Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To want the bigger house in the less than perfect location

83 replies

Woodlandwalks · 13/07/2020 05:19

We put our house on the market specifically for a house that came up in exactly the village we want to be in. It's where we used to live when we were renting and loved it but as first time buyers, we couldn't afford to stay there. The house is very run down (hence we can afford it) and would need completly updatng and we don't have a lot of money to play with so it would take a long time to get it how we wanted but certainly liveable.
We put an offer in Saturday which, long story short, we now think was accepted but we never actually heard back to confirm this though we've now seen the house is listed as sold STC on Rightmove (we offered what they asked for after a bit of negotiation but then as they were going to confirm, we never heard from them again so have had all weekend thinking they're biding their time before they accept.) Because of this, we started reviewing our options again and have come back to a much larger property we also looked at in a perfectly lovely area but not the perfect location for us (aesthetically speaking, practically minimal difference for work etc.)
We went and saw it a few weeks ago before we had sold to keep options open but dismissed it because it was not in the dream location.
But after the anti-climax of not knowing what happened on Saturday (the agent said he'd call right back with confirmation that we'd bought it and then nothing), we have thought about it again and it really could be a very nice home and it is a lot bigger and it needs less work doing to it immediately which would be easier as we have a young baby.

My husband thinks we should buy the smaller house but now I'm really not convinced. It's end of terrace Vs detached, only marginally bigger than our current property with a smaller living room and whilst both only have 1 toilet there's scope to easily put in 2 more in the existing bigger property where we would have to actually extend before we could put in another in the summer house. My husband keeps saying Location Location Location which I do get but we're only on baby number 1 and would like another child one day and as lovely as the villiage is, we'll spend most time actually inside the house. AIBU to want the bigger house?

OP posts:

MintyMabel · 13/07/2020 09:01

Bigger house in cheaper area. As you say, you spend more time in the house than outside looking at it.

Cismyfatarse1 · 13/07/2020 09:04

Detached!!!

We have moved from semi to detached and love the lack of neighbour noise through the wall and the freedom to play music and shout a bit more.

Ducksurprise · 13/07/2020 09:07

My concern would be that your love for small house village is based on your experience renting there pre kids. Kids change things, sleepy village's can be a pita if you always need a car to get to shops/school /toddler groups. What is the transport to schools like, what are the provisions for toddlers, good playgroups, parks etc arw more likely in the bigger village. Also what are the chances of the little village expanding. The village I grew up in was tiny but has just had pp for 1000 houses.

CottonSock · 13/07/2020 09:09

We went for the bigger house. Still there 13 years later and extending it now we have 2 kids. Saved us a fortune not having to move twice.

TimeWastingButFun · 13/07/2020 09:14

I'd sit down and list your 'must haves' and 'nice to haves' on a piece of paper. So if it's a deal breaker if the garden is North facing for example put 'not North facing' on the 'must haves' list, but if you can live without a downstairs loo put it in the 'nice to haves' list. Make sure you include the road/vicinity and whether the house is a doer-upper or not. Go through everything that matters, and any house not on the 'must haves' list is a no. Then the house will choose itself. This is what we did when we were planning to move a few years ago (as it happens we ended up extensively remodelling our own place but that's another story!)

Cheeseandwin5 · 13/07/2020 09:21

I think you need to decided with your family wants best but my understanding on the three rules of house purchases is:
a) Location
b) Location
c) Location

LifeOverAlready · 13/07/2020 09:22

I'd go for the larger house. You spend more time at.home than outside. Plus the larger town will have more facilities for children and more accessible when you get older etc. X

ChateauMargaux · 13/07/2020 09:22

Bigger house!! Plant flowers, do what I call 'colouring in' rather than renovation, enjoy it!!!

Frazzledmum123 · 13/07/2020 09:29

We went for house over location. To be fair the location of the new house is much nicer that the other but less practical and means we need to drive kids to school and friends (only 5 mins but would be about 40 min walk due to paths etc). Occasionally I do wish we were a bit closer to things but I dont regret our decision at all. Our house is perfect, its got soo much more room that we could have had in the other location, space for all the kids things, a separate room to eat in, a conservatory, its detached and the garden is much bigger too. Its also a quiet culture de sac so the kids can ride their bikes etc. We could have had the same amount of bedrooms in the other location but would have seriously struggled with detached and if we did manage it the house would have been much smaller. I guess you have to weigh up what's important to you but in our case in was space and i honesty don't regret it at all, even if you go out a lot, you spend a huge amount of time inside and i love our house

jammyjoey · 13/07/2020 09:32

From a family point of view would the slightly bigger house be better long term? I know you both say you like quiet but with children the more activities on your door step the better, more structure to you day and easier to entertain children. DH and I are moving as DC2 is due in September, I realised with my first maternity leave how annoying it was living up a big hill and constantly relying on the car, we're now moving to an area close to parks, a library, playgroups, cafes and shops

Stefoscope · 13/07/2020 09:41

Definitely the bigger house, assuming the potentially higher running costs aren't going to be an issue. Having the option for a second toilet would be a big plus point for me. The privacy of a detatched house gives a better quality of life I think.

