To buy boring house to be near good school

[HouseMoveHopeful]

Honestly just that. We live in a town where one secondary has massive bulling issues and the other is physically crumbling. Houses are pretty affordable, but the town is really really run down with a lot of obvious drug problems. Current house is far too small, I need office space and another bedroom for DC.

We’ve been gifted a big chunk of money to move to catchment for an outstanding school, modern building, great facilities, naice rural village. But to get the space we need inside for the house we can only afford a modern build with postage stamp garden, lovely area, but just not what I thought we’d be able to move to.

This is a total, total, first world problem I know, but currently we have tiny house but huge garden, and I adore the garden. There is literally nothing else on the market in our price range.

AIBU to have massive wobble? I can’t talk to my friends locally because they all went to the local schools and think they are perfect. DC are all really academic (but probably on the high functioning autistic side and haven’t gelled with kids at their school)

YABU - get over yourself, enjoy bigger house and better school. Plant wildflower meadows guerrilla style on the local verges and walk in the hills more.

YANBU - stay put/stay local, enjoy your massive garden.

100% no question - get the boring house in the good area.

There's no way I'd send my kid to a shit school so I could have a bigger garden.

My dc has been through three great schools, I've prioritised his education every time. Finding a school that fits your child and brings out the best in them - especially if you suspect SEND of any description - is invaluable and in their best interests, which should be a priority for parents. How could you look your child in the face and say "But darling, I know that school was awful, but I love the garden more!"

I do get the pull of the garden. I'm an RHS member, been pulling plants out and putting ones in since I was a tween. I LOVE to see the garden flourish. But put that ahead of my child's education and well being at school? Nope, a million times nope. A house is a shelter, it will be fine to live in one that isn't your dream property for a while.

I’m amazed a new build is cheaper than similar slightly older houses. Often they sell at a premium. What about a house you could extend? So not just what you need right now but a lot netted in 2 years time? I would definitely move though but I’m amazed the only choice in a school catchment area is brand new.

I have often seen people who went to a poor school knew it was poor and didn’t believe it could improve for their dc, even when it demonstrably could and had. Most people are not wedded to a useless school.

Not a fan of the postage stamp gardens either, but you can always move again for more outdoor space later on. It doesn't have to be a permanent house.

We moved exactly a year ago to accommodate my DC getting into a better school. Although not exactly the same scenario as you (we were staying in the same area and same period style property) we had to sacrifice a large garden and lovely driveway for a garden that was about 1/3 of the size and on street parking...but seeing DC thrive in their new school makes my tiny garden worth it! We plan to move again at some point so I know this garden isn't forever and that makes it easier to justify in my head. Make the move, your DC being happy at school is priority and you can always move again later.

Are there resllt no other houses that would fit the bill?

You can plant up the tiny garden beautifully, perhaps do a beautiful cobblestone garden? The internet has some lovely small garden ideas.

I get the impression that it isn't just sitting in the garden you enjoy but also working in it. As others have said, see if there are any allotments near by. But you also might find that, as you get to know people in the village, there might be someone with a large garden who is not able to look after it who would appreciate some help.

Google garden ideas for the potential garden and see what you could do.

I’m like you, OP. Love my country garden, hate newbuild houses.

I would move to a catchment-area box until all your children have got into the good school, and then move somewhere else nearby-ish. They don’t kick you out for moving out of catchment.

I took this decision OP about 8 years ago for a fab primary school.

I made my small garden into a palm, bamboo (in a planter natch) fern etc oasis which is gorgeous and we are surrounded by country.

Built an extension.

Moving soon to something I actually want to be in.

No regrets.

I mean I could have moved sooner actually as DD15 then went to a private school in a city about 25 mins away (she is AuDHD and I needed small class sizes)

As a PP said, education trumps everything. For us, we live in a new build but stupidly didn't really think of the local high school when we bought 10 years ago. So now kids going private for secondary. We could move to a better catchment but prices are obscene (and dearer than school fees). And yes our house is a box but it's a beautiful box that I've put a lot of time and effort into over the years and I think it's gorgeous. The inverse snobbery around new builds is a bit galling. You really can make them into whatever you want.

