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Which of these houses would you pick for your Forever Home?

167 replies

TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 17:21

I should start by saying we haven't offered on either yet, so there's a good chance we'll get neither!

We currently live in a small city outside London, and we love it here. DH commutes in daily - train journey is under 30 mins. I'm a SAHM, DD is 5 and at an Outstanding primary school that she (and we) love. DS is 3 and at an Outstanding nursery down the road from DD's school, at which he's pretty much guaranteed a place next year thanks to the sibling rule. We've accepted an offer on our current house, and our chain is complete - they're just waiting for us.

House A is on the outskirts of a different town, about 5 miles away from where we are now. It's huge - 1000 sq feet more than we have now, and their asking price is £15k under our maximum budget. I absolutely love it - it's pretty much my dream house, or as close as I'll get to it in this part of the world with a limited budget. It's on a quiet street near a river and a nature reserve.

However. It's at least a 20 min walk to the station - which is a stop further down the line then we are now. DH's train journey would be closet to 40 mins, and with that and the longer walk he'd never see the kids before bed - which he loves to do. He leaves very early in the morning so is gone before they're up - he'd have an even earlier start if we move here.

The local primaries are fine, so we could move DD - but if we decided not to (because her current school really is amazing), I'd be driving the school run at peak times on a busy commuting road every day - 6 times a day for the first year while DS is at nursery.

The local secondary is Outstanding, and less than half mile away.

A smaller factor to all this is that I'm very active in our local theatre which currently a 20 minute walk away. Moving here would make this much more problematic as DH wouldn't be home in time to let me get away. Other things like play dates and nights out (we don't have many but enjoy them when we do) would be more problematic - although there are plenty of kids activities and bars and restaurants in the nearby town; it's not like we'd be moving to the middle of nowhere.

Have I mentioned it's my dream house? Grin

The other house, House B, is round the corner from where we are now. It's handy for school, the station and the city centre. It's a nice house - very nice - and is about 400 sq feet bigger than we have now, so big enough, but not huge. It doesn't put us in the right place for the best secondarys in the area, but the nearest ones are still good. You'd have to work hard to find a bad school round here tbh.

Downsides are it's right on a busy main road - and round the corner from the hospital, so you'll have siren noise at all hours; has only on street parking (which is always tight round here), and I don't love it. Can't imagine spending the rest of my life in it. DH likes it more though. Its asking price is right at the top of our budget.

Well done if you got through all that! What do you think?

OP posts:
Thiscantreallybehappening · 03/07/2017 18:41

If you have an outstanding secondary school near house A and that is your dream house, I would go for that house,

You might think it will be a pain going back and forth to the primary/nursery schools but it is just a new routine and you will all adjust to that and in a few weeks think nothing of it.

Having your children at an outstanding primary school now and then being in a catchment area with house A for an outstanding secondary school is brilliant.

It won't be long before the children are older and their bedtimes will be later and your DH will be able to see them before they go to bed.

OP, If you decide to go for house A just check the admission policy for the secondary school. We have one secondary school near us that takes their admissions from primary schools and not where you live. A lot of people move into the area for the secondary school and are then disappointed when they realise the admission policy is based on which primary school you attend and not where you live. I think this system is quite unusual but probably worth checking.

TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 18:44

"It won't be long before the children are older and their bedtimes will be later and your DH will be able to see them before they go to bed."

This is a really good point and one I had not considered.

OP posts:
NetballHoop · 03/07/2017 18:45

I couldn't live on a main road next to a hospital with no off road parking. The xtra commute time is a bit of a pain but I'm sure your family would adjust to it. If you really can't decide now, could you rent for a couple of months?

edenmouse · 03/07/2017 18:48

House B. We live walking distance to all the important places for us (school, work, tube) even though it means living in a smaller/less pretty home. It makes a huge difference to our quality of life. It looks better on the links as well.

TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 18:50

So far:

8 votes for House A
17 for House B

Plus a few "neither."

