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Original poster

Location versus House

42 replies

Lavri · 21/09/2017 20:36

Hi, just wondering if anyone has bought a house they loved but not in a location they were crazy about?

Our offer on a great house was accepted today but I still have niggling anxieties about the location. It's a perfectly lovely location but more rural and isolated than we are now. It would mean a longer commute for us both and DC would have to change schools. We are currrently renting in a stunning place that is way too expensive to buy in. Myself and DC have great friends here but the new house would be nearer my family.

DH fell in love with the house and has been pushing the purchase but has acknowledged my concerns. The new house has loads of land and appears to be a great investment. My fear is that we will uproot us all and regret it but on the other hand if we don't go for it we might regret it and not be able to purchase something else while our mortgage offer is valid.

I had DS3 5 weeks ago so am definitely being influenced by my emotions so was wondering what others' experiences have been? If I could pick this house up and move it closer I would buy it in a heartbeat however if it was in our current location it would cost millions.... any advice from others who experienced the same?

OP posts:
BeauHeaux · 22/09/2017 13:44

Location. We lost out on "the house of my dreams" six weeks ago. I'm now thanking my lucky stars, with hindsight, that we didn't get it. I had thought the commute would be "worth it", trying to convince myself, but it would have been a nightmare commute (added to the fact no streetlights for the best part of the journey) and icy dark country roads in wintertime. I now now what I really want and what's most important to me. Location. Your ideal home could come on the market in the next couple of weeks.

OlennasWimple · 22/09/2017 13:52

The one house purchase we really regret (and were really miserable in) was the house over location purchase.

AnnPerkins · 22/09/2017 14:00

It has to be location. We moved 10 miles up the road in order to be able to buy somewhere.

We've never settled at the new place though. Mainly because we both work and DS doesn't go to the local school. We have no friends here.

Seven years later we're now in the process of buying a less nice house in the village we moved from. We can't wait to be living near all our friends again.

Pallisers · 22/09/2017 14:10

I would always chose location. Changing schools wouldn't bother me given the ages of your children but I wouldn't like being in a place where my children had to be driven absolutely everywhere, even when they were able to bike. Also the lots of land with the house would bother me - who is going to take care of that land? But other people would love that. And leaving friends would be another minor issue (people do move, you can't guarantee any friends will be there forever)

I appreciate you feel you are too emotional to trust your judgment but if that means you are also too emotional to know for certain that this is where you want to live. Where you live is a big thing - has a big effect on your day to day contentment.

Original poster
Lavri · 22/09/2017 16:25

Thanks so much for all your replies, lots to think about. We were going to spend some time around the area this weekend and hopefully things will seem clearer. Don't want to mess the vendors around either so need to decide definitively sooner rather than later. Thanks again!

OP posts:
5rivers7hills · 22/09/2017 16:37

I'd like to live in Shoreditch. But all I can afford there is a 1 or 2 bed ex LA flat... So I've compromised on location (zone 3) to buy a house.

I'm sure 75% of people who live in London compromise on location because let's be honest, why on earth would you live in (e.g.) Croydon when you could live in Knightsbridge?!?

NotMeNoNo · 22/09/2017 17:32

It's normally location but there is obviously a baseline of having enough space. We stretched to buy our first house which was on the scruffy fringe of the area we really wanted, but in hindsight it was a good investment.

It's a constant dilemma about the beautiful house in the middle of nowhere, quality of life is time and friends and community as well as a magazine-worthy house. Some people really make a go of it

BellMcEnd · 22/09/2017 17:37

I'd choose Croydon over Knightsbridge any day of the week! Grin

Girlsworld92 · 22/09/2017 17:49

Location for sure. We moved to a house about half a mile from our preferred location and got much more for our money but I wasn't settled so we moved after 3 years to a smaller house. Not very cost effective but I love love love where we are and never want to move again. Go with your gut.

yellowineverything · 22/09/2017 17:57

Girlsworld we did the same and are in the process of trying to move back!

Our thing is, how much space is enough, to get back to our preferred area means a shoebox, and is that fair on the kids? It means better community (kids knocking on etc) and school and a happy mum...

macshoto · 22/09/2017 18:41

We probably chose house over location. We could have had something practical commuting distance from London, but instead chose a house and lots of land in Shropshire. This means a weekly commute for me - but actually works quite well for us as a couple.

We've found more land (acres / paddocks) is probably easier than less - renting grazing to the neighbouring farmers is considerably less trouble than maintaining a garden.

Both of us grew up in rural areas so being out 'in the wilds' doesn't bother us at all.

Girlsworld92 · 22/09/2017 18:43

Sounds silly doesn't it as you wouldn't think half a mile would make that much difference and it was still a good location but I just didn't love it and I like to feel settled. We have been here 8 years now and finally got it how we want it. Can walk to school and like you, the neighbours kids knock on and they all play out. So much better x

Girlsworld92 · 22/09/2017 18:47

Re your space comment, the house we are in now was small downstairs and we have only just managed to afford to extend but we just made do. I always think we worry too much about having it all straight away. I was brought up in a house sharing a room with my brother (the room was split into 2 with wardrobes!) so we literally had a bed and some shelves but it never bothered us. We were happy enough downstairs (small lounge & kitchen) or out the front with our friends.

LBOCS2 · 22/09/2017 19:00

I'm really glad you asked this question OP because we had a similar dilemma.

FWIW, we went head (location, walking distance from schools and the high street) over heart (crappy location, LOVED the house). I'm happy with this decision and we're proceeding with the purchase.

LBOCS2 · 22/09/2017 19:01

(Oh, and they're both in South Croydon Wink)

Loopytiles · 22/09/2017 19:01

We chose house over location and regret it. Commuting is terrible for quality of life.

yellowineverything · 22/09/2017 19:15

Thank you Girlsworld, sounds like such a similar position to us and I need the inspiration / courage at this point. I hope we can be in the position you're in soon!

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