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AIBU?

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Original poster

Are we totally mad - buying a house and having a baby

77 replies

HairsprayBabe · 08/01/2020 10:18

Will try to keep this short the more I think about it the more I feel overwhelmed...

We are currently renting - rental period ends August 4th, letting agents will only let us sign a year's lease after our current one ends.

Baby number 1 is due July 24th

We have the deposit to buy a house - we need to move into a house ideally as close to the end of our lettings period as possible.

Can we swing this or are we mad to even consider it - buying would cut our bills significantly and I would feel more secure owning a house with a baby than stuck in rentals...

AIBU to think we can find and buy a house and move in whilst heavily pregnant/with a newborn.

For info - both our families are local, hands on and helpful, baby will be first grandchild on both sides.

OP posts:
Original poster
HairsprayBabe · 08/01/2020 10:20

Also - we can't afford to buy and continue to pay the rent as we are saving for my maternity leave - baby was a surprise hence the timing is all buggered up!

OP posts:
Mammabee20 · 08/01/2020 10:54

Hi! I think it is totally doable as I was in the completely same situation as you last year ☺️ I found out I was expecting in the February and my DD was born in the October (39+4) we had got the benefit of already looking at houses and we’d seen we loved and we did put an offer in the same day as viewing which was March 2018. There was no chain either so we were sure we’d be in with plenty of time.

We were renting a one bedroom maisonette so we knew space would be tight so we were desperate to get out. The sale did drag until August 2018 but that was because there were some unexpected complications, for example the people we bought from ended up joining a chain because a family member from the people above moved into the empty property.

Luckily it all went well and we got the keys in August and we had everything set up for DD by her due date!

In a round about way (sorry about my long post) it is completely doable and it is so much better in the long run.

Good luck with the pregnancy and house hunting! 💖

Mammabee20 · 08/01/2020 10:55

By the way forgot to say my DD was a complete surprise too! Smile it just made house hunting all the more fun wondering what kind of house we’d be bringing her up in! Smile

Umberta · 08/01/2020 10:57

Buy the house!! Get family/friends/professional movers to help you with the moving. Yay your own house

Feelabitmeh · 08/01/2020 10:58

Yanbu. We moved in to our house as first time buyers, it was a doer upper and I was in the third tri of a difficult pregnancy. Best thing we've ever done and I thank my lucky stars daily that we got this house

nocluewhattodoo · 08/01/2020 10:59

Do it, it will be tough but will pay off in the long run. Tiny babies are actually pretty cheap if you breastfeed. We moved during the end of my pregnancy due to a bereavement, then again a few days after I'd given birth, but renting, just don't overdo it with unpacking etc and give yourself time to recover. Don't rush trying to get a nursery done, the baby won't sleep there for a while in all likelihood. Good luck!

QuizzlyBear · 08/01/2020 11:00

We moved into our last house when I was nearly 8 months pregnant. It's do-able!

Tbh there's so much reorganisation to make way for a baby, it was actually easier to do it all in one go. Good luck x

Youseethethingis · 08/01/2020 11:00

It’s doable. We did this last year - and got married in the same 6 week timeframe too. Teamwork is everything, and if you are lucky enough to have family back up then you’ll be fine!
It was a great feeling to be able to bring DS home to our first family home together and I’m so glad we didn’t try to all squeeze in to my tiny little house temporarily until the timing was better on paper!

WindFlower92 · 08/01/2020 11:00

We did this last year, and got married! Shock

Moved in March, baby born May. Plenty of time to get everything set up (gives you plenty to do during maternity leave!) and it feels nice to have everything completely fresh for when baby arrives. I enjoyed the process though, as it was chain free and the people we were buying from were lovely. DH would have dealt with anything that was likely to cause stress, which was good. Better to do it now than when baby's here I reckon!

imip · 08/01/2020 11:03

A little bit different, but when bought a house two weeks after my 3rd dd was born. We moved in 4 months later. If you’ve got the money just buy the house, don’t worry about timing things with the birth of a baby, things will happen that you haven’t planned and you just have to get on.

1stTimeMama · 08/01/2020 11:03

We're currently in the process of buying a house, and I'm due my 5th baby 3 days after you. I'm not worried at all.

We've moved a lot over the last 5 years, and in 2016 I packed up and moved us whilst 37 weeks pregnant. We moved in, and I had my baby 10 days later. It's absolutely do-able!

