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Original poster

Compromise on location.... or not? How do you decide?

46 replies

Tobermory · 21/10/2018 22:59

We sold our house and moved into a rental, almost 4 weeks. It was only supposed to be very short term, to secure our sale and until our purchase completed. Our purchase has now fallen to pieces , so we’re back to the starting point.

This rental is fine. Well, it’s far from ideal. Clean, ok location, decent condition but way way too small. We’re squeezed in, lots of stuff still in boxes, so it’s not easy. We’ve just put up with it, loathe to spend much time sorting it as we were meant to complete, last week! We don’t want to be here too long. I can’t figure out how much this rental is clouding my judgment about a place we viewed today.

I wanted to buy a house in village A. This is where our purchase was. Love village A. Friends there, scenic, has a soul and lots going on. Right now there’s no properties in village A. Today we viewed a property in village B. Same valley, maybe 3 miles between them. This house is brilliant, private garden, space, layout, brand new kitchen, open plan... very little needs doing to it, just redecorating. If it was in village A we’d have it in a heartbeat though it would be a good 30k (at least) more expensive there! Its also v unlikely to find a house like that there- most modern properties in village A are multi floor living- town houses. And not much comes up for sale in village A. There have been two possible houses in the last 6 months - one of which was our non-purchase. The rest of the family also really liked today’s house, though elder DD would also prefer village A as she knows people there. (Vaguely)

So this is a very long- winded way of asking for opinions

Do we
A- make the rental more liveable and wait it out. How long do u wait? What if we’re staill here next year waiting and hoping?
B - offer on this house. Decide to make village B our home. Village B is a great location, up and coming and interesting. Just to my mind not quite as community driven and lovely as A.

This is a long OP, Thankyou if you’ve had the patience to get to the end!!!Grin

OP posts:
Mijkl · 21/10/2018 23:03

3 miles is not far. From everything you say I would do B.

Soontobe60 · 21/10/2018 23:07

I too would go for B. 3 miles is nothing. Having a lovely home that you can settle in is far better than staying in a rental that's too small living out of boxes for an indeterminate length of time.

Version2point0 · 21/10/2018 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fabulousathome · 21/10/2018 23:10

Yes, go for village B.

PickAChew · 21/10/2018 23:16

It doesn't sound like the sort of house you want us even a realistic option in village A or that you have particularly strong ties to A.

So B, then.

Original poster
Tobermory · 21/10/2018 23:16

A ‘rebound’ house.... not thought of it like that! Would we move again? could I persuade DH to! Don’t know, the last few months have been extremely stressful , I don’t know if I’d want to do it again!

I’m also trying to decide if I’ve become ‘fixated’ on village A and in thinking about it , am I romanticising it, and ignoring the issues . There is one quite significant down point to it, it’s linked to booze and anti social behaviour at the weekends.
Trying to be realistic.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tobermory · 21/10/2018 23:20

Pickachew, there certainly aren’t many of them that is true!

OP posts:
BackforGood · 21/10/2018 23:27

I think Village B.

You could get an awful lot of taxis with the £30k you'd save, if your dd wanted to go there every day until she can drive......

SarahBeeney · 22/10/2018 07:25

It could be years and years before a house you want it Village A comes up for sale,and then you might not get it anyway.
Go for B.

BendAndLoft · 22/10/2018 09:00

All the above posters say pick village B.
After reading them how do you feel?
Are you you a bit grateful they’ve been sensible replies or are you a bit more like shiiiiit that’s not what I wanted to hear...
Then you’ll have your answer.

Bin85 · 22/10/2018 09:03

What about schools/catchment areas etc will that matter?

namechangedtoday15 · 22/10/2018 10:28

Location every time. If Village A is better for you as a family (it must have worked or you wouldn't have gone with the non-purchase) and you want to be there, wait.

Pack a load of stuff off to a storage unit (think we paid about £20 a month when we did it) to give you more space and be active in getting to know the agents. Ring them, go in every week or so. When something does come up in Village A you'll be in a great (chain free) position.

Original poster
Tobermory · 22/10/2018 10:39

Storage unit here is several hundred a month. It’s jot the cheap option we thought it would be!

