To buy or not to buy?

[GiraffeBread]

This seems to be a running theme on Mumsnet at the moment- I've seen many people having similar questions...

We have sold our house and for a good price (sstc). We have found a place and had our offer accepted but it's not in the location I'd prefer to live (which is where we currently live). Anything that does come on the market here seems to be out of our price range and we already are paying more than I'd like for the house we have offered on- 40 year mortgage, high payments compared to current place, forever home sort of situation. We'd be in our 70s when the 40 years is up!
We are going to potentially outgrow our current house in the next couple of years so we thought moving now made most sense.

AIBU to have doubts about buying this house we've found?
Should we keep our buyer but keep waiting for something in our current area?
Should we take ours off the market and accept we can't upsize as it's just too costly? We've done the calculations and can afford it but we are much better off in our current place.

DH loves the place we've offered on and thinks it's a no brainer to move but I can't shake this niggling feeling that I'll regret leaving this location.

Any outside influences are welcomed as I'm feeling very unsure about this after being initially very sure!

It really is difficult for anyone else to know.
I mean, it is natural to have jitters when making any big life decision, so keep that in mind, but it sounds like you aren't in agreement about what the 'non-negotiables' are.
Moving out of your area but to a bigger house obviously gives you more room, but how does it affect your life ? Commute(s) ? Social life ? Your dc if you have them ? Schools ?
How much of a jump in costs will it be - as well as the new mortgage payments, what about the Council tax, heating bills, general maintenance. Does the total increase in cost = the love you feel for the new house ?

The only thing is to write a whole pros / cons list as a starting point, and see if that clarifies anything in your head.

Which mortgage company? Natwest wouldn't loan to us past 67 (in reality we will be 59 when it is paid off)

We recently had our house valued and it is worth what we think is a very healthy sum. However we have been looking for other houses that fit our criteria and realise that we cannot get another house that gives us everything our current house has for our budget - so we're not moving. Unless you hate your house I would pull out of the sale and put any 'spare' money into making where you live now perfect, can you put on an extension? Or go into the roof?