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Original poster

Dilemma - stay in flat with no garden in lovely area or move?

12 replies

flapinko · 06/04/2011 21:05

We are currently in a lovely area of London with a fantastic park on our doorstep, a really good primary school which DD has just got into, lots of friends, new and old, within walking distance, but we live in a smallish flat with no outdoor space with two kids. We could NEVER afford a house in the area, so know we need to up sticks and move at some point, but can't decide when the best time to do it is. DD is 4, DS is 2. Any other flat dwellers out there in a similar predicament? And does anyone have any thoughts about the best age to move kids - i.e. as soon as possible so they don't get too upset by the change of friends/schooling, or is anytime during Primary ok?

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 06/04/2011 21:09

i think the longer you leave it the harder it will be, personally.
your dd will make friends and really settle into school, and then you will find it hard to move her. That isn't to say that she'll be scarred for life by moving, but it will just be a more difficult process IMO

do you really want to move?

noddyholder · 06/04/2011 21:11

How small in relation to the size of your family?
Any potential to rearrange or extend to make it more long lasting possibility?

tribpot · 06/04/2011 21:28

I'd actually stay where you are. I have a small-ish garden to manage and it's a right pain, I'd much rather be going to a park. That said, of course, you don't have the option of decanting kids into the garden to muck about on their own until they are considerably older if it's a park and not an actual garden.

I would stay for the good school alone, to be honest!

Original poster

flapinko · 06/04/2011 21:57

thisisyesterday - up to this point i've been quite against moving, just because it's a lot of upheaval, and we do love the location. I have quite a stressy job and work from home, and thinking about moving just feels like another layer of unnecessary anxiety that i/we don't need right now.

but now my DS is getting bigger I can see how much he and DD just love pottering around outside, playing with sticks and tormenting bugs, and I feel like I'm being selfish. it would be so much better for them at the end of a sunny spring day like today to be able to play unsupervised in the garden, but what I end up doing is putting them in front of the TV, which isn't ideal.

On the other hand, as tribot says, DD has got into a fantastic state primary. She's already in nursery there and loves it. I know there are other great schools out there, but there is a risk that we wouldn't get her/them into one as good, and that makes me feel like I'm crazy to even consider moving. Esp having seen the disappointment of so many friends who haven't been so lucky.

noddyholder - no, we've looked into all the extending options and they're not feasible.

OP posts:

vess · 06/04/2011 22:15

Garens are nice, but nowhere near as much fun as a park.
I'd stay.
Especially if the alternative is a house in a not very nice area, far away from parks, no friends nearby, not particularly great schools... but with a garden.

vess · 06/04/2011 22:16

Gardens, sorry.

thisisyesterday · 09/04/2011 20:41

ahhh hard choice to make.
no chance of moving to a similar property in current area but with a garden? a ground floor flat or something?

schools are really important IMO, but you're right that it's just lovely to be able to chuck them out into the garden as and when you want to while you cook dinner or something, which just doesn't work with a park

not sure what i'd do in your situation tbh!

ChristinedePizan · 09/04/2011 20:46

As your DD is already in the school and your DS is likely to get in on siblings, can you move a little further away? I sold my garden flat in a nice part of London for not a lot more than ones with no outside space - maybe 20k difference? And if you have a garden then you could potentially extend - even a conservatory would give you a playroom and you don't need planning permission for those.

expatinscotland · 09/04/2011 20:58

Do it now or never!

We have no garden. I won't lie - it sucks.

haggis01 · 09/04/2011 21:12

Really think about how much in reality you would use a garden. If you move in London you may end up with a back yard or tiny postage stamp patch of grass which is not that great. Good schools and nice friends can be hard to come by in London (especially the state school) so weigh that up. Where would you move to?
I foolishy moved from a flat in Islington to a terraced house in South East London when my eldest was born - big mistake - no friends, crappy area and garden not that useful in the end, crap state schools and miles from my friends and then the congestion charge made travelling across town to see old friends highly expensive. Of course, I did eventually meet new people, go to playgroups etc but it just wasn't so nice and I missed people I had known for great many years and really trusted(and their support and help)
Think the idea of garden flat in same area is a good one - although unfortunately garden flats often tend to be the one bed ones on just the ground floor.

expatinscotland · 10/04/2011 00:16

I do second what haggis said as you're talking about London.

frenchfancy · 10/04/2011 12:31

I think that you need to look at secondary schools as well as primary schools. If you would be happy for your kids to go to the secondary schools in the area then stay put, if on the other hand you think you would need to move to get a good secondary school then you would be better to move now.

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