Big house or better location

[unikorn]

Just that!
Both are £700k.

House a) 4 bed, detached, 3 reception rooms, 2 baths plus downstairs cloakroom on a leafy residential road but backs onto a flyover/A road (traffic noise is minimal surprisingly), 4 miles to work and school, medium garden, garage plus driveway

House b) 3 bed, semi, 1 reception room, 2 baths plus downstairs cloakroom, residential road, very "upmarket" location, 1 mile to work and school, long but narrow garden, driveway.

Should add:
House a) 1950 sq ft
B) 1250 sq ft

Have you been on different days as in my experience traffic noise can vary depending on the wind. Plus traffic dust whenever you open your windows.

House A definitely!

It really depends on your needs but I've always put location above house size and never regretted it.

B I think, location trumps every time.

Location!!

Especially with kids.
My DS's wouldn't move that far from their friends, to be on top of everything is fab, hop skip jump to work and school! Always go into loft !

If you're planning on staying for the long term, I'd say house A. 4 miles to work and school really isn't that bad (assuming you drive), and in a few years your kids won't be at school anymore anyway, and invariably over time your jobs will probably change / relocate.

B.

Location, location, location - if only because other buyers will be put off by the flyover, so if you need to sell it will be harder to do so

House B

The kids will be at the same school until sixth form (independent school that goes all the way through). They're 3 and 7.

I would keep looking with that budget.

House b has already had a loft and downstairs extension, they've maxed it out already.

B definitely. Traffic pollution is really bad for your health

Having done this and bought house a because you get so much more for your money when you're living next to a busy road I'd honestly say I wouldn't do it again.

It's not just the noise. Everything gets dirty faster due to pollution. Your curtains, your patio etc,,, You can't open your windows as then it does get noisy, so you're screwed in summer, and when your sitting outside you hear it,

I'd go for b now.

However can you post links?

Location, Location, Location

B, we've just had the same dilemma as you and we've gone for our version of option B and I love it.

B. There is good data on this and although living in a bigger house gives you a temporary boost in happiness, you soon become habituated to it. Location every time.

Traffic noise would drive me nuts.

Either House B or keep looking.

You can't hear the traffic! Behind the back of the garden is another garden then another house then the road. The road is beautifully tree lined cul de sac but it's the approach to the entrance of the road I'm referring to which is then totally void once you're at the property.

You know what they say, small house on best road = better than biggest house on bad road.

I think you know the answer yourself anyway.

Why not widen your search a bit, unless you are in a hurry to move.

Big decisions are best made based on head not heart.

Just look at all the responses about traffic noise. You might not hear it, but if you ever have to move on, prospective buyers may discount your house for that reason alone. Doesn't matter that it might be gorgeous inside either. It's a big turn off.

I would want space for the children to stash all their stuff so for me it would be house A.

We moved when our children were 4 and 7 and converted a double garage into a playroom/storage room. That meant no toys in their bedrooms and we still had the lounge toy free.

Pollution kills thousands. So house b for me

B every time. There's a reason the much bigger house is the same price. 4 miles from school is actually quite a long way in suburbia. Are you going to drive them to school every day until they finish?

What do you mean it's void when you enter the property? Void means empty or illegal? That doesn't make sense?

If you desperately need the space, then A. If house B would be big enough for you, then definitely B. There is nothing worse than having a lovely house but wishing dearly you could move it somewhere else! Worst house on best street every time.