Small house no commute vs bigger house and commute

[MapMySleighRide]

We are looking to buy our first home and have, hopefully, a few options open to us. Either a new build but small mid terraced house right in the centre of our town (it is on an estate and noise isnt an issue), this would mean I would have a barely 5 min commute twice per day and dh about 20-30 min commute each way. The garden is small but our dc aren't hugely sporty or outdoorsy and while I like the idea of country idyll (vegetable patch, chickens etc) I'm not sure I'd ever actually get round to doing it! It is also A rated so lower elec bills and warm, the mortgage would be higher tho as it is expensive.

Or we could go further afield, add a good 20-30 mins to our commute each, so about 30 mins for me each way but 1 hour for dh each way. We could get a bigger house, as in a semi with hopefully a slightly bigger garden, but it would be an older house that would need doing up cosmetically, possibly cold and draughty as a lot of our rentals have been, but I could one day have chickens and get off my arse and grow stuff!

Our dc are 15 and 10 if it makes a difference

AIBU to ask for your advice please on what you would go for? Sorry I've posted here for traffic. I think the only thing putting me off the new build is that it is smaller than I remembered it being in my head, but also it is our first house so I am worried about making the wrong decision as we'll be stuck with it for donkeys years and after almost 20 years renting I am a bit nervous of being stuck somewhere we're not sure on...help!!

If your children had been younger I’d have said go for the bigger house and garden as the extra commute isn’t that long really. But, at their ages I think the short commute and ease of access into town would potentially be better.

Small house, no commute 💯

Short commute definitely! Also, as your children are older, being in a central location will make things easier for them in terms of meeting up with friends and staying in the same school.

Then in a few years time you can see if a rural idyll with chickens is still what you want.

I don’t think it’s as binary as chickens or no chickens 😄

What’s the town like? Street crime? Pollution? What are schools and sixth forms like? Could you/ your kids have a better quality of life out of town with outdoor pursuits, clubs etc.? Can your OH work from home some days?

We moved out of a city to a semi rural location and I’d never go back. We’ve gained so much more in quality of life and peace of mind than we lost in “convenience”. However, we can both work at home for part of the week, making the hour commute more manageable when we do it.

Are there options to WFH or change jobs later to somewhere close to the bigger house?

Only you know what will make you happier. Personally I would never choose a small new build. Although no commute would be life changing in terms of getting daily exercise. I'd walk or cycle rather than drive 5 mins. But not for a new build.
I also value a garden.
For me, it would be about the kids. Is there enough space? Is there public transport, or are they stuck relying on you?
If no public transport I would hold out for a different house closer to town, but if you see yourselves happy in the new build and there is no public transport in the other place, then maybe that is best.

Looks like I’m the only one who says do the commute, 30 mins is nothing and even an hour isn’t that bad! I would HATE to live in a soulless new build on an estate, my idea of hell, but I love houses with character and love the countryside, which is why I moved from London to the countryside and now commute, yes my journey is longer but my quality of life is amazing, waking up to songbird instead of traffic and people makes me so happy. I just read, work or watch box sets on my commute, its fine!

We went for bigger house long commute. But the short commute meant we live in a busy place that's a bit of a shit hole. Longer commute a nice little town but I don't worry about my kids breathing in all that pollution and being stabbed one day.

I once had a commute of 5 minutes and it was glorious. Me and DH could go out in the evenings and I could pop home at lunchtime to hang the washing out etc. It really made a difference to my life! Now I have 40 mins each way and it's tiring driving in rush hour but needs must. This is because I moved job though and not house

A short commute would be ideal though a new build mid terrace house wouldn’t appeal to me at all because of sound proofing issues with houses on both sides. It could become a nightmare.

Is it not possible to more a little further out than the new build or keep looking for a semi closer to where you are now. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small garden or you won’t have the option for chickens!

Having a chuckle at the posters saying they'd never live in a new build, you must live somewhere affordable then. An older 3 bed semi on my old street (where we rented for 1200 a month, and is not the 'nicest' area at all) is almost half a million quid! Some of us have to live in a soulless new build even if we do love a fireplace

New build be careful that it’s not “fleecehold” with service charges & ground rent, built by a reputable builder, there’s enough parking (not just for you but neighbours and visitors) and that there are no covenants that prevent you from putting sheds into your back garden etc.

That said really enjoyed temporary stay in town-centre flat, while outskirts house out of action- so great to be able to walk to stuff and enjoy town parks in early evening spring time.

What's the parking like? These new build estates have houses packed in like sardines.

The noise would drive me mad too

I would never want to live in a new build mid terrace, so it’s a no brainier for me. It would be too claustrophobic. I like space around me.

On top of the commute, add your time as a Taxi.

I would not want the kids dependent on a 30 min drive to see friends, attend after school events etc.

Within a year your youngest will be getting about independently. Unless the further away house has a brilliant public transport link to town and school you will be that taxi driver!

The new build will not gain value like an older house which you improve, and make sure you are buying freehold with no ground rents or service charges for the estate that some developers impose.

By the ages your kids are you usually only need a garden big enough to sit in, have a BBQ in etc.

Short commute for me. I like to be close to things

I think it will suit the DC too.

Life is too short to commute

With your kids ages the town centre would be best but personally wouldn't go for a new build. A lot are so small they are unliveable. If possible I would look for an older terraced house as the room sizes are better and often have bigger rear gardens and fewer restrictive covenants. Also as pp said make sure the property you buy is freehold not a leasehold property with a ground rent and service charges, these can be extortionate.

Do you have a car? Is there good parking? Read the hilarious parking thread going on now.

nb many new houses stipulate that you can't use attic for storage
but re garden - check to see if there any allotments nearby?

I’d absolutely hate to live in a new build too. Round here they cost a lot more than the older houses. But your family sounds like they’d be happier in the town.

Ps, I live on a smallholding and wouldn’t have hens in my garden. They need a fair bit of space and can make a mess.

I vote for house C - more central but not a new build. Go for a nice established street. Would never buy a new build for a variety of reasons.

It depends on how small the small house is. If you’re trying to squeeze yourselves into less than 1000sqf then you’re going to have to put a lot of money into going out, otherwise you’ll all go mad. But if you’re talking 2000sqf vs 3000sqf then it’s a matter of personal preference and more a question of how much you enjoy going out in town, the amenities where the big house is, how long your work day is etc.

Interesting that most people are saying the smaller house with no commute. It's a very personal preference I suppose but I would prefer the larger house with the commute but that is probably more because I rather live outside of the town/city. Thinking of persuading DH to move out of the city in a couple of years when the children have left home. Partly because we can get a nice house but also because I'm fed up of the crime in the city where we live and just want to get out . It will be an hour train journey for him so not sure if he will agree but I'm already looking houses and thinking about it!

We live 5/ 10 minutes walk from the town centre. It's not a new build, but not a big house. Our garden is tiny, but we have parks very close. It has really come into its own for my dc as they hit secondary school age. They are able to get into town by themselves, be more independent, and also access public transport easily.

We are still called into service as a taxi service for late nights and for trips to friends who live outside of town. But for most of their social activities, school, college, they are able to get there under their own steam. Their friends are also round ours because it is a good base for going into town.

I just read, work or watch box sets on my commute, its fine

I think the OP would be driving, so less fine.