Unreasonable to move into a flat?

[CanterburyRoadBlock]

I'll try and be quick and concise, would really appreciate advice/experience.

Me, on my own with 2 children (one disabled) aged 10 and 15, and a dog. 2 years ago we were homeless after leaving of loved home of a decade, I left before I needed to after being spooked by the LL telling me she was thinking of selling. I had no idea what I was doing and mentally very low. I ended up buying a house in a nearish town to our village, it was available and sold to me at 2k under home report and i used a FTB scheme. It needed much more than I could have imagined, included repairs requiring a whole new flat roof section, new roof tiles, a repair to the underground drainage after sewage was coming into the DS loo, a new front door etc. But it is a 4 bedroom with a good size garden. I have dealt with this almost entirely alone and it has cost me my health as well as my finances. One of the worst parts is the road at the front is used as a race track, literally, I've seen it and I now take two hours a day doing the two school runs, on top of the boys sports 5x a week. I have a very flexible role, which I cant really move on from and earn more, although I am overqualified, because I neee so much flexibility with all the driving.

This leads to me AIBU...to buy a flat? I cannot afford to buy a house where we want to be (back home in our village), but there are some flats right next to the HS, which my 10 yo would start next year with his brother. They are fairly new, maybe a decade old, two bed, two bath. I would set up camp in the living room. This would solve some big issues for us:

1. The commuting would stop, I may actually be able to have a life, change jobs, go to the gym. Sports club is also held at the school, I would get back around 17 hours a week
2. My youngest is currently out of catchment for his brothers HS, the same one his current PS feeds. He actually has friends there now.
3. I cant afford a lot

But we would loss space, and the garden, although there is green space right outside

Of course YANBU, how often do you actually sit in your garden? It sounds like the pros outweigh the cons here.

Do it. Get your life back.

Good luck 💐

A dog in and a flat is a great combination

By 'set up camp in the living room' - do you mean you will have this as your bedroom? - and what about the dog? I can understand your reasons for moving, but does the flat give you the space you actually need?

I moved from a house to a flat

Me, dd 6 with autism and dcat

Dd didnt use the garden. I hated the garden. We moved to a better area and are in a 2nd floor flat. Sounds mad but the area we are in now is miles better

We rent though

There are a lot of challenges to do with schooling etc but no regrets at all girl

The only thing I would say is: try and get a 3bed! See if it can work.

You may end up being there for a long time so definitely think long term and of the space you need

Other than that i'm for it x

Nb - the boys may have to be careful re jumping etc, if they arent used to that. Very thick underlay and carpet is your friend

Best of luck xx

Edit, definitely get a 3bedroom if you have a dog. Space is your friend. And make the the area is safe for the boys to walk the dog x

As others have said, in theory it sounds sensible to move, but will a 2 bed be enough space ( also with dog?).

Why would a 15 and 10 year old be jumping around Indoors. Thats toddler behaviour

I have this set up, two bed flat and I sleep in the living room. The pay off is that we’re right in the town centre with easy access to everything. I haven’t put petrol in my car since last October! We love it.

Oh okay, fair enough, mine is only 6 😅

Thank you for replying, appreciate it.

@JaniceScott,good to hear a positive spin. Do you have a sofa bed?

@rwalkerno, a dog in a flat is not ideal at all. But I would only look at main door flats right next to good walks. She does need a lot of walking, but I could actually give her more walks due to the extra time. We have a dog walker when im in the office and on a Friday. But yes, I know that it isnt ideal not having a garden.

There are flats that are bigger, but would still involve a commute, shorter, but still there. And it's the queuing up in traffic, waiting, going to get the older one.

I could afford a much nicer, larger home in the Borders for example, but that would include starting again which feels too risky given the last two years.

Go for it. Your health has to be your priority. Not having a garden is not ideal with a dog but so long as you're prepared for toilet walks first thing in the morning and last thing at night, this shouldn't be a barrier.

I moved from a house to a flat with 2 children but for other reasons. We all love it. Closer to everything saves so much time. Save time not looking after a garden. Save money on not having to use the car very much and considering selling it soon. We spent lots of time in parks when the weather is nice. Don't miss it at all. If your daily quality or life would improve a lot then go for it.

If youvthink you can make more quality time for yourself the kids and the dog... then its a winner. Commuting os just such a waste of time. Maybe walk the dog to the sports activities?

Yes, a sofa bed. I thought it might be uncomfortable after a while, but it’s been fine. I bought a thick mattress topper and it’s cosy. My flat is above a shop which is very handy when we run out of teabags!

Hmm a 3 year old living in a flat should know not to be jumping around too much either. My eldest lives In a flat and her kids have been taught that since becoming mobie.

Hi OP, this is my set up (though no dog). My living room is long and thin and I have a single bed st one end, behind a big wooden screen.

I don't miss having a garden at all, and am happy to lose one more thing to look after.

The biggest disadvantage is the lack of privacy, but my oldest has now gone to uni so for half the year I use her room. I did have to get very clever with storage for my clothes (managed to squeeze shelving into the cloakroom).

It has been absolutely worth it for the location, keeping my girls close to their schools and to public transport, shops etc.

👌

I live in a flat with a dog and it's fine. Up and out first thing for a walk, round the block at lunchtime for a wee, evening walk and a nip outside for a wee before bed - all good.
The pros far outweigh the cons for you, so I'd absolutely go for it.

Dog’s inevitable bark that’s the problem with flats and dogs

A word of caution: I would advise you to look at the service charges of flats. DS bought a flat on the FTB Help to Buy scheme and the increase in the service charge he has to pay has been astronomical. Worse, when he actually needs the service company to do something, they shrug & say “Not our problem” & he ends up paying on top to have it done.

Dog bloody barks constantly in the house next door to mes garden. It's not flats that makes them bark

I lived in my 1 bed flat for years with a dog, 2 cats and my boyfriend at the time! Loved it, it was my happiest home, I had lots of money to buy all M&S food, bought what I wanted and most importantly, felt safe & secure financially. My dog was/is fine, all he cared about was being with those he loves, he got all the walks and love he needed and all was good. I paid the mortgage off early too as it was cheap.

I only moved because I needed a drive and garden because I was pregnant but honestly, we’ve hardly used the garden, it’s just another job.

Go for it!🙂

My DH’s first home together we bought from a family that had raised a son and a daughter. Strictly speaking the flat was only a one bedroom! They had an internal box room that they used as a bedroom, the bedroom and the living room was a bedroom.

Their saving grace was the kitchen was absolutely huge. Easily the biggest room in the flat, and so it became their living, kitchen, dining room.

if you look for 2 bed flats with a roomy kitchen you can use that as your communal space.

or pop a Murphy bed in the living room.

Can I tell you op that moving to a flat has been one of the single best things I have ever done on my life. I LOVE it. No commute, no gardening, hardly any housework, a really strong sense of community. A place of your own. Do it.

i don’t think it’s fair to have a dog in a flat.