends and family (without having to plan months in advance), which is why the second home looks so appealing. We would also rent it out as a holiday home to cover the costs of maintenance, agency fees, mortgage, etc (we might just break even so were not doing it for financial gain) so that we dont feel that we have to spend all our holidays there.

Could anyone who has done something similar share her experience (downsized main home and holiday/weekend home)? The good and the bad, I am happy to hear everything! That would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance :)

[CityDweller]

Sounds like in your heart you want to go for the flat + cottage, but your head says go for the suburban family house. Why not just go for the cottage?! Nothing is forever and if and when you have kids and outgrow your flat then you can rethink then. You never know, by then your flat may have appreciated enough for you to buy the family home and keep the cottage. Meanwhile, you and DP will have lovely weekends in your cottage doing what you love.

And btw we live in a small central London flat and are only just now feeling we're outgrowing it with one child (2 yrs) and another on the way shortly.

[UsedToBeAPaxmanFan]

Why the Brecon Beacons? It's beautiful there, but it's quite a distance from London. Your fantasy of weekends in the countryside might be marred by the reality of a long drive on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Is there anywhere nearer you would consider? If you could find a cottage within 2-3 hours drive, that might be better.