Would you move house in this situation?

[Iampondering]

Ok first of all we are very lucky to be in this position, but regardless it's still a BIG decision.

Three of us in the family, won't be having any more children. We have just found out that the field behind our house has been proposed as a site for 600 new houses, may not go through but if it does it will totally change how we feel about this house. 4 bed, 2 minute walk to school, lovely friends in walking distance, we are mortgage free (early 40s.) Not our dream home by any measure but we have a nice, simple life here.

We are considering getting out before it's too late and it's goes to planning etc, to the house of our dreams (I can't describe how beautiful it is 5 mins drive away.) 6 bedrooms so we can both have an office, and child a playroom, balcony over the fields, games room for a pool table (all my DH has ever wanted,) outdoor swimming pool etc etc.
BUT it's more isolated and a 5 min drive to school not walk. And would need a £300k mortgage (which we can currently afford no problem but still it feels scary to start on that again)

WWYD?

Mortgage free and in town absolutely wins.

I’d move. I like space. Sounds a great house - apart from the outdoor pool - I live in Scotland, lol.

I think you would have trouble selling your house or would get people offering a lower price , plus you could move and the same thing could happen again plus you could get shit neighbour's . If you are happy and mortgage free then stay where you are .

I don't think there is any right or wrong answer but would I do it? No, and I didn't do something similar at your age.

We were mortgage free on a fairly average 4/5 bed detached in our early forties too and could've got a mortgage to move to a bigger 'better' house. We're early-mid fifties now and I am SO pleased we didn't (not just the mortgage but the increased maintenance/less convenient location). Neither of us need to work now (although I still do) and we're very comfortable at our 'level' and can help adult DC out financially at key points in a more significant way.

We've made our house as nice and spacious as we can and love the quiet but connected location - being able to walk into town and to the train station etc. That was great when DC were teenagers but not driving yet.

As for the proposed 600 house housing estate by your house - that may as well have planning permission now. Anyone considering buying your house will almost certainly factor that in as almost certainly going to happen.

It might be an idea to see what’s proposed, OP. We live on a new housing estate. It suits us very well but it has really impacted the houses we back onto, who had views over open farmland before our houses were built. Some of the new houses have very short gardens and are quite close to the older ones.

That doesn’t make it remote. If you live in the countryside it’s standard. 5 mins from a school and other amenities isn’t remote.

@cardibach yep you're totally right. I meant "remote" more in terms of to get to anything you'd have to drive, even to a bus stop. Whereas the opposite is true currently

No way would I be moving there with a child. Not just the drive to school but all the other after school activities, it's easy to lift share if you are close by school friends etc, not if you are down single track roads in the countryside. Then when the DC goes to secondary school and starts going out independently you have no access to public transport, no way of walking to meet friends, cycling is dangerous especially after dark. Really bad idea IMO.

I would move, but to a cheaper house and one more central. A friend had building works behind her house and the dust and noise were awful, and it was a much smaller development.

Yes I'd move, if it's your dream house do it. Life is far too short for the what ifs and maybes. You can always sell and move again. Go live your dream!

Life is too short, move! You clearly want to.

I personally wouldn't move somewhere so remote with a child as i don't want to end up being a taxi service when they get older. But that is just personal preference.

This! If it really is 5 minutes in the car, it is potentially a target for building as well.

If it were me, I wouldn’t move either, 🤔especially with a 300k mortgage. It’s definitely a big commitment.

4o