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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Moving from a 5-bed to a 3-bed just as baby number 3 arrives?

11 replies

SilentBoob · 24/12/2011 10:18

We rent.

We are currently in a huge 5-bed house. It is lovely, but to be honest a bit grand for us. Rather imposing and formal. The biggest issue I have is having no garden. I want my children to be able to potter outside and make mud pies and eat worms and poke things with sticks.

We have the opportunity to move into a much smaller 3-bed in a few weeks time. It has a nice big garden. I like the house. Dh likes it too. It's a bit cheaper. I'm not bothered about losing spare rooms, and although dd and ds have their own bedrooms now they sleep together 99% of the time anyway so I am happy for them to share a bedroom (they are now 5 and 3). The biggest loss is the playroom, but we're swapping it for a garden surely?

Baby number 3 is due in a few weeks.

The first year won't be an issue as the baby will be in with me anyway. But will I be cursing the move in 2 or 3 years time when I have an 8yo demanding not to have to share with her 6yo brother, and nowhere to put the toddler?

We could always move again then I suppose...

It seems like such a good idea to move. But is it? Argh. I want house number 2 with a playroom and an extra bedroom!

OP posts:

Gigondas · 24/12/2011 10:21

Personally I would stick with 5 bed no garden. Extra room indoors more useful than a garden

Debs75 · 24/12/2011 10:22

Well we are in a 3-bed with 4 dc's and desperate for somewhere bigger so YABU.

Then again you have no garden and garden's are a must for us, plus we have the 2 youngest in with us so we aren't really missing the extra bedroom yet (don't tell the council or they will never move us). In the future if the 2 elder dc's don't want to share could the 2 younger ones share?

Could you extend into the loft or add an extension when the time comes?

stuffedauberginexmasdinner · 24/12/2011 10:23

If its rented, move now then move again in 2 years.

Collision · 24/12/2011 10:35

It sounds much better to move.

How though can a 5 bedroomed house not have a garden?

The toddler can share the bigger bedroom with their sibling depending on what sex baby is! and the other child can have smaller bedroom.

Original poster

SilentBoob · 24/12/2011 10:35

Yeeees.... we've moved 5 times in the last 4 years . It would be sort of nice to stay put for a while. But, on the flip side we are jolly good at moving! Experts even!

The thing is... and I am KILLING myself with this... on the same plot there are houses with an extra bedroom and an extra downstairs room. I want one of those. But there are none available. One possibly coming up in 6 months - but not definite. If we stay where we are we won't be able to move in 6 months because we sign up for a year but if we move we might be able to move again, but moving twice in one year would be getting a bit silly even for us.

Decisions.

I think we're going to move, and then see what the future holds when we get there.

OP posts:

Original poster

SilentBoob · 24/12/2011 10:38

At what age is my daughter likely to not want to share with her little brother - 2 years younger?

OP posts:

ronx · 24/12/2011 10:44

There are some 5-bed new builds near us that are so crammed together that they basically have a back yard.

I'd pick a garden over extra bedrooms any time as it's effectively an extra reception room . The children can play outdoors from march to oct.

angel1976 · 24/12/2011 12:12

But when DC3 comes, he/she can eventually move into his brother/sister's room depending on the gender of the baby right? I grew up living in a house - 3 adults and 7 children in 4 bedrooms!!!! My cousins (4 sisters) grew up sharing a room (2 bunkbeds) right till they were teens and they remain close today. We have a 4-bedroom house and a big reason we bought it is the fabulous garden that my boys can play in. And even though we have 4 bedrooms, my boys share a room in bunk beds and they love it. I would say move and re-evaluate in 2 years!

Lizcat · 24/12/2011 12:25

My neighbours live in a three bed with 5 children. You have your room, a boys room and a girls room, sofa bed for guests in the lounge.

PPPop · 24/12/2011 12:34

Can't you put a break clause into your rent contract so you are not tied for a full 12 months? Then you could hang on for 6 months and see what happens. You don't sound convinced about the move, I would go with gut instinct.

AwsomeMrsFox · 28/12/2011 21:23

Not sharing will likely kick in at 7. It did for us my 7 yo DD started wanting to be in with her 2 year younger brother just after her 7th birthday. Also when she has her friends they want to go off to their own space - not having a playroom or seperate bedroom might cause a headache then.

I personally would forsake the garden for now - I had that vision for my DC too, but in reality they hardly ever go out in the winter and even in the summer only really play in the paddling pool or paint rocks or something - in truth they are not really that fussed. I make sure we go out with a picnic rug lots in the summer to park/woods/fields etc etc which they get more sense of adventure from.

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