BarbaraofSeville · 13/07/2020 09:46

^I think you need to decided with your family wants best but my understanding on the three rules of house purchases is:
a) Location
b) Location
c) Location^

Even when budget dictates that location only allows a house that is too small and needs work that they can't afford to do and the other house they are looking at is also in a perfectly decent location?

Plus the 'location' aspect in this one is rather niche and might not appeal to everyone, hence resale might be an issue should they wish to move?

It's refreshing on this thread that the consensus appears to be to go for the house that's actually more suitable for them and ditch the obsession with location for once.

notheragain4 · 13/07/2020 09:49

@Cheeseandwin5 so if it's as easy as that, you'd go for a 500sqft studio flat for a family of 4 in the best location over a 4 bed house in the undesirable location. I know I wouldn't, you simply can't belittle a house search down to purely location. If it was as easy as that you wouldn't have the hundreds of threads on here discussing.

People are quick to spout out l x 3, but what do you mean? Are you talking postcode desirability? Amenities? Distance to schools? A beach nearby? There is no such thing as the perfect location because it means different things to different people, and if you look at the OP's posts their preference for the location is largely emotional rather than practical so it's very reasonable to pick that apart than give the lazy advice of location first.

MaybeMaybeNotJ · 13/07/2020 09:51

I’d encourage the town with a young child. Just walking out of the house to go somewhere is a great bonus.

billy1966 · 13/07/2020 10:00

Larger house.
Children have so much stuff.
Space is fantastic to have to store.
Also what you love pre children can be hugely affected by having them.

Someone might not even notice a lovely green nearby when buying but 10 years later be thrilled that their children meet friends there and kick a ball.

Also a larger area means more friends.
Children grow up and love having access to friends.

The larger house is in a busier area but not a bad one?
No brainer to go for the larger house.
Do not underestimate what a complete PITA renovating is with children.
I had the whole house painted last year and the interruption for just a week was inconvenient.

I wouldn't dream of doing big work again with young children.

Antipodeancousin · 13/07/2020 10:01

I have always found that location is the biggest factor in whether I enjoy where I live. However, are there more amenities for your child as they grow up in the bigger village? I grew up in a sleepy village with 1000 residents and a single shop and I don’t think it‘a ideal once you get to 13/14 and want to go out independently or meet up with friends.

Cheetahfajita · 13/07/2020 10:04

Detached v terraced still in a nice area?

No brainer for me. Bigger house every time.

notheragain4 · 13/07/2020 10:13

If you think about the programme Location, Location, Location (a programme I love!) despite knowing the importance of location, and being named after it, in the majority of cases they end up taking them to places outside of their desirable areas to demonstrate what else you can get, and a lot of the time they take it, when faced with the prospects of what their money can get them in different locations.

LifeOverAlready · 13/07/2020 10:57

What notheragain4 said. Im a huge fan of location location location too and Ive hardly ever seen the buyers stick with their original desired location.

floralf · 13/07/2020 11:27

We went for the smaller house in the perfect location instead of a bigger house in a less than ideal location.

We couldn't have made a better decision, I absolutely love where we live and it's basically entirely down to location. We live beside a huge picturesque park and the area in general is great. Lots of nature and greenery.

The larger alternative was in a less appealing area (although not far from our house) and on a bus route, quite near to the road.

If the larger house has any major alarm bells like the bus route issue I mentioned above then it would definitely put me off. However if the differences are negligible, I would love a bit more space at some point!

Keepitup · 13/07/2020 11:32

I'd go detached every time. Good luck with whatever you decide.

LadyofMisrule · 13/07/2020 11:50

Is it your forever house? I grew up in a small, sleepy village, and as a teenager it felt like being buried alive in a coffin. I wanted my children to grow up somewhere with more facilities, and not reliant on parents for lifts to see their friends. We now live in a small town and love it.

ittakes2 · 13/07/2020 11:52

I would make sure choosing schools is a priority and choose the house which is in the best school catchment and closest to that school.

Elsiebear90 · 13/07/2020 11:54

Location is very important, however, I know a few people who have crammed their families into tiny old houses that they can’t afford to renovate just so they can live in a “posh” area and they’re miserable. So I would take the slightly worse area and bigger house, as space is also very important when you have kids.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 13/07/2020 12:45

Bigger house, bigger village, less work, equally good schools. It’s a no brainier to me!

Flip

1 2 3 4