Backwards move into London with pre-schoolers

[BikerMouse]

Has anyone else done it? We decided to move out for all the usual reasons, more space, cleaner living, idylic country life and good schools etc. Pretty much straight away I knew it was a massive mistake. Regretted it ever since. Now over 3 years on we're thinking of moving back in, are we completely mad?

YY Jaffa, the logistics of both of us working relatively long hours with a commute thrown in, just wasn't fair on Dd's.

zeddy sorry to hear you're in the same boat. We have done similar. Spent a shed load on the house in the last 12 months in the hope That things would work out but it just isn't right. I keep saying if I could pick up this house and move it elsewhere it would be perfect.

Definitely sounds like London is the place for you. Don't want to start a state vs private bunfight, but you mention that your main reason for choosing private is for the wraparound care; you do realise that lots of state schools do wraparound care (breakfast clubs, after school clubs), or you can use childminders who do this?

And that the government is introducing messures to encourage more schools to offer more of this see recent government guidance here.

Totally Move back. Our quandry is similar to closet we don't know where to move to that we can afford
Within budget. We go round and round in circles daily.....

Your heart is saying go back - you can afford a nice spacious home, in a great central, safe and green location - so go for it.

Again with private schools there is always a waiting list and they deliberately put the panic on you (I have put 4 thru 4 diff prep schools - so v wise to the spin) - the movement of children in and out especially in prep is massive as families move jobs/countries/to the country....

So choose your school and just wait patiently for the space.

How are the figures looking on the property front - will you be cost neutral? will you be able to afford the same as when you left?

We moved out of London 20 years ago to Sth Bucks and our house has kept roughly same pace (bit of a lag) as the one we left behind in Islington so I dont have the dreaded FOMO....and we will move back when kids clear off to uni.

Most people move out as soon as they have more than one child.

I thought people only moved out because they couldn't afford the step up to a decent sized property in a nice area with good schools?

If you have the money, why to afford a house w small garden, in a nice area, near good schools (or pay for private) why on earth would you move out?

Given the huge number of oversubscribed state schools... it is clear that 'most people' do not move out of London on having children.