Would you move house?

[PianoOnWheels]

We live in a village, it’s nice but neither DH or I grew up here so have no strong ties to it.

Our local school is not great so our DC have ended up at a primary school in the next town (which we are all happy with). As a result, all of their friends and most of their activities are based in this town.

I feel like I spend my whole life driving backwards and forwards to this town (can be anything from 10-30 minute drive each way depending on traffic).

A house has come up in the town about 0.8 miles walk from the school which we could afford, it’s not as nice as our current house but still meets our needs. We’ve viewed it and I want to put in an offer, DH is not convinced.

We would lose one extra room if we moved (although we’d still have a spare room/office plus the new house has a garage which we might be able to convert). The new house has a garden but it’s small whereas our current house has a much nicer garden but tbh we very rarely use it…

I love the idea of being able to walk to school and although not all activities would be in walking distance, it would be a much shorter drive across town. Friends would be closer etc.

At the new house the kids would also be able to walk to a very good secondary school when they get to that stage whereas where we live currently they’d be reliant on a bus or car to get to secondary.

All of this is a very long winded way of saying I think the move is worth it for convenience/lifestyle, but DH doesn’t think we should move to a less nice house. And there’s no doubt our current house is objectively nicer.

Just interested in other people’s opinions - anyone been in a similar situation? Which house would you prefer??

YABU = stay where you are, better location isn’t worth a smaller house/garden
YANBU = moving would mean better lifestyle even if the house isn’t as nice

Another option is to wait for a better house to come on the market and move then? You don’t sound very enamoured by by current one under consideration.

There's a lot to be said for the lifestyle it would give you, particularly as your kids get older if they need taxiing to and from friends all the time.

Would there be a compromise, such as waiting to see if a more desirable house comes up for sale?

I'd wait.

I wouldn't want to lose a nice garden and a bedroom.

Is the village primary really that bad ??

I presume your DH is not doing all the driving around then

Make the move

Realistically we’d never be able to afford to buy a house as good as the one we currently have in the town. House prices there are much higher.

Personally I think the new house is great but objectively our current house is nicer. However I’m just trying to put forward an unbiased view to be fair to DH and so as not to skew the results 😊

If anything I think our current house is actually too big for our needs (ultimate first world problem I know) and we don’t really make the most of it. And it’s great on paper to have a lovely garden but in practice we rarely use it, we are always out and about.

DH does do his fair share but yes I do more of the driving - I’m part time so it makes sense to split it that way. He will help out whenever he’s WFH though and with some of the weekend activities.

Location, location, location and your current location is a pain and will remain so for a good while.

If DH has somewhere to work efficiently, including in school holidays, then I would certainly be booking a walk through.

Will it be easy enough to sell your current house and at the right price?

I think location is everything. So I’d move.

Driving to school is hideous.. Forgotten PE kits, after school clubs if you have other dc to collect, school shows that finish before school does. Ime pop in to give Calpol is the straw.....
Move and make the house your hme

I hate moving, especially due to the faff of selling and the monetary/time cost that comes with it, but I also hate driving constantly between two places. I'd be more inclined to move.

If you never use your garden as you are out and about in the town then do it. As kids get older they use gardens outside less and less. They will however, want to be closer to friends so I think it’s an easy question and answer = move!!

Get your house ready to move - clear all the crap from the shed, neglected toys, surplus crockery and the “in case” stuff do that when you see a house in the town that you both love, you’ll be ready to list your house quickly.

I am another one who thinks location is so important. Are there improvements you can make to the house? We moved a couple of years ago to a house that needed a lot of work but was in a location we wanted. We could not have afforded a turn key house in the area. We have made renovations and much improved on what it was. I absolutely love where I live the location is even better then I could have imagined. It has made such a difference to our day to day lives. The kids are also happier here and they initially didn't want to move. ironically the house we had before was across the road from their primary school so we have moved further from it but my two elder kids have already finished there and my youngest only has a year to go. I would think about the house more in terms of 5 years from now. Will the location still suit once the kids have moved on from their current schools? Will losing a bedroom be difficult when the kids get older and need more space for study pals etc. Can you add these on to the house you are looking? as in convert an attic or extend in a few years if you need to.

I would move because of the improvement it would make to your lifestyle, particularly for your children especially as they get older.

Where is the secondary school?

We moved ahead of secondary school to within a 10 min walk of the school. I am really glad we did as it saved years of driving about. I love being near shops etc and rarely use the car.

What potential does the new house have?
Will you be in the right area for secondary schools?

I would move because its "ok for now" and then reassess when family circumstances change.

I'd move. It's an absolute no brainer to me location is everything!

What good is a big house if you spend so often out of it because you have to drive and a big garden is just a pointless extra if you don't use it.

Honestly I can't see any logical reason you would be better off staying where you are.

I think you should move for all the reasons you state. But it sounds like you need to convince your DH. Looking ahead to the Secondary schooling years is very sensible.

Can you take it in increments? Get him to agree in theory if you can both find the right house. Then show him that similar houses to the one you currently live in are too expensive.

Work out how much time you are both spending each week in driving the children around and include time spent waiting around ie for sports clubs etc. perhaps even look at what the extra mileage is doing to the depreciation of your car/s and the cost of petrol.

Try and find a way to counter each argument. Yes you can turn garage into extra room, or you could add an extension. Check planning first.

I think Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration on how a house can be decorated to make it look so much better. Maybe he needs visual prompts to see its potential.

Re garden. Remind him how little you use the garden. Less time will be needed to manage it/mow grass etc. again see if you can find patio ideas to show how garden can be transformed.

Are the children old enough to tell him they like to be nearer their friends?

Point out your next move won’t need to be your forever home. If prices are higher, then the new property is likely to keep its value and increase more as time goes on.

Lastly, if your future earning capacity is likely to allow for a bigger mortgage, then explain this will be a stepping stone to the ideal house.

Remind him the saying the 3 most important things about buying a house are location, location and location.

@PianoOnWheels

thats good, but he 'helps out' when he can, YOU are the one with the responsibility & drudgery.

you don't need the extra room you'd be losing & most teenagers barely use the garden.

in the new location they'll be in walking distance to meet up with mates to kick a ball around etc

is the house a status thing with DH? Does he feel like you're downgrading.

id do what others have suggested, go & look at the house, you might not even like it. Keep looking until you find one you like, then insist DH at least gives to look.

in the meantime seriously declutter and do any bits you'd want to do before putting it on the market.

keep making a list of the pros.

Good Luck!!

Location is everything. We could do with some extra space but we are in a great location so we make it work. I'd set a plan in motion to move nearer so get your own house valued and start looking around at other houses.

It is lovely being in a town where the schools are. I am considering a secondary for my daughter in another town and do not drive. My husband drives the family car. I also do not envisage my daughter alone on public transport. We tried to move homes but husband decided against it in the end and my daughter also loves her current home and town. I will be left with chapperonning my daughter around just like I always do , with tons of creativity

So long as you're sure the inside space is enough, i.e. enough bedrooms and storage, yes I would move. It's a pain in the arse having to drive the kids to school all the time, I only did it for a few months but it was really annoying.

Location is key, which is why I live in a city and not a pretty village!