Good question Bend, I think I feel relieved. I think it’s what I wanted to hear.

Schools and catchments won’t change so that’s not a concern

OP posts:
Laska5772 · 22/10/2018 10:48

3 miles is nothing, do-able on a bike if you want to go out and socialise in VA , its the house that matters , and 30k will mean you have more spare to make it even nicer , . and V b is up and coming and will be if VA doesnt have much .. and booze and anti social behaviour at weekends is a PITA long term.

newmumwithquestions · 22/10/2018 10:50

What do you tend to do with your friends in village A? If you go out in the evening and have a few drinks then I’d wait for A. If you don’t really drink then I’d take B.
3 miles is nothing in a car, but a long way if you’re not driving!

namechangedtoday15 · 22/10/2018 11:37

I think you need to do a ring round other storage units / try the next town etc. I think ours was about 20 miles from where we lived on an industrial park, but the whole point is that it's stuff you don't need so it doesn't need to be close by!

sbplanet · 22/10/2018 11:45

It's an interesting point have you been fixating on village A. Dunno. What is village B like?

There are certain things when you start house-hunting that you think you'll never compromise on...and then when you can't get what you think you want you look at things in a different way. Maybe village B is what you want too. What's the house like, can we have a link?

NicoAndTheNiners · 22/10/2018 11:45

If Village A is massive with lots of suitable houses coming on the market frequently than I'd say wait a bit.

But think how likely is that? Could you possibly be waiting months/years and still not have a house the right layout/size/price come up in A. Would you buy a house you didn't really like in Village A just so you could live there and then think about how would you feel if you're in a house you didn't really like?

3 miles isn't much. If the house in the other village is so nice I'd get that one. You say it's a good location still, if its up and coming then prices may rise so getting in now is good. You can cycle/drive for any community events in A.

I cycle 3 miles frequently and it's a 15 min bike ride.

NicoAndTheNiners · 22/10/2018 11:46

Saving 30 k will also pay for quite a few taxis for any nights back from a after socialising.

BubblesBuddy · 22/10/2018 11:53

By the way - if you drink with friends get a taxi home!!! Village B sounds like it’s the best option. Have you asked around the estate agents to see if there are rumblings of any houses coming on the market in village A? If they are rarely on the market, you could be waiting a very long time. As you are in an excellent position to move, can you get the house in village B a bit cheaper? I live in a tiny village and mostly see people in the nearest town that’s 2 miles away. It’s no big deal. It just means I don’t pop in to see them.

SushiMonster · 22/10/2018 12:13

I'd go for the house you like in Village B as it doesn't sound like suitable houses come up in A much.

3 miles between villages in a valley isn't far to travel.

ineedtostopbeingsolazy · 22/10/2018 12:25

If village B ticks most of your boxes and the house is great then I'd go for village B.
3 miles is not far, realistically what will you be doing in village A that you'd need to actually be in it?
If you want the atmosphere of village A then you can go there, same for the people in it you drive to see them or take a taxi if you want a drink.

BigFishFace · 22/10/2018 13:26

I used to think it was the house that matters and not the location... then I started to live that reality! My house is beautiful, the views and surroundings are staggering, we have loads of room and a huge garden, but I feel SO isolated here. My friends live miles away, there’s no high street, no coffee shop, no walkable shop. I’m so bored I could cry! That said, depending on where you live 3 miles won’t take that long to travel. You just have to decide how inconvenient the journey will be.

Original poster
Tobermory · 22/10/2018 13:27

Thinking about the house we were going to buy that fell though, that was a huge compromise, both in terms of layout but also decor. It would’ve needs a lot of work, structure, kitchen bathroom , new carpets through. It would’ve been an expensive few months. I wasn’t looking forward really to the house (or the garden) particularly but the village was the pull.

Village A. Physically feels more of a centre, great pub - we don’t really go to a pub.
B- centre is a bit more spread out, canal running through so the stree has shops on one side. Old mill being refurbed with office and artisan foodie spaces in. House a bit further away form village centre than we were going to buy in visllge A. 6/7 minutes walk only though .

Thanks for everyone’s thoughts btw. I really do appreciate it.

OP posts:
diodon · 22/10/2018 13:50

B