What to do ? So confused :(

[Ozster]

Please someone help me clear it at least organise my thoughts !

We are doing a big house move. One that will see both kids into secondary schools so thinking 10 years +

Option 1-
*big house with room for office ( I'll be WFH
3 days a week)
*ok schools but not great
*ok area but not great. Not bad either

• cheaper house

Option 2-
*smaller house /no office

• costs a lot more
• can't afford to extend -*my dream area to live in
• beautiful road to run on/ well kept houses
• outstanding schools -* lovely parks/clubs that my kids go to already

Basically it's location of size of house ?

How does the great area house compare to your current house?

Is it big enough or a bit tight?

What are you gauging schools on?

How would you manage the WFH in the smaller house?

Location every time - outstanding schools would be by absolute priority. You can maybe find a "nook" or somewhere you can put a small desk but even if its the dining table for a while (provided the children are at school) that would work. Its a sacrifice I'd make for the location / schools.

I'd go for option two.
You may not be able to extend now, but possibly in the future, and you can work from home without a dedicated office (usually).
The location sounds far better than option 1.
The kids schooling and your dream location for more money and smaller house - it's the sacrifice people are usually willing to make.

A few years ago, facing this exact choice, I went for option 1.

I should have gone for option 2.

Does house 2 have a garage you could convert or space in the garden for a home office?

B definitely, the outstanding schools for dc most important for me, plus house B will probably go up more in value over time.
Call you manage a desk in your bedroom for home working?

Location every time. After 20 years in the house that has been perfect for bringing up family we’re moving a mile away to the dream location

But are you looking at outstanding schools from an Ofsted rating. Or are they really outstanding?

For me I would probably go for option 1.

B definitely. Ten years in a bad location with poor schooling all have a huge negative impact.

Location, location, location...

It depends how much smaller house 2. For me it would come down to: does everyone get a bedroom that they can also do school work/socialise in. And is there enough reception/living space that an older child can hang out with friends, but parents still have somewhere to go.

If the basic things are met, then it's the location of the second that matters most. But if we're talking box bedrooms and teens sharing, then 'no'.

Option 2.

Option 2 here as well, hopefully you can make it work!

Option 2 is much bigger than our current house. It also have a garage which I could use if I needed.

It will be a small semi -so not tiny just not as big as option 1.

I would still have room for a small desk in my bedroom to WFH.

I'm basing schools as outstanding based on Ofsted but also have friends with children who go there

Option 2 based on schools and area.

Is there any scope for a garden office, doesn't have to be huge. Or any area of the house that can be made into an office area. Look on Pinterest for ideas of office nooks.

You would always feel like you had compromised with house 1. We did it, downsized to get into a fantastic primary school, I never particularly liked the house it was a means to an end.

Then several years later we cast the net wide and chose this house for an outstanding secondary whilst I still kept DCs in the primary school. Best decision ever. Heart over head isn't always a bad thing.

Just seen your update, very easy to convert part of a garage into an office without having to convert the whole thing and go through planning etc.

There is always an Option 3 out there.

Location, every time. 'Dream area' 'beautiful road' You can't beat that.

Option 2

I think it depends what you mean by ‘ok area, not great’ - is it ok as in not particularly trendy, but otherwise low crime, decent facilities, close to more desirable areas like the one for house 2 (so therefore can still take advantage of all of the perks but without the pricetag, and may ‘come up’ over the years...) or ok as in a bit of a dump, miles from anywhere, high crime, never going to improve? We bought the equivalent of house 1 in an area where 10 minutes in any one of 4 directions it would have cost probably £3-400k more. It also allowed us to afford the exceptional private school which is also only 10 minutes away. The area itself is absolutely fine, just not very fashionable at the moment, but with enough investment coming in, locals who care about improvement, commutable and close enough to more desirable areas that it will almost certainly appreciate over 10-15 years. We’ve been very happy with our choice so far.

Ah, just seen your update - that may also tip it to option 2 for me. In our last house we downsized to live in the desirable area, which was a massive mistake with a young growing family. If house 2 is bigger than where you are anyway, then that’s fine.

I had an office in a built in wardrobe at one point. It was great as I could shut the door and away it went.

Garage conversion could be (relatively) cheap to do in the medium term, especially if it already has power. Depending on the size it could also offer a space for your kids to chill in/have friends over.

2, without a doubt, on the schools alone. As someone else says, garden office? Even tiny and very cheap. It is much nicer to get out of the house to work too.