Which house?

[saladsmoothie]

House 1:

• Gives me a good feeling
• Bit more expensive
• Bit smaller
• Bit older and colder amd damper and darker
• Fantastic location - next to the park, a walk to football club, walk to tennis lessons, cycle to school, in the catchment for really good pirmary and secondary (kids are 10 and under).

House 2:

• Gives me a good feeling
• Loads of space, extra rooms for homework / laundry etc
• Fab, big outdoor space
• Warmer and newer and better looked after.
• Pretty good area. Nice shops.
• Good schools. Maybe not AS great as house 1.

How do I choose? Which would you choose?
(I think I want house 2, but feel guilty for not going with the best possible schools)

A good school is a good school. I would go with house 2

I live next to a park. It is an amazing place to bring up two young boys. We have been here nearly two years and in that time they have been in the back garden once. They spend all their free time in the Park.

Older, colder and damper leads to more maintenance and higher heating bills, I know from experience

For me I would definitely go with house 1. Cold/damp/dark can be fixed with maintenance.
I would far prefer to be right next to a park than have a large private garden to maintain (I don't enjoy gardening though, maybe you do?)
Being able to walk to nearby activities will be massively valuable when your kids are teenagers and you don't have to spend every evening being mum's taxi service.

I think 2. You might not even be able to get DC into the schools if you take house 1. I moved last year, virtually over the road from a school. Didn't intend on moving DD at the time but I am slowing growing to dislike her current school more and more so made enquiries about the closer school and they are 'absolutely heaving'. Just something to bear in mind!

Also have to say you're not really selling house 1, is this your subconscious talking? Expensive, small, old, dark... House 2 sounds much nicer!

Definitely 2 for me!

1. I have done older, colder, damper and darker and it gets depressing

2 sounds lovely.
Colder, darker, damper and smaller - would put me straight off.

Arrgh. It was even stephens, but now 2 is pulling ahead.

Anyway, I've applied for 2 (and not because Mumsnet told me to), and if it doesn't work out, I'll console myself that 1 was meant to be. I could honestly live in either.