It’s not just the school is it? It’s being able to relax about your teens meeting friends on the weekend, having the freedom to get the bus or walk to stuff to do, not you having to drive them etc. it’s the full lifestyle this new area will give your kids.

move.

that said, a lot of people don’t put properties on the market until after Christmas, 2nd January usually has a flurry of new properties for sale on rightmove. 6th jan - when most kids go back to school - will be probably the date this year loads go up for sale. You might find something else in the area with a bit more garden comes on the market.

Excellent point.

I would caution that "naice" villages sometimes have the worst bullying and drug problems plus smaller schools can be an issue for high functioning neurodiverse children as there isn't a big enough pool of children for them to "find their tribe".

The rough city suburb comprehensive had far better send support that the village school my dc attended (we moved 100 miles for work hence changing school).

Before you make the move which is such a compromise for you, ensure the school really will suit your dc.

I'd also caution that I see the freedoms that the relatively affluent youngsters have in my small town, partly because they have parents working full time so no supervision. in many ways a lovely childhood but the drink and drugs is on full display, down on the beach and in the woods smells like a music festival.

We were in the same position (without the financial gift) a few years ago. Period property large garden, awful location. Moved to standard older modern box with small garden.

I will be honest with you it has taken a couple of years to stop missing my garden but I am glad we moved.

If you love your garden there is so much you can do to make a small garden a haven. Furniture, lights, clever planting and it can become a little oasis in the middle of an estate. Have a look on Instagram, Pinterest and gardeners world and treat yourself to one of the RHS festivals for some inspiration. I found it really helped to reframe the garden from having lots of open space to creating a small garden with style.

It’s a newer build - early 2000’s not a new build. It’s about £30k less that the equivalent new builds, but needs at least £30k of modernising, and much less overlooked than the new builds. Houses in the catchment of the school are inflated prices and there’s really very little on the market below £500k other than tiny terrace houses or things built since the 80’s. Going above £500k just isn’t possible.

Hello - I totally hear your dilemma and I know how much you love and will miss your big garden, but it sounds like the new build for a few years will be the way to go here. You can look forward to moving again once the kids are older - maybe to a lovely wee cottage with a beautiful big cottage garden! In the meantime, what are the dimensions of the postage stamp garden and what aspect is it? I went to the Chelsea Garden Show a couple of years ago and I was so impressed and inspired by the balcony and container gardens section, it's quite amazing what you can achieve in a smaller space!

Absolutely - I find it very therapeutic working in a garden and get real joy out of growing things - flowers and vegetables, but an allotment is a good idea if we can get one.

@HouseMoveHopeful I would still move and think of the garden as a room. Most modern houses do not get much garden. If there’s nothing else to buy, then you just take this house with its less than ideal garden. Have you sold your house?

I would prioritise the kids schooling. The move to high school for children who are undiagnosed autistic/adhd can be a time when the wheels fall off and they can struggle massively so I’d be giving them the best chance of success.

Exactly
They're either off with their mates in holed up in their bedrooms.
You'll probably love your new , modern new builds.

Warm, lower energy bills and easy to keep clean
Go for it.

Small gardens can be fabulous.

https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/maintain-the-garden/small-garden-design-ideas/

This 100%. Your time with children at home is relatively short (though it might not feel that way when you’re in the thick of it!) and their outcomes in life can be hugely affected by schools and the surrounding environment.

I’m sorry the house is so uninspiring but you can still make it a home. Bite the bullet, move and get an allotment for the time being. You have the whole of the rest of your life to buy a place with a lovely garden, and you’ll be able to do that with much greater peace of mind if you’ve got your kids off to the best possible start.

Personally moving for a good school is usually not needed. Do children do well at local school? We were in the minority staying at local school and DS has thrived. It was a smart decision as it turned out. What is better about the other school? Ofsted’s become out of date quickly, when was it?