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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Small House, Good Area, Big House, Worse Area

42 replies

Vine · 13/10/2010 14:38

We are renting, have 2 DCs under 3 and it looks like we can finally afford to get a house! I am very happy to be getting somewhere for the DCs to settle but cannot agree with DH on what to compromise on given our limited budget. Area or space?

I think that quality of life would be better in a smaller house in a nice area, he thinks a bigger house with garden is what is important regardless of the neighbourhood. Thoughts, AIBU?

OP posts:

Mibby · 14/10/2010 09:54

Our 'area' doesnt have a great reputation but our estate is lovely, quiet and people stop to talk, take parcels in etc.
The house is 2 bed with room to expand (next door have a loft conversion and a conservatory), a big drive for parking and a decent size garden.
We could have bought a bigger house in a worse area but didnt think it worth the stress of worrying about anti social behaviour etc

BuntyPenfold · 14/10/2010 09:56

I have lived in both options, and would say small house, good area every time.
There were some lovely people on the estate where I lived, but it was ruled by the thugs.

1234ThumbScrew · 14/10/2010 10:06

My sister opted for big house worse area and two years later is selling up and doing small house nice area. She feels that they don't fit in with other neighbours because there's is a bigger house and they don't feel safe as their dc's are getting older. I'd go for a better area.

DiscoSquishedBrains · 14/10/2010 10:11

Small house, better area vote here too. But then I would buy the one that needs modernising in the best area I can afford and do it up slowly.

Hazeyjane · 14/10/2010 10:11

Small house, good area - definitely.

dreamingofsun · 14/10/2010 10:20

if i'd lived over the other side of the road it would have given me a different postcode and i would have lost a bedroom for the priveledge. pure snob value.

i would keep an open mind and view as much as possible researching schools first

MamaVoo · 14/10/2010 10:26

We had this dilemma before DS was born. Stay where we are in a nice sized house in an area that isn't bad but isn't desirable either, or move to a tiny little house in a nearby desirable (poncey) town. I loved the town and was all for moving there, but so it seems was everyone else and we got priced out completely.

As it turns out I'm glad we stayed where we are. You definitely need space when you have kids - even just one - and a garden. We are near to everything and there are lots of grassy areas where the local kids play. It suits our needs as a family much better than the other area would have.

As long as the 'bad' area isn't unsafe then I'd choose the bigger house.

tittybangbang · 14/10/2010 10:33

We went for a large house in a rough area and like sixpercenttruejedi - I'm loving it!

The kid's school (which is walking distance) is rated 'Outstanding' by OFSTED and there are loads of lovely people living round here - you just need to look for them!

Yes there are plenty of multiple occupancy houses/bull-terriers on strings/people wandering around drinking out of a beer can in a paper bag/fly tipped mattresses on street corners - but bizarrely you stop bothering about it so much once you feel like part of a community. Would say though, there's not a lot of anti-social behaviour (other than the fly-tipping and littering). Would really not want to live on a big rough estate or in an area that was largely white working class. Am quite happy to be in a poor, ethnically diverse area though. Sorry that sounds snobby or racist.

MrsRichardArmitage · 14/10/2010 10:40

We moved from a lovely house on the edge of an interesting area to a smaller house that needed a lot of work in a nicer area. I couldn't cope with the car crime and was nervous about inviting people round.

2babyblues · 14/10/2010 10:41

Small house - nice area everytime! Though it is not so straight forward as a lot depends on the road itself I think. So a nice road in a not so nice area could be better than a busy road in a nice area.

We live in rubbish area and quite busy road and I hate it!!! We are hoping to move soon!!

IloveJudgeJudy · 14/10/2010 12:47

Small house, nice area. Didn't know about this when I bought my first flat. When I went to view the flat, I was a bit meh about the area, but the flat was lovely, so I bought it. That was a big mistake. Area was not good at all and when I went to sell my flat it was hard, because of the "bad" area.

Chil1234 · 14/10/2010 12:51

I've always gone for 'small house, nice area'. Unless you're planning to stay in a property for the rest of your life, always go for 'sell-on-ability' when making your choice. Big house, bad area means you risk buying a millstone & IloveJudgeJudy's example is spot on. You will rarely lose money if you pick the right location and you will always be able to sell up if you need to.

NestaFiesta · 14/10/2010 16:27

small house, good area because:

It will sell better in future
You may be able to extend
You won't feel very slightly uncomfortable every single day about EDL flags and dodgy neighbours and noise.

We are somewhere in the middle. A nice Edwardian terrace, very big rooms, but about 100 yards from a not so good estate with occasional yobbery outside our front gate. Needed lots of work but it only took 6 weeks in the end. Our house was on the market for 2 years but we love it.

littlecrystal · 19/07/2013 15:31

I don?t know. Actually I am selling up my good sized period house in a grubby area and hoping to buy a tiny townhouse in a nice area, so I should know what I am doing.
I feel extremely sad to let my house go and we will be compromising on space, but I feel that I have to do this for my two growing boys so I don?t regret when it?s too late.
So, technically, I would say smaller house in a nice area, but the prospect of squeezing into a tiny house is not that appealing, too?

umpti67 · 19/07/2013 15:39

We went for small house in good area because the school was significantly better over this side. I think it would depend on how small is small and what the difference in schools was like.

SueDoku · 19/07/2013 15:54

zombie thread

Beastofburden · 19/07/2013 16:14

Moving house is the most expensive thing there is. So it would be best to buy something that can last you ten years, not three. Is your family complete (barring lovely surprises)? Do you know where you want them at school, secondary as well as primary? Can you convert the loft to get a third bedroom in a few years (for you, so DC can share downstairs and you get lovely ensuite clean airy room). If not, maybe buy something in the good area but not the house you have in mind. I wouldnt take DH that seriously. Men often think they want the big house in the bad area. They are not there most of the time; they are not the ones worrying about schools and friends; and they dont have to clean it. Tell him his car will get trashed

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