Moving in time for primary applications

[user32723]

We were hoping to buy our first house before Primary school applications deadline on 15th January (or mid Feb is final deadline for proof of change of address). Because of the higher amount needed for a deposit now, we are probably a couple of months away from having our deposit and fees together at least. Would it be more sensible to find another private rental in catchment first? So we don't wind up with sales falling through and long chains etc? Because we don't know what will happen with the market?

There only seems to be a rental in catchment come up about once a month or less. The rentals are always smaller and poorly decorated and are almost double what we are paying in rent now, so I'm worried if we do move to rent and prices continue to rise, we won't really be benefiting much from a longer time to save.

Should we risk staying where we are and trying to buy or play it safe and potentially be stuck in a rental a lot longer? What would you do?

Would you be moving far and do you know the area?
Although it could be done in time - assuming you found a house that suited to buy - we offered Oct and moved March. think it would be too much stress for me with a new year deadline.

If you’re only going to have the money ready at the end of October/early November, you’d need to be pretty lucky to find and buy the property in time.
Easier if the property is chain free eg new build or a probate.

We are on the market with school apps looming .. if we don’t sell by end of October, we’ve resigned ourselves to having to look locally only & remain in our current school catchment. Not the end of the world for us but we are running with house moves taking 4-5 months. Hopefully people will be pushing hard to get the no stamp duty thing, which may speed up some moves maybe..

Be careful with rentals - we looked into this as our chain fell through but most schools say you have to provide proof that you’ll be in the rental when the child starts school too in September so you can’t just get a short contract. Luckily we just exchanged so got in there but we were a bit stuck as what to do.

I'd rent so as to give you chance to get the right house. Just check the admissions policy though - our school required tenants to have at least a 12 month tenancy for that address to be considered a "permanent" address.

What are the stats on the school admissions? Is it oversubscribed every year? Is it 1 form entry? Is it in an area with lots of movement?

If it isn't oversubscribed, then you could stick it out and make a late application. If it's a 3 form entry in an area with lots of movement, then you could wait and go on the waiting list as it's likely a place would come up. All of this is a gamble though.

It’s cutting it fine. We offered in early August and got in 5 Jan just before the deadline, and that was with a straightforward chain, just some stuff the survey had brought up. If the school is oversubscribed, I’d rent or see if I could get a deposit together right now.

I did this. After a last-minute change of plan we only started looking in our current area in October and needed to be in time for primary applications (change of address deadline in our LEA was March). We picked the one suitable house that was on the market at the time in the desired location and didn't look at any more. We had a chain of 3 - first time buyers moving into our house, our sellers moving into rented - and everyone wanted it to proceed quickly. It still took until mid-January to move in. So it can be done, but it will be tight and there is not much time for potential delays. If you are particularly set on moving to that area then it would probably be safer to go for a rental but you would need to check rules for school admissions as PP said.

Yes, I have realised you are all right about it being too close to buy. Still a huge decision on if we should move rental or not, I'm so torn. We can save so much more per month where we are but I don't know if I want to buy near our current catchment school.

Good question on class size, the school I want has always been 2 form but from this September is 3 form. No published info yet on how much this extended the distance of school places offered but unlikely to be as far as us and word might still be going round about the extended places so we couldn't rely on it.

I think maybe we should stay put to keep saving and in the likely chance we don't get a place, go on the waiting list. I just have it stuck in my head that I can't possible move them once they've started and settled but maybe it isn't the end of the world to move schools if we got a place further down the line, and we might have a good chance of a late place with it being 3 form.

I think I'll just keep an eye on rentals but mentally commit to stating put, and leave it to chance.

most schools say you have to provide proof that you’ll be in the rental when the child starts school too in September so you can’t just get a short contract

I really don’t think this is the case with most schools. Our LA and two neighbouring LA’s ask for your address and a Council Tax bill as proof. They don’t even ask whether you’re renting or own never mind the length of your rental contract.