House viewing limbo

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Currently renting in centre of city for premium price. Want to buy and looked at many houses in area. High prices for pretty but poky 2 bed terraces (smaller than rented property) but would only need small mortgage or could take out high mortgage for bigger property. Love this area and close to DC school and work etc but I've viewed over 30 properties now and haven't loved any of them. I love my rented house but think I am foolish paying a lot in rent when I could buy. The smaller houses I have looked at seem so crammed but the I like the idea of getting a smaller mortgage. The bigger houses I have looked at I've liked more but I think I would be an idiot to spend that much on a house in the city centre! I've thought about looking at houses outside centre but all areas around city aren't particularly nice. I want to buy but am somehow in viewing house limbo. Any one been in this position?

If you can afford it and you prefer the larger houses, why would you be silly to buy one of the bigger ones? You describe the others as "crammed", so surely they aren't suitable?

I can understand that spending that amount of money is scary. But truly, the only silly thing is not doing anything and continuing to rent because you don't really want the houses in your "ideal" budget, but can actually afford what you do want, you just don't want to!

Also, could you afford your rental house? Have you asked the LL if they would consider selling?

if you can afford it, get a bigger house. the mortgage may be a bit bigger, but you will have more value in the end when you'd paid off the mortgage.

It's not silly at all - if you can afford the mortgage why not?
I'm moving from 70 miles outside London, where I have a double fronted detached house with large garden and pool, to a end of terrace less than half the size with a tiny garden in SW London. Why? Because that's where I want to be, and that's the price I have to pay.

I'm not entirely convinced you need to fall in love with a property

Unless you have unlimited funds, you are always constrained by budget. What I can afford is a not-very-charming small house in the area I want to live in - it's not love, it's a recognition this was the best I could afford. I would probably only fall "in love" with a pretty amazing property and there is no way I can afford it.

So don't wait to fall in love - house buying is usually about settling for "the best on offer" not "love"!

You need to stop comparing to your rental property. So many people fall into this trap.