Bigger house or closer school?

[Tealavender]

We currently live in a 3-bed property in a quiet street. We would love to upgrade to 4 bedrooms and an extra living space.

Have seen a local property which we really like and it fits the specs. However, it means we go from my DD being able to independently walk to school to having to take her to and from in the car for several more years. We have been looking for a long time for something that DH and I both like, so not simply a case of waiting a short time for the next option.

What to do??!!

Sadly probably not, just with the combination of busy roads etc.

Ah so it's the primary school that's the issue?

Why do you need four bedrooms? Or put it another way - do you actually need four bedrooms (obviously you don't have to say why, it could be that you and DH need to sleep separately or that you both work from home and currently have desks in your bedroom).

I wouldn't move just to have a spare room because you're losing something really valuable in forfeiting the ability to walk to primary school, but it isn't as bad as not being able to get to secondary independently.

What about friends? Will you have to drive her (and will her friends' parents have to drive them) to play together, where now they walk?

What year is DD and what sort of area do you live in? I live in London and ended up moving DS’s school after a much needed house move as a 2 mile drive took a lot more than 5 minutes at school time ( and don’t get me started on the parking). He was only year 2 though so settled well In the new school, then lived having local friends. If you’re similar I’d either stay where you are or look to move her to a closer school.
This is probably less of an issue in rural area where catchments are bigger and driving to school is more common.

My DH mostly works from home.

Doesn’t really affect friends.

How old are your DC?

8 and 14

At these ages it would be about the proximity to secondary school and the lifestyle you and your DC would have.

With only 3 years of primary left and equidistant to secondary I would move. You probably won't get into the new house until after Christmas so technically two and a half years. They will go in a flash and you will find yourselves with nobody at primary and a nice bigger house.

Presumably this house is on the market and yours isn’t. Given the current market, are you likely to be able to sell yours in time to buy the new one?

I'd move personally. Yes it will be less convenient for 2 years, but it sounds like it is where you want to be long term and you have looked for a long time. You might regret not going for this.

You could still give DD some independence by her walking with a friend after school and you picking her up from an agreed meeting place.

Will it impact your work? Will the youngest need to go to breakfast club or after school club to fit in with you being able to drop/collect them?

We’ve never been able to walk to school. It’s really no big deal. The school run is like 30 minutes a day. But you spend hours living in your house. I’d go for a house that gives you the best lifestyle overall.

No, I work PT so doesn’t affect work a lot. It means I need to leave the house a little earlier to do the school run. It also means that I can’t be late home from work. Sometimes when DH is working from home and DD walks home, I don’t need to be home on time for school run.

We had to drive to primary and I did find it a pain to have to break off at 2.45/3 to collect them. But it’s only for a short period.

Yes, that’s a good point. I feel really torn though, because it has been lovely for DD to have the independence of walking by herself and also to have a bit more flex in the schedule. Having said that, having more space would definitely make some aspects of life easier - hence the conflict in my mind!

If time is tight, check out the journey at school time. What can take 5 mins normally can take 3 or 4 times as long at school pick up/drop off. (Usually due to idiotic parking, but also increased traffic)

Do you think that in 2.5 years time you would be likely to find a suitable house to buy, when your DD is no longer at primary? If you think there will be more options then I guess you could just wait and see.

If you want her to still be independent you could drop her at a friend's house to walk in with them.

I have to say though that I'm a bit surprised she's so independent at 8. My children's school said no lone walking until year 5.

We live in a quiet area and are very close to the school with plenty of other families/children also walking.

(and there are no roads for her to cross)

It would make a big diff to me to have to suddenly drive to the school daily tbh

so it depends if it would for you

we can either walk 10 mins, cycle 5 - and when we get the there the train we both take to work is right there beside school

anywhere bigger we found was note hassle for us and not worth it (both kids are in diff locations as well)

having an easier morning smaller house is my c

So based on what you have said with driving the school run not impacting your work and the fact the new house is the same distance from the secondary school, then I would go for it and suck up the few years of doing the school run.

This summer is the end of school runs after 33 years...
Imve (in my vast experience) school a drive away is Hell in Earth.
For example just this past month..
School day starts at 8.40 am.
We live an 8-10 minute drive away.

School assembly/church service/music performances start either 9.30 or 10. So do I pop home/sit in the car /take diary amd do family/work admin?
Popping home involves losing car parking space at school. And obviously more fuel . Plus not much time at home before setting off again. Remembering to add extra to find car park space and likely walk a way to school anyway.

Don't do it op.
I didn't even mention forgotten PE kit /packed lunch /school asking if you can pop some sun cream along/a antihistamine/plaster.

Have you tried driving the school run at dropoff time? My DD went by bus to a secondary school that I can drive to in 5 mins out of hours but on the odd occasion I dropped her off it could easily be a half hour round trip and nightmare parking. It does seem a shame to move your DD away from walking to school just as she is starting to get independent but her friends will all still be there. We valued the independence a 10 min walk to primary gave ours very highly and it really did help their social lives.

What an epic number of school runs! How many DC do you have?

Yes, I think it will be half an hour, especially in the afternoon, because I will need to arrive 20 mins before school finishes to get a decent park.

How long will the golden period during which the house is worthwhile be?

In three years when your DD finishes primary your DS will be 17.

Are you expecting he'll leave for university at 18?

Is it worth moving when there'll only be one year during which you don't have the primary school run and really benefit from the fourth bedroom to use as DH 's home office?

Once DS goes to uni your DH could have his desk in his bedroom during term time.

A lot of employers are cutting right back on working from home too.