Would you move for more space or keep the current convenience?

[Anewusernametoday]

i need some advice on moving house.

My partner and I are looking to buy a new home. We currently live together in my house, it’s functional, but we do feel quite cramped.

The new house we’ve found is beautiful, large, full of character, and somewhere we can really see ourselves long-term. However, it would make day-to-day life a bit more complicated, especially over the next couple of years (the children have 2 years left at their current primary school).

new house
-20 min drive to school (around a 45-minute round trip)
-15 min drive from my work (which is 5 minutes from school)
-Large beautiful, and characterful
-Requires around 3 months of cosmetic work (carpets, painting, new kitchen and bathrooms)

current house
-5 min walk to school, brownies, swimming, etc.
(kids can walk themselves soon)
-5 minute drive to work
-convenient for daily life
-we do feel quite squashed

I’d really like to move but will I regret losing the convenience?

What would you do?

What is happening after primary school, how do both houses fit in with your choice of secondary school as it's only 2 years away.

A new kitchen is quite disruptive, I wouldn't just call that cosmetic.

Unsure about secondary school plans. There are a lot of schools nearby to both houses.

Would you have space in your current home to build an extension?

How squashed are you? I think your home is somewhere you spend a lot of time so it does need to be comfortable for everyone in it. Someone bothered said kitchens were very disruptive, but ours really wasn't that bad, we just bought a microwave oven with hob and used that while the work was going on. It took less than a week.

I would stay put. Tell us more about why you feel squashed.

Would a huge de clutter help?

As the inconvenience is only for two years I would move. I think this is the age (pre teen) when most kids start to want a bit more space and privacy.

Look at commute times and secondary schools before you make any decisions. Plus have you fully costed the cosmetic work. My friend just had a small bathroom refitted totally and it was 9k, she lives in the Midlands.

Move

I would say move. Both Dc went to a school out of county (catholic) and that was a 20 min drive away. We managed for the primary years, it's surprising how how fast you get used to it.

As a PP said what would the situation be like for secondary school ? Will your kids be able to walk there/ to other activities , town , train station etc? Other wise you might have more space but end up having to drive them everywhere whereas where you are it sounds like they could have more independence.
Is it black and white where you are or the "new" house- presumably your house is comparably expensive for it's convenience to amenities/ school. But are there any properties where you could get more space that are 15 or 20 min walk for example.

Id move. You need more space with teenagers and those travel times sound fine to me

Distance to secondary will be important, as will the transport to get there. I know someone who moved and their son spent an hour each way on the bus everyday and wasn't close to where his mates lived. He felt very isolated even though his parents loved the new location.

Realistically I think you need to get more idea of secondary school options before making a call. If they've only 2 years left in primary, worth going to open evenings this autumn. Where I am most schools have one in September or October.

Some really good points I hadn’t thought about.

The potential new house is more remote, so indeed the kids will need driving around more so than where we currently live.

We do need more space with 3 children (1 teenager!)

Maybe it’s best we wait it out until something in our current area comes on the market.