House or location?

[Redhats]

We’ve accepted an offer on our house and basically have 2 choices for where we move to -

1 - perfect location, amazing primary and feeds into really good secondary school. House prices are crazy and not much for sale so we’d have to settle for a house we probably don’t love but still spend a fortune on as prices are so high . We currently socialise in this location and all our friends are here.

2 - or Dream house - has everything we want. But not in the village we want. Schools aren’t as good and feed into a different secondary school. Although we could still apply and hope for other schools. Only a 5 minute drive from preferred location however.

We’re really torn and feeling under pressure as our buyers are starting to put a lot of pressure on to find something.

What would you do - location and guaranteed good schools or amazing house and risk the schools?

YABU - location and good schools
YANBU - perfect house

Location and schools.

I went for he perfect house in a less than perfect location. It got worse and I grew to loathe it. We don’t live there now.

There's a reason why the TV programme is called 'Location, Location, Location'!

Location every time, especially if your social network is there too.

This happened to us too. Awful.

100% location.

We also made the mistake of picking the house, and the area was just awful, much worse than we ever realised. Needless to say we no longer live there now!

I'd definitely go with location.

What are the major differences between both properties?

I can’t believe this is even a genuine dilemma. I would go for option 1. Option 2 would only be the dream house if it was in the right location and with the right schools and amenities, otherwise it’s just as nice house that isn’t quite right.

There's more potential to change your house than to change the location it's in.

Very good point.

It's not a dream house at all if it's in the wrong place!

Just to clarify the village the ‘dream house’ is in, is where we currently live and it’s still a lovely village , nothing wrong with it, just not quite as desirable as the other one. I think that’s why we are struggling so much as we’ve been so fixed on moving to Village ‘A’ but realistically we’re struggling to afford what we want. Where as we could stay in current village in a house that we absolutely love. Villages basically run into one another, little distance between them.

It’s far better to have the worst house on the best street than vice versa. You can make your house nicer over time

This

Hmmm
I don't think it's as cut and dried a choice of " location" as PP are saying.

Given that you say perfect location house is literally a five minute drive away and you currently socialise there anyway, that part of your life won't really change. And it would be hard to live in a house that you didnt really love and feel you've settled for when dream house is so close in the bordering village.

The decider is the schools.
Is there a massive difference?