We're a family of 4 living in a small Victorian terraced house in London, which we've extended to the max. DCs are now aged 14 and 11. Most of our neighbours with kids the same age have long since moved out to bigger houses, and have been replaced with younger couples who are starting new families. We've been happy here, but it's small, and it has always been unsettling to see so many people moving in and out around us.
A year ago, we decided it was time to trade up. We put the house on the market, just as the market ground to a halt. We've had to drop the price a couple of times, but now, finally, we have an asking-price offer. There is also a bigger house in a nice area that we would like to buy and can (just) afford, albeit with a much increased mortgage (our current mortgage will be paid off in 3 years, but the new place will give us a mortgage until we retire).
We should be happy and excited, but we're hesitating. Have we left it too late to trade up? DC1 will be heading to uni in just 4 years, and DC2 in 7 years. If we move to the bigger house we will have more space for them to live with us into their adult years if they need to. But maybe we should stay where we are, and use our spare money to buy them a property instead? I can't work out what I want to do - the thought of staying is sometimes comforting and sometimes depressing - the thought of moving is sometimes exciting and sometimes a scary over-commitment.
How on earth do we decide? By trading up we'd be doing what most people do, but we do have some friends who are choosing to prioritise future properties for their children instead of bigger properties for themselves. There's no easy answer, and I know there will be mumsnetters in both camps, but I'm interested in your thoughts and similar experiences.