PunishmentSnart · 08/01/2020 11:04

I moved into my first house heavily pregnant. It’s do-able, actually having had 3 kids now I’d say easier with a newborn than a toddler!

Sportsnight · 08/01/2020 11:04

Much easier with a newborn than doing it when they’re mobile 😁

AnotherEmma · 08/01/2020 11:06

Do it! It'll be tough but worth it.

memberofseven · 08/01/2020 11:06

Loads of time op! I moved in April whilst pregnant and due in August. Took 2 months to go through. The thing to do is find somewhere and try and exchange with a decent gap to completion. Not always possible but will take some of the stress away from you (and limit time you are paying rent and mortgage together).

memberofseven · 08/01/2020 11:08

Also, in your circumstances I would get a mortgage in principle agreed ASAP.

ohprettybaby · 08/01/2020 11:09

I'd do it rather than sign up for another year's rental. It's great that you have family on hand to help. Also, bear in mind than your baby may be due on July 24th but they do have a habit of not arriving on their due date.

Ohyesiam · 08/01/2020 11:12

Buy the house, But not one that needs renovating!
A lot of people end up moving even they are very pregnant, or with a new baby. It’s not wonderful, but it’s certainly doable.
Congratulations on your pregnancy ( and on having a deposit!)

Winter2020 · 08/01/2020 11:13

Hi,
If you don't move before the baby is born don't think that you have to leave by August 4th or renew your tenancy for another year - you don't. If you don't sign a new tenancy your tenancy automatically becomes a statutory periodic (assuming England) and you can serve your notice when you like (in line with rental periods) england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/ending_a_periodic_tenancy

Your landlord/ agent may tell you that they don't allow rolling tendencies and you must sign a new contract. They don't actually have a choice - it's the law. If your tenancy ends and you don't sign a new one it becomes a periodic.

The landlord agent may choose to start eviction proceedings. (although they would be petty to do so) But serving you their two months notice does not mean you have to move out. It simply gives you notice that they intend to seek possession. (only the tenant or a court can end the tenancy not the landlord or agent). They are allowed to recover court costs but to evict you (which they may not bother to do as it doesn't benefit them) would take ages.

So basically don't think you have to be out by the 4th August or renew for another year - you don't. You can move at your leisure. I'm not sure of the effect on your mortgage offers if you are on reduced money with maternity leave though so it might be worth seeing an independent broker to explore this.

Good luck!

Merryhobnobs · 08/01/2020 11:15

Much easier to move when pregnant than when baby is here. We had just signed another 6 months on our lease when we found out I was pregnant. We bought our house 1st March, moved in mid March, baby was born late May (but was due st the start of the month). I had friends who moved the same week as baby was born (unplanned timing) and it was stressful but fine. Much better than trying to mive with a newborn or small child to resettle. Do the packing slowly and really clearly label everything and which room it will ultimately belong to. Get removal people in. Let them do all the moving. See them arrive. Open door at new place but don't get involved. I got told off by midwife for getting stressed because I wasn't allowed to lift everything. Honestly once you get your bed and couch in new place it will feel like home and so nice not to have a move hanging over you. It will take us a long time to do work in house and whilst I may wish we had moved years before so I could have it all perfect it would never have worked like that in reality.

DreamingofSunshine · 08/01/2020 11:19

We were in a similar position and ended up buying and moving when DS was 8 weeks old. It was fine, he was either in the sling or his bouncer chair watching me unpack. Moved again when he was 2 and a bit and that was very tough as the packing made the house a hazard for him and he'd unpack the box I had just packed!

TriangleBingoBongo · 08/01/2020 11:20

It’ll fine, just get help moving. I moved twice whilst pregnant!

JosefKeller · 08/01/2020 11:21

the worst time to move is with a toddler!

Too old to stay still in one safe place, too heavy to be carried at all time, too young to be wandering safely. They are a nightmare. When you have to, you of course do it, but honestly the worst possible age

Don't hesitate to buy your house with your baby! Worst comes to the worst, even on bed rest you can still organise a lot, deal with all utilities and paperwork.
Go for it.

namechanger2019 · 08/01/2020 11:26

We just did this. Ended up actually completing on house when baby was 6 weeks old. Was hard work but all fine. Was very nice this xmas in new lovely house with new lovely baby.

BlueJava · 08/01/2020 11:29

I think that's completely doable! It may be you end up moving and DP has to do everything and just "dump" it at the new place whilst you're on the sofa with LO at your parents... but yes - go for it! Good luck :)

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