Help me choose a house!

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

Please give me some advice...trying to choose between two houses. One house is much bigger (3/4 bedrooms) and on a decent road but that road is between two very busy roads. And the area is a bit scruffy. The other house is smaller (only 2 bedrooms) but in a far nicer area. Short walk to a park etc. House 2 is on for £25k less than house 1. I think to be honest I'd be happy in either house, but I'm trying to decide if internal space or being in a nice area is more important to me. Which should I choose?? (I have two young children btw)

[mklanch]

could you maybe extend house 2 to make the space similar to house 1?

[JoJoSM2]

I can’t imagine living with 2 kids in a 2 bed house. I wouldn’t want a house somewhere scruffy and near busy roads either.

Is there a 3-bed that’s in a decent enough area?

[HazelWong]

If those are your only options, definitely the bigger one as you have two small kids

[Standrewsschool]

Maybe think further afield - schools etc.

How scruffy is scruffy? Acceptable or downtrodden?

[Standrewsschool]

Maybe visit the houses at different times of the day, weekend etc to get a feel of the areas.

[ShyTown]

House 2 if it can be extended to make a 3 bed, even if that’s down the line when the kids are a bit older. Otherwise, house 1 if you have to but my personal preference would be to keep looking as a scruffy area between 2 busy roads doesn’t sounds particularly appealing.

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

House 2 could potentially have a loft extension. Kitchen is already extended. Area of house 1 is acceptable really, it's the fact that it's between those two busy roads that puts me off. My older daughter is already in school, if I took house 1 she could stay at same school but it's a 20 min walk down busy road. Or a v short bus journey. House 2 is about a 3 min walk from my best friend who is also my childminder. Daughter could stay at same school or go to one closer. Would make wraparound simpler as my friend could do it. And she looks after my younger one who is only 2, so would save a lot of driving between houses. I've worked in both areas so I know them pretty well. Area 1 has much more of an 'inner city' feel to it. Area 2 is more leafy and residential. House 1 is around the corner from a Lidl. House 2 has better access to a nice local high street. It honestly comes down to internal space vs area

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

Maybe the lesson here is that I need to wait for a bigger house in area 2 to come up.

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

I should add that I've looked at around 12ish houses. House 1 had the most internal area by far. Hence why I'm considering it in spite of the busy roads.

[HazelWong]

How busy are we talking? Big dual carriageway or just high street style?

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

Er also fairly important is that I'm moving my grandad in with us. House 1 has a separate downstairs room that he could have. But he'd be less involved in family life as I don't know if he'd have the energy to come out into the communal space (he's 94 and spend a lot of time in bed). House 2 has a kind of split living space so I could section off a part of it with a temporary wall or a heavy curtain. It might be more noisy for him but also he'd be more involved with us when we are around.

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

@HazelWong both A roads. Mostly through traffic

[bigspoonlittlespoon]

Not dual carriageway though

[HazelWong]

I really don't think you can live in a 2 bed with your grandfather and two small kids.

I don't really see the big deal about the roads, I would go for as much space as you can afford

[BammBamm]

I've moved from a very quiet cul-de-sac to a main road and honestly the main road doesn't bother me and I thought it would. I actually quite like something happening!

[dudsville]

House 3. Honestly, neither of those seems right. Keep looking!

[hammeringinmyhead]

I think you'll regret buying a 2 bed house for a household that needs 3 sleeping spaces.

[Rainbowqueeen]

I’d keep looking.
I’d even drop notes in letterboxes if houses that look like what I want. A friend of mine sold to someone who did this - avoided agents fees so everyone was happy

[Porridgeoat]

Wait for a three bed in the right area or put notes through doors

[Porridgeoat]

What areas are you looking?

[notheragain4]

I wouldnt move into a 2 bed house with 2 children unless it was unusually large and a third bedroom could be made immediately.

[notheragain4]

And just seen you're moving in another adult? Even a three bed doesn't sound big enough.

[Standrewsschool]

With two children plus a grandparent, you need at least a three bed, if not four bed.

[pictish]

Are you mad?
You, two kids and your grandfather in a two bedroom house? Early?

House 1. Your sanity dictates.

[pictish]

Early? I meant...really?
Patronising technology...I hate it.