Help me decide whether to move house or not

[SaintHunkerOfMunker]

We're in a two bedroom house with NO spare room and no storage. We have one room downstairs, a weeny kitchen, no hallway, no landing, no airing cupboard.

We live possibly in the catchment area for the school I want the DSs to go to, but possibly not. The nearest school is one I wouldn't want them to go to, and there is another one in the middle that they'll almost certainly get into, which is v good, but not quite as good as the first one.

We should just about be able to afford to move next summer, but it would mean things were quite tight for a good few years. We won't be able to afford to have more children if we move, but we won't fit more children in this house. I'm not even sure I want more, but...you know...never say never

We could also move way out of the area, but we don't want to, really - DH and I both have family here, DS1 sees his cousin who is almost the same age as him very regularly, etc, etc.

So while I'm looking at moneysavingexpert.com and other such factual places, come and talk to me about other practicalities! What aren't I considering?

The murderous rage that will consume you during the process of looking for a new house, dealing with estate agents, and moving. The sudden conviction you're doing the wrong thing. The fact that you'll undoubtedly lose something you're very fond of in the moving process.

On the other hand you'll probably find something you've been looking for too.

Isn't moving one of those Big Life Events that Experts warn you about?

We're planning to move too. I am at least hoping to track down the copy of David Lodge's Changing Places I haven't seen since 2003.

you're not considering how much extra work all this extra space will be

Hmm, yes, there is that - the murderous rage.

We've moved twice (never with children, but last time I was pg with DS1 and we moved into this pisshole - it was, there was cat piss in the dining room and man piss in the kitchen - and if you have to ask how I know the difference, you've led a more sheltered life than me and [barf]).

And losing things - well, as long as it's not limbs, or children, or photos I think I'll manage.

I don't mind work - I really, really object to tripping over things and having to sidle round my house crabwise because there's not enough room to swing a tadpole!

Any possibility of remortgaging your current home and extending, going into the attic or adding a conservatory?
I moved north, away from family to get more space and more for my money and it's fine - only a couple of hours drive to visit my home town.

We could technically add a loft room - a conservatory would be difficult and would make downstairs v dark, I think (I know they're glass, but still!). Also the back is south facing, so there's a chance we'd just cook in summer!

But it doesn't get round the "no hall, no cupboards, no landing, nowhere to swing a cat" problem - and it doesn't move us nearer the better school.

Put your house on the market now if you want to move next summer,if you sell it quick,go into rented then you are in a fab position to buy and make a stupid offer

Hunker, you hate your house. Move. Just don't move to a worse house.

We could do that - we've got to work on getting this place sorted out a bit first though - lots of jobs that need doing.

Bit worried that if we did do that, the market would take off and we'd end up priced out of it again.

Is that mad?

Chip (I assume that's you!) - fab advice.

I shall take it

(DS1 told me we lived in a castle the other day - the nicest thing anyone will ever say about our house )