OP posts:
PickAChew · 03/07/2017 18:52

The internal space in A is much better, but I wouldn't want to buy it without a very thorough survey. I suspect that the way it's constructed could lead to problems down the line and I think you would find it harder to shift, if it didn't work out for you. My only reservation with B is the tiny kitchen. All of the rooms are just a little bit too small and I'm dubious about the height of that loft room.

DarkestBeforeDawn · 03/07/2017 18:53

Your children are only small once OP and family life is so important. For that reason there would be no question for me - I would pick B.

Crabbo · 03/07/2017 18:53

House A. I wouldn't choose a house on a main road with young children, and I think good secondary's are more important than primary. Could your husband cycle to the station instead of walking? That would cut it down a lot from 20 minutes - my dh just started cycling to the station (from about a 25 minute walk) and it's made a big difference.

TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 18:55

DH can't ride a bike Crabbo Blush

OP posts:
frenchfancy · 03/07/2017 18:55

Neither. If necessary rent until the right house comes up.

LaurieFairyCake · 03/07/2017 18:59

I know both of these areas really well and have just one question to ask you.

Do you like living in the middle of St Albans and walking to everything?

If you really really do then stay there.

If you're prepared to start again down the road and for it to be slightly quieter then move to Harpenden. Enough shops, enough stuff to do.

If you suspect you're going to spend the entire time driving back to the shit show of St Catherine's street because you miss it so much then DONT move.

GoldenOrb · 03/07/2017 19:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MsJuniper · 03/07/2017 19:03

House B is beautiful, the road doesn't look that busy or near the hospital and St Albans is 100x nicer than Harpenden.

That plus the convenience and lifestyle factors is definitely worth far more than a bit of extra space.

NapQueen · 03/07/2017 19:04

B is stunning. Id go B.

user1498166085 · 03/07/2017 19:07

B

bluechameleon · 03/07/2017 19:10

B. Choose family time over space. You can always move to somewhere bigger in the future if it gets too small, but with two little ones that house looks plenty big enough. Also it's a lovely house, and you can stay where you've built a life already.

TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 19:11

We really don't want to rent. Ideally, the next time we move, it will be to the house we're carried out of in boxes.

OP posts:
TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 19:13

Yes Laurie, we really do like being in the centre and being to walk everywhere. Neither of us are natural drivers, didn't actually learn till we had the kids, and it's not something I especially enjoy.

OP posts:
wowfudge · 03/07/2017 19:17

House B is much nicer imo.

SummerKelly · 03/07/2017 19:25

Neither

Or failing that B, don't give up the things you enjoy and the family time just for a house. Pick the one that suits your lifestyle. It's a long time off before secondary, and my DD went to an outstanding secondary and had all sorts of problems so you don't know what will happen.

badgercat · 03/07/2017 19:32

If it's forever then I think you need to find a compromise house that's between the 2 !

4 adults with no off street parking has potential for a nightmare!

B doesn't give enough space or budget to expand and will suit now

A doesn't give the family time or perfect location for the kids right now.

Sorry but I'm a neither vote !

Rinkydinkypink · 03/07/2017 19:32

B For me time with their dad and a shorter commute far outweighs the house size. Both are big enough. Both are lovely.

Your family is so young everything could change again in a few years. Also B looks like it has less work to do on it initially. Decorating and changing bathrooms with a young family is hell.

OlennasWimple · 03/07/2017 19:42

Neither are forever houses, but personally I would rather see out my days in St Albans than in Harpenden (though Harpenden is really lovely and you at least stand a chance of getting a seat on the train being that one stop further up the line).

I wouldn't live on Batford Road, though - that's the "wrong" side of Harpenden.

I like the extra downstairs space you have in the St Albans house, and the fact that you have two bedrooms more or less the same size which should work well for your two DC as they get older. What's the parking situation there? Do the current occupants have trouble getting a space anywhere near the door, or have they managed to get a permit for a nearby car park?

Needmoresleep · 03/07/2017 19:44

St Albans. No question. Looks fab.

TisapityshesaGeordie · 03/07/2017 19:48

"4 adults with no off street parking has potential for a nightmare!"

Oh god, I hadn't even thought about that, badgercat! Parking permits get massively more expensive per car, too.

OP posts:
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