Try and sell now? Or wait until baby arrives ?

[Caitmous]

DS1 is 3.2, DC2 arriving in June. We're in a flat and hope to move to a house.

I meant to get the flat on the market this month in the hope we could have moved in time for the birth. But time has flown and we've not got on it. So now just over four months until the baby arrives.

So should we leave it now and put the flat on market and move all within my maternity leave?

Or try and sell now with a view we may be moving with a newborn?

Is the selling/looking for a house the hard part or the actual moving part? Which bit would be easiest with a toddler and a newborn?

We're in a two bed flat so could cope with being here for another year if needed. We're in Zone 3 London, planning on moving to Zone 5/6 to be able to afford a house, if that makes a difference.

Should the May election be a consideration? We're likely to be selling to first time buyers.

Thanks.

I would put it on the market now, it is taking much longer to get mortgages due to the rules, even for first time/cash buyers. Plus getting your chain started could put you in a favourable position, and accept you are likely to be moving with a newborn. Spring is fast approaching so you may find you see something you like and haven't moved fast enought.

Now. If you don't get a decent offer you can have a rethink....

I agree you should put it on the market now as the market tends to be more active at this time of year.

Your flat will seem less cramped if you are selling before the baby is born than if you have baby and toddler stuff around the place. You will also have an incentive to find somewhere and something to push your buyers along with if you are selling and looking to buy before the baby is born!

Thanks all. Great advice. I'm generally a putter-offer but will get on it ASAP.

HA! I was going to post the same thing tonight!!

DC1 due in May, I think it would be best to market the flat and do viewings without a tiny newborn! I want to put the house on in March/April to complete in May.

DH wants to do one thing at a time and plan it so we can move in Aug, but then we'll have to keep the tiny flat tidy with a newborn, and have viewings and stuff with a new baby! We have a major storage issue in this flat and I'm sure that will be accentuated with loads of new baby stuff around.

Reading your replies so far I definitely think I'm right

And we're zone 3 london too!

I just don't want to move BEFORE the baby is born as I don't want to change the hospitals.

Also interested in answers to your question about the election having an effect?

If your ds is 3 will you be applying for schools next year? If so I would sell now and look for houses in catchment of schools you like! Will save a lot of hassle moving house and schools!!

Ha Bree! It's a bloody nightmare. If my DP had his way we'd just stay put! I'm very happy with local hospitals too.

Corn, I agree. Need to get on top of everything. Annoyingly we're in the catchment of a lovely & 'outstanding' primary. But we just can't afford any of the houses in the catchment.

It's all so tricky I find making any decisions debilitating!