When to move house?

[Greyhorses]

We live in a lovely but tiny 2 bed semi. We moved here 14 months ago and have redecorated/new flooring etc but the house hasn't had any major work other than cosmetic.
We are unlikley to sell for more than we paid as the market here is dead...proberbly around the same.

We moved here with just the two of us but it is starting to get cramped with two large dogs, cats and now a baby due in May.

We are wondering when people make the decision to move? Is there ever a good time? are we better off living in the house longer, if so how long is typical?

Do moetgage companies take into account that I will be on maternity leave?

[Greyhorses]

Oh and no opportunity to extend. It wouldn't add value as the 3 beds are hardly more than hours and theres nowhere to extend too (tiny garden, no loft space or garage space)

[QuiteLikely5]

There is no right or wrong time to move. It's all about you and what suits.

[ftm123]

I wouldn't advise trying to move with a 3 month old especially if the vendors use the house you purchase as a rubbish tip and you can't move in If you try and move before baby comes, given baby is already on the way, if you are very lucky you will move late pregnancy, but if you have any complications that will be extra stressful. Having said that, it is a lot easier to sell a house and appear decluttered without a baby! with hindsight best time to move house is a year before getting pregnant! Whatever you choose do the prep work before baby comes (decluttering, DIY jobs, paint touch ups), a little cheeky but maybe see if they can do photos before there is a pram, changing mat, moses basket, play mat, bouncer, drying sleep suits, packets of nappies etc. in every room otherwise try and get some help to move stuff from room to room on the day of the photos.

[ftm123]

Oh I was told if I applied for a mortgage on maternity leave, I would have to prove I had a job to go back to, prove what maternity pay I had, but they would not take into consideration that I could return to work earlier, unless I had written confirmation I definitely would. Basically to get the same mortgage I would have to show savings to cover top up to full salary for a year. Once you have a baby child care is factored in to affordability (usually).

In your situation I would try and wait a year or two - but it is what works for you. Having made the move I really appreciate the space. As does baby, who gets to have stuff mentioned in previous post!

[didireallysaythat]

I'd second testing the water re mortgages, maternity leave and childcare costs. We remortgaged while I was on maternity leave and at the time very few companies would consider me. At the very least you need to be able to show what your childcare outgoings will be, remembering its usually more than your mortgage.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

We moved when DS was 7 weeks old, was very easy as he stayed where we put him - now he's 7 MONTHS and crawling it would be an utter nightmare. Got packers to pack for us and that was that.
Can comment on the market, but the baby, do it then! We times it so we wouldn't complete while I was still preggo - couldn't be dealing with changing hospitals etc.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

*cant comment

[Sparklycat]

As soon as I went back to work after maternity leave we sorted out a mortgage and put our small two bed on the market, baby was 6 months old. We moved just after she was one and am so glad we did, as they get older they have more stuff and need a lot more space to play with prams etc. The mortgage interest rates are so low now and will only rise so my theory is if you want to move do it now and lock yourself in to a mega low interest deal before the market rises massively in the future

[hydrangea78]

I'm on mat leave and just got new mortgage with Natwest. All I had to do was write a letter to the lender stating when I intend to go back to work and what salary will be going back to. No further questions asked. Mortgage approved.
Having just had a baby, I would say move before birth if you can. Impossible to achieve anything once they arrive.