Stay in our Edwardian house or buy more modern for better location?

[MajorClanger123]

Opinions please!!

We currently live in a lovely, detached, Edwardian house. 4 beds, large downstairs extension with bi-folds, lots of period features and all modern in new extension, driveway, garden, playroom etc. Its practically perfect in every way and is at the point that its exactly how we want it decor wise. 2 downsides: its on a main road (well within 30 limit but gets fairly busy at commuting times) plus no garage as previous owners built a handy side extension where garage stood which is now our playroom.

Spotted new on market a 1980's house in a quiet cul-de-sac location, not far from our current house. The 'estate' is small and fairly 'exclusive' ie. houses don't come up for sale often there, its off a gorgeous, leafy, quiet road and is closer to both school and my parents house. Downsides - its very grannyish inside so would need total redecorate eventually (totally liveable for now) plus a new kitchen and perhaps knock kitchen through to diner. Its pro's: double garage, plus its wonderful location.

Our house is worth around £450k, one on market is £550k but likely to go for £525k.

Am I mad to consider on the basis of, purely, a double garage plus location? Our current location doesn't bother us day to day (been there for 10+years) but sometimes I drive home and there are cars queuing so I can't get into my driveway. Plus you can hear traffic in the upstairs bedroom if anything rumbles past at night.

I'm torn really, what would you do?

practically perfect in every way

Doesn't get better than that op - who needs a garage anyway?

If in a quandry - always choose the most simple option - stay where you are.

You could move - and maybe get some weird neighbours - stay where you are.

If you feel any resistance at all to my post - you really want to move. So move.

The fact that you appreciate the period features of your current house make me think you should stay put unless the 80s house is architect-y and fabulous. Living in an (albeit large) 80s box would make me miserable after being surrounded by lovely architectural features.

I would stay. The quiet cul de sac could turn into a not so peaceful one with loads of kids playing outside!!

Thanks all - not what I expected if I'm honest! Everyone always seems so anti-main-road houses so I thought everyone would say move straight away! We do love our current house, only extended 2 years ago. But this new house would be the next / final 'step up' the ladder (so to speak), not that we need to step up, but its in the ultimate, dream location which we can now afford since extending our current home.

I've asked an estate agent to come value our house tomorrow just to check its value, plus we're viewing the 80's house on Monday - either we'll love it, or it'll make our decision to stick with what we've got.

Besides the main road, you're basically living the dream already. I live in a small 80s box (first house) and would love a detached Edwardian house decorated in exactly my taste!

If you're desperate for a project (and have the money to throw at it) then I guess the 80s house in an ideal location might be worth considering, but personally I'd stay put until a house I really loved came up.

I'd stay where you are. 80s houses have zero character, plus thin walls so you'll hear everything everywhere else which will be a bit of a shock after living in your house. No idea what the neighbours are like - could be great, mediocre or awful. Housing estates, no matter how exclusive, are inhabited by families with kids. Might be fine now, but what when yours grow up? Will you still want that then? You say this would be your final move but I bet it wouldn't be.

It's a difficult call to make on a forum without seeing the actual houses. Usually a large, extended and modernised Edwardian house would be a dream home, a massive step up from an 80s cul de sac. The house you're aspiring to must be something special- could you post a link?

Stay where you are. Sounds like you can finally relax with your house.

You would be crazy to get a mortgage for 100K just to buy a house that would need another 50k to do up.

All for a double garage? No way!

Unless there's some huge reason why a garage means so much to you, I can't help thinking you're fixating on the only downsides your practically perfect home has got. Maybe if the main road was a very busy dual carriageway and you hated that, then I can see a cul de sac would appeal. But otherwise there are going to be downsides to the 80s house too, esp if you value the period aesthetics, so I'd stay put.

I also think you need to consider how annoying and soul destroying it can be to go from a perfectly decorated to your taste house to one you described as granny and feasibly work out how long you think it will take to get it to what you want.

We gutted our last house from top to bottom so it was fantastic and then moved into this, our forever home 7 years ago.

Now admittedly we have done a hell of a lot to it in that time (extended, renovated, new boiler) but there are still some "original" things from when we bought it that frustrate me daily, including the rather horrid terracotta tiled en-suite.

This year we are spending £10k+ on double glazing and having all the sofits and guttering replaced. Next year will hopefully see the en-suite replaced.

We desperately need new bedroom carpets but there is no point changing those until the double glazing people have done their work. Every time I hoover the horrid carpets that I have been hoovering for 7 years, I try to remind myself that in a few months that will all be gone.

However, I can't say the same about the en-suite. So you need to do some realistic number crunching plus work out how much time you spend researching kitchens and appliances and bathroom suites etc.

£16k stamp duty

I'd stay put. Your Edwardian detached sounds like the house of my dreams. You just don't get that sort of character in a 80s estate.

can't you build a garage if that's your heart's desire?....bound to be cheaper than stamp duty, EA fees, redecoration, removal costs!

I'm another one who wouldn't move. Your house sounds much better and I'd stay where I was even if the other house wasn't more expensive. As the 80s house is more expensive I don't see the dilemma. Maybe keep your eye out for a house you really like close to your dream location.

All good points - we are viewing 80s house tomorrow, and thanks to your comments I will be checking for noise etc thru the walls - the beauty of our current house is thick internal walls, high ceilings, picture rail. I'm just not sure I could live without those things now I'm used to them.
Plus stamp duty - hadn't factored that in!
Will report back tomorrow after viewing.

Where do u live that 1980s houses are worth more than Edwardian detached houses???

We've moved to an 1980s house and it is fantastic. On a main road though sadly.