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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask you to help me choose a house

76 replies

Quaggainexcelsius · 11/10/2022 20:18

House 1
Thirty minutes by bus out of town (work)
Ex council so large rooms (3 doubles) but needs a lot of work (new kitchen, stairs)
Backs onto a large building trade centre (noisy but only 7am- 5pm weekdays)
Unknown neighbours but seem ok
Roughish area, lots of people leaving sofas mattresses etc outside, dog poo, litter
Close (walking distance) to nice inner city parts
Thirty minute cycle in opposite direction to traffic from kids school which I hope to keep them in
Similar diversity to where we live now which is good
On busy-ish main road (we have cats also air pollution? Noise?)
Choice of two great secondary schools
Further from family (elderly parents)

House 2
One hour plus from town on bus (work)
Cute cottage with no work needed, done to high spec
Smaller rooms, less storage
Quiet road, mostly old people and families
Forty minute drive to school but in same direction as work
Majority white British, very suburban
One secondary (not great)
Closer to family

OP posts:
Readaboutyourself · 11/10/2022 20:19

I’d always take the quiet option.

What are you circumstances? Kids?

WaddleAway · 11/10/2022 20:20

Neither of them sound particularly suitable, mainly for the distance from schools/work. With house one would you have to cycle half an hour to school and back then get on a bus and go half an hour to work in the other direction?
Can you keep looking?

NameChangeLifeChange · 11/10/2022 20:20

100000 x house 2

wishing3 · 11/10/2022 20:21

2

Purplecatshopaholic · 11/10/2022 20:21

House 2 about a million %!

Hellocatshome · 11/10/2022 20:22

If you had to house 2 but honestly neither of them sound good.

WildCherryBlossom · 11/10/2022 20:22

House 2!!!

SunshineClouds1 · 11/10/2022 20:23

If I had to choose, 2.

But both don't sound great

Bbqchicken · 11/10/2022 20:25

Neither wait 1 year for prices to fall and buy house 3 which is in a better area possibly detached and currently over budget!

Quaggainexcelsius · 11/10/2022 20:26

@Bbqchicken but then we wouldn't get as much for ours so in the same position!

We're sold subject to contract so have to move.

OP posts:
crazycrofter · 11/10/2022 20:27

I definitely wouldn’t go for either of those. We’ve lived in the rough area and it was hard for lots of reasons. We also lost money on our (very nice, detached, modern) house and took 18 months to sell.

But I wouldn’t want to be as far as house 2 from work or kids’ schools. Can’t they change schools? I’d also want a decent secondary and more space!

NotJustAnybody · 11/10/2022 20:28

Neither.
House 1 - Roughish area, no, you'll regret it.
House 2 - An hour plus to get to work, no, you'll regret it.

Keep looking OP. It's a big decision, why compromise. Unless you're desperate?

NotRightNowNo · 11/10/2022 20:28

Definitely not house 1. Either house 2 or keep looking

BlancmanegeBunny · 11/10/2022 20:28

Neither! If it has to be one those then 2

Quaggainexcelsius · 11/10/2022 20:30

@crazycrofter here lies the dilemma. Houses close to town which are spacious and in nice areas are not in our budget at all, about 500k, which I know isn't much for MN.
We have to decide between being close to town, good public transport and keeping both kids in school vs suburbs, 'nice' area and less space, shit bus options and having to drive everywhere.

OP posts:
NotJustAnybody · 11/10/2022 20:32

I can see why you're feeling pressured, as you've just accepted an offer on yours.

New listings come up all the time, I'd wait it out as long as you can get away with.

HTH1 · 11/10/2022 20:32

No way in hell to house 1. Too much commuting for house 2 so best find something like it but closer.

elephantgrass · 11/10/2022 20:32

Having just moved from a roughish area with dog poo and castoff furniture on the streets to a much nicer area, would 100% go for the nicer, quieter area, especially with kids. But 40 mins from school and an hour from work is a LOT.

HTH1 · 11/10/2022 20:33

Maybe change your mind about selling your house until you find something more suitable.

Bbqchicken · 11/10/2022 20:33

Unless you are downsizing/purchasing a cheaper house then a house price fall is a benefit. The only way exchanging and completing is a benefit is if you get an absolute bargain with what you are buying and so you are getting top price for yours but the one you buy is significanlty reduced and possibly in need of a quick sale.

Eitherway You are clearly not in love with either house so why continue with either option?

WaddleAway · 11/10/2022 20:34

Are you desperate to move right now?

BrendaHope · 11/10/2022 20:35

Could you sell, rent for a bit and then snap up a bargain in a few months?

Renting is far from ideal I know. But neither sound great, a 30 minute cycle to school sounds tough.

I think I'd have to change to more convenient schools if going for either of those.

Quaggainexcelsius · 11/10/2022 20:36

We have to move, there's no option there

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 11/10/2022 20:36

I know you have accepted an offer on your house but apart from that why are you moving? What js it you are looking for in your new house that you dont have now?

Suzi888 · 11/10/2022 20:38

How old are you both….
How much money do you have available to spend on House 1 (will you get your money back and more?) Is it a popular area?

If it was me, personally I’d go for house 2. I don’t like noise and I don’t like mess, house 1 would make me unhappy.

Commuting could be a huge pain in the butt, have you done a trial run?