How much (and what) do you compromise on when you buy somewhere new?

[ShillingtonsSqueeze]

We (thankfully) have a chain-free buyer but they're pushing for exchange ASAP and we can't find anywhere to buy!

I know that most purchases involve some sort of compromise but none of the houses we've viewed really fit our bill. Part of the problem is that the school catchment area is v small (550m) and so from the off we're limited by that. But it's definitely not something we're prepared to compromise on so looks like something else will have to give.

Most of the houses in the area are smart 1930's semi's with relatively large back gardens but none are for sale at the moment.

We've leaflet dropped and I pester EA's daily. The house that comes closest to fitting the bill is on a corner and so has a large front garden and v small back garden. Not sure whether to just go for that and live with the small garden, keep trying to hold on for something "better" or buy something the cheapest thing possible, with a view to selling it on if/when DC's have got into the primary school.

Help!

Is the front garden usable? Could you put a hedge or wall around the front to increase privacy?

Can you rent temporarily near to the school? We are currently looking, and like you are limited by tiny school catchments. I wouldn't compromise on garden, but that's because we've not had one for the last 5 years and I would really miss it. Also, I would think it will make it possibly harder to resell later on - your buyers are likely to be young families who also want to be near the school and will probably also want a decent sized garden.

I would also consider renting particularly in you know that you definitely want to move and I imagine that chain free buyers don't come along too often. I would snap their hand off in the current climate and proceed - whether you've found a house you like or not. The last thing you want is to be stuck in your current house unable to move out at the time you need to apply for schools.

I do think however that compromise is inevitable - I have 3 children of 6 and under and wouldn't cope without a medium sized, usable, private-ish garden. If you can screen off the front garden and make it secure (so that you wouldn't have to be watching the children 24/7 if they were out in the garden) then I would probably go for it. If you can't do that, then I'd have to cross it off my list. We've compromised in buying the house we have (after renting for 2 years) in that it was at the absolute top of our budget and we're having to live in it as it was when we moved in - save for some desperately needed re-carpeting and some quick decorating to the children's bedrooms - as we have no money at present to extend or re-decorate. Its also slightly further away from school than I wanted and a longer walk to local shops.

There's absolutely NOTHING to rent in the area. Zilch. Have been monitoring the situation for the past 5 months now and there has been only one house that was let before it came to the market.

Another alternative would be to buy a cheapy ex-local authority place thats v close to the school and then we could have that as a buy to let later (given the perceived shortage at the moment), when we can move a bit further out of catchment.

But that feels a bit risky and DH is a bit older and is worried that he won't be offered much in the way of a mortgage in a few years time.

Sounds like school catchment is your biggest priority so if the house is otherwise a nice one and big enough for you all, the garden may just have to be a compromise. However, I would probably rent if at all possible if it wasn't my perfect house.

Small gardens can be fine if there is a local park and they are lower maintenance if you are both working. Our garden is a compromise (small and overlooked) cos I wanted detached and off road parking so something had to go!