Would you move your kids school for the chance to move from a flat to a house?

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We're a family of 4, bought our fixer upper 3 bed flat in 2018 with the view of doing what work we can and moving to a larger 3 bed semi-detached in 5-7 years.

Well blow me that plan didn't work out, the prices in our area have shot up and we could never afford a 3 bed semi-detached in our area and we feel stuck here. Flat is half done and we don't have the money to do the rest of it, holes in skirting boards, peeling wallpaper etc get me down everyday. I fantasize about moving to a cheaper area where we might be able to afford a house with a garden and a proper dining area, but it would mean moving the kids schools. I've been scrolling on Rightmove and our money would go so much further if we moved 20 minutes down the road, I've seen beautiful 3 bed semis, lovely gardens, all fully done and pristine which it feels like our flat will never be.

DD1 is in year 8, DD2 year 3. Both settled well with a good friendship group. DD1 especially wouldn't want to move schools, it would affect her the most.

Really I think it's just a pipe dream, there's so many logistics like how I'd get to work (don't drive), finding good schools as I don't know the area well. Just feel such guilt about not being able to provide a nice home for them and if we ever were to move it feels like now would be the time to do it before we go into the start of GCSEs.

Anyone been in the same situation?

First thought was yes do it, but seeing dd1 age, I agree it could be difficult for her. But also 20 minutes is not that far. Would it be possible for dd1 to get public transport to current school so not move? Maybe just move dd 2 schoola? Esspecaly if you're not moving work.

I don’t understand why moving 20 mins would require school changes, especially for your older child who presumably gets herself to school. Surely there’s public transport?

Is the house is cheaper there is a reason-
its because the cost will get you in another way.

Your cost of getting to work and back (the cost of the increased time to commute in child care etc)

the cost of tutors or private schooling if the schools are awful

the cost of home security if the area is rougher etc

it all depends on how much it will impact your day to day life- if you spend loads of time at home and would use your garden instead of going out etc I would consider

another flag is the fact you can not afford it he upkeep to your flat- the coat of maintaining a larger property is far higher

Why would they have to move schools, it's 20 minutes? We have kids coming 40 mins on the bus to our school.

There's not a direct bus from the area we are looking at to her school, it would end up being a long bus journey then a long walk to her school. Currently she has a 25 minute walk to school which she complains about every day 😶 I know others have this same journey, I just know my child and I know she would complain and moan and it would cause countless arguments.

Youngest would definitely have to move schools as due to our working hours we're on a tight schedule getting to breakfast club, work, then back for pick up time. I also do the school run on foot 2 times a week and need to be back to work from home, couldn't manage it if I had to rely on public transport.

I would definitely have to do more research on the area. Our flat has increased in value a fair amount so we might have the money to pay off the cost of our kitchen and clear outstanding debts. Like a clean slate instead of worrying about monthly payments. But at the same time, to get top price for our flat we would have to do the rest of the DIY jobs and decorating which neither of us having the skills for and can't afford to pay a professional to do.

It really doesn't help that all their friends seem to live in lovely big houses that give me complete house envy every time I go to pick them up.

I would definitely go for it. Sit down and explain to dd1 that you want to move. Tell her how it will benefit you all to move to a bigger house but that it will come with a sacrifice (moving school or a longer commute) . She may receive it better than you think.

Where about are you? It might give us a better view and shouldn’t be too outing?

Can you fix up your flat a bit more so that it is nice and just accept no garden?

nake a list of all the small jobs that need doing. Then try some you tube videos to get them sorted. You may well have more skill than you think.

I don’t understand why you can’t do relatively simple DIY jobs like taking off peeling wallpaper and filling in holes in skirting boards.

YouTube is full of “How to” videos. It sounds like you live in a lovely area and dc are happy at school. If you try to do the DIY jobs without spending too much money it could make you feel really differently about your flat.

Moving schools puts kids back 6 months educationally.

People can be very glib about ‘kids being resilient’

I was a teacher 28 years. I’d avoid school moves at all costs.

Your year 8 kid is not interested in a garden, she’s just entering the age where she wants to be close to friends and walkable.

Honestly your flat sounds great, I live in a flat and love it. If it’s risen in value then your mortgage is affordable now and you’re building an asset.

why can’t you afford to finish it off? Have your costs not gone down, wages not kept pace with inflation ? There are real benefits to staying in a house/flat a long time - if you move there’s stamp duty/solicitirs/moving costs, it’s shit.

I would just wait, you’ve one child in year 8, and one in year 3, does that mean one will be leaving school in the same year the second child will be transitioning to secondary school? If so, I would make the move then and apply for secondary schools / collages in the new area.

I dont think i'd move a secondary school child that liked their current school if they already have their own bedroom. Not unless they were happy to do so.

Id look to put your younger child in to secondary in the new area in a few years. My year 4 child hardly ever uses the garden anymore.

Agree with PP. Do it in three years. Spend that time saving and saving and doing up the flat. Maybe learn to drive.
Sad to see what house prices do to ordinary families. Two people working full time and paying off a mortgage should be able to afford a small 3 bed house. What area are you in roughly.? This site is great for knowledge on specific areas and schools.

100% this.

If you were fully moving I’d then it’s understandable but if it’s so much cheaper and only 20 mins away there is definitely a reason for that.

Not driving makes a huge difference as well. 20 mins by car would make current schools and job accessible but public transport less so.

If you are really serious, I’d start doing the small jobs yourself. Us not having the skills doesn’t really cut it. A bad fresh paint job feels a million times better than peeling wall paper. Then be ready to move for when DD2 is going to high school. DD1 will have finished exams and DD2 can start at the same time as all the others.

Thanks Laurie, I do love our flat despite us being on top of each other.

We usually put money to one side every month and after a year would do a job, first year was boiler, next was a complete rewire, then the livingroom.

Then we did some additional borrowing to put a new bathroom in so slightly higher mortgage (but still costs less than the flat we were previously renting!)

Then we made the decision to get a loan to put a new kitchen in as ours was quite literally falling apart. I'm still undecided about whether that was a silly decision or not. On the one hand, we now have a beautiful kitchen that I love. On the other hand, we now can't afford to save as much per month to save up for the next job. Then the car died and we had to get a new (to us!) car, I've got expensive dental work I need to pay for and general cost of living has made things feel tighter than they've ever felt.

It also doesn't help that I'm trying to go full time at work which isn't available yet, so I'd doing all the dribs and drabs of overtime I can to put towards savings, trying to work around kids, school club commitments, housework and general life. Feel a bit exhausted if I'm honest 😮‍💨

The walls need reskimming, we put up lining paper and painted over it when we first moved in thinking it wouldn't look too bad. Turns out it does!

The skirting boards have big gaps from where the plugs were before we got them rewired and the doors need replacing (they're bit doors with rippled glass, probably from the 70s) I wouldn't trust myself to do any of it, if you'd seen the rooms we did decorate you'd probably understand why 🤣