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 ?

2 definitely. Then save for a few years and convert the garage. Still likely to be better value than moving house again in a few years because you don’t like the area!

Option 2

Based on your update definitely 2

Option 2.

Thank you all so much for you replies .
They have really helped.

I know in my heart if I went for option 1 I would always yearn to live in the nicer area.

The compromise I guess I am making is the 'Instagram worthy' kitchen diner

But that's ok. I can move again in 10 years ( I'll be 45) and have the dream kitchen then

We chose option 1 when DD was a baby, nicest house on the street in an ok area which we imagined we could grow into. But as DD grew up and DS came along schools, being close to nice parks/green space and in a nicer bit of our town became more important.

We downsized to a smaller home when DD was in reception (we scraped into the school we wanted on distance as birth rates were low that year!). Now we have a 5 min walk to school, a park two mins walk from the end of the road and a lovely cul de sac with lovely quiet neighbours who talk to us. It doubled our mortgage, and we only have a small garden with no space to extend so once the kids are teens perhaps we'll feel we'll need to move again, but for now it is perfect and we finally feel comfortable.

It took a while to get my head around the fact we'd always be in a smaller house but weighing it up I am happy with our choice

Option 2, definitely. Once your children are a bit older, being in a nice, safe area will outweigh having extra space inside the house. Also, the bigger the house, the more it will cost to run.

When buying property, location, location, location. I only sitting in my house became of buying in a good location, selling for more and moving into better properties. Could never have afforded this house otherwise if not for buying/selling in desirable area.

Option 2 for sure. Is the garden big enough to build a home office in it?

Location wins I think. You can change a house when finances permit but you can never change the location.

.

Yes, the garden is big enough for a nice little office at the back so that is always an option

Option 2, and save up for a while to convert the garage into 50% office and 50% garage storage.

Another saying option 2. My DPs had a similar decision 20 odd years ago.

They went for the smaller house in a nicer location which was the right choice. The house they chose has risen in value massively, the other house not so much. Had they chosen differently they wouldn't have been able to move here now.

Option 2 :)

The smaller one in the better area.