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Original poster

Would you rather live in a bigger house in a less-than-desirable area or a smaller house in a desirable area?

97 replies

NotCure172 · 16/01/2022 15:17

Just that really. I faced this situation a few months ago with DH and we ended up choosing the desirable area. Just wondering what would others choose?

OP posts:
The2Omicronnies · 16/01/2022 15:19

Same here. Shame we already moved to the bigger house in the less desirable area! As it happens, we are now moving back to the desirable area and are glad that higher prices will force us to downsize, as a bigger house simply means more work in all senses.

EmmaC78 · 16/01/2022 15:19

I'd definitely choose better area over a better house.

MichaelAndEagle · 16/01/2022 15:24

I would do the same as you.

MyQuietPlace · 16/01/2022 15:27

A desirable area, with a house that perhaps needs doing up. It's what we did, and we've had lots done to the house.

A friend of mine has got a newish house but lives on a really rough estate.

Asdf12345 · 16/01/2022 15:27

We ended up with a smaller house in a more desirable spot.

SuperheroBirds · 16/01/2022 15:28

I’d always chose based on location

Original poster
NotCure172 · 16/01/2022 15:30

I’m glad the general census is of the same opinion as me. We saw a gorgeous home, albeit a slight do-er upper with so much potential however once we researched the area - it was ranked as the most dangerous town in the region! Not to mention the layout of roads were a nightmare.

Chose a much better area with lots to do with a smaller house and have no regrets

OP posts:
AdamRyan · 16/01/2022 15:30

I'm obviously unusual as I prioritise house over location.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 16/01/2022 15:31

Its a balance. We probably chose the least desirable village in the most desirable school catchment over a better house in a not so good school catchment

SusanSHelit · 16/01/2022 15:32

I've lived in a quite large in a not so nice area, and now in a much smaller house in a much quieter area.

If I didn't have to think about schooling for dc I'd honestly choose the bigger house.

Having no space /no storage and tripping over each other all the time is more of a grind than you might imagine.

Bad area does not always equal awful neighbours either. Our old neighbours were really quite lovely, though a few doors down were absolutely batshit.

If I lived alone I'd have a studio apartment slap bang in the middle of the city but that's a pipe dream now

pinkiepiee · 16/01/2022 15:37

We chose small house in amazing area. A few friends locally are now moving out of area for bigger houses and I am fascinated to see how it pans out. My reasons were

  • only 1 dc so don't need masses space
  • hate diy and spending masses on house stuff (including heating bills etc)
  • quite social and into going out to cultural things
  • prefer park to big garden
  • cheaper and easier to clean
  • probably won't have to downsize when we are older
  • close to good schools
Original poster
NotCure172 · 16/01/2022 15:40

Interesting to see differences of opinions! Both of the locations were ideal so it was just a matter of what we preferred

OP posts:
GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 16/01/2022 15:44

We chose the smaller house in the desirable area, on the grounds that you can change the house, but you can't change the area.

9 years on, and we still love where we live, and have done quite a lot to our house, but I'm not sure how much further we could extend...we may have to move in the near future, as I'd like the DC to have decent sized rooms once they head into their teens. Will still probably go for a medium sized house in the same area though, rather than a big one elsewhere!

BrieAndChilli · 16/01/2022 15:48

I think it depends on how bad/good then locations.
We were renting in a small village and when buying moved into the town (small town, 1 secondary school, 1 small high street, 2 medium supermarkets)
We ended up choosing a bigger house in the less desirable side of town for several reasons.

  • none of the town is actually that bad by national standards and in face the worst of our town is probably the best of lots and lots of places!
  • it’s all the same school catchment for secondary so all the same group of friends/amenities etc
  • the bad rep of the part of town is a memory from 15-20 years ago and it has changed lots.
  • our bit of town is actually one of the top places for people moving from Bristol as they can’t afford the crazy city prices!
  • once you are in your property it’s the house that counts! And we would rather the extra bedroom rather than the boys share, study to work from home and a 2nd proper bathroom. The same amount of rooms etc on the other side would be £200k more because they are newer builds and not ex-council.
ErinAoife · 16/01/2022 15:56

I would go for the desirable area as I wl be thinking when I am retiring where i would like to live

passionfruitpizza · 16/01/2022 15:56

Depends on how bad area is but for us bigger house.
There are nicer places we could have bought but it would have been tiny garden or a flat, probably on street parking. Our house isn't huge but we couldn't have afforded something this big in a more desirable area nearby where I really would have liked to live.

Lamont77 · 16/01/2022 15:59

I would probably choose the better house as long as the areas wasn't terrible (this is what I have done).

I live in a house I love in a 'rough town' but I'm in a decent area of the rough town. The primary is good, but secondary is questionable but I don't have kids yet.

My friend spent much more on a smaller house in a very good area though, but like a lot of places, she is only a 5min walk from a rough area anyway. But she has always lived in a very good area, whereas I've always lived in a rougher area so I think it doesn't bother me but might put her on edge.

If an area was actually dangerous though, there's no way I'd live there if I could help it, so would choose the smaller house.

Long answer Grin

3dogsnorth · 16/01/2022 16:01

Always choose the worst house in the best street! You can always improve it!

DustyMaiden · 16/01/2022 16:04

Better area, especially to raise DC

Solidaritea · 16/01/2022 16:04

So much of this is wealth dependant. I'm not majorly poor, but am buying a flat alone in London. For me, bigger flat in worse area is far better. But that's because what I can afford in good areas is barely liveable.

In a family situation - choosing a worse area but having a spare room is a very decision different to choosing a worse are but meaning that DC gets a bedroom instead of sharing with parents or having someone sleep in a living room.

MrsAntonioConte · 16/01/2022 16:07

We have just swapped our big house in dodgy area for a tiny house in lovely area.

It’s bliss! I feel so much more rested and calm. Less anxiety.

Mudddypaws · 16/01/2022 16:11

I would definitely go for the better location. We are about to complete on house purchase and have gone for smaller house in nicer area. Never considered anywhere where we couldn't go for nice walks from the front door. It will still be plenty big enough for us and less up keep / cleaning / bills etc.

TellMeItsPossible · 16/01/2022 16:12

On paper my area isn't great. But in actuality, the local school is amazing and supportive, and my neighbours are gems. Choosing the house over the area worked out for us, but admittedly it was luck of the draw.

SmithofSilver · 16/01/2022 16:15

If I didn't have to think about schooling for dc I'd honestly choose the bigger house.

This is it for me. I was just talking about this to dh earlier. Having children has limited where I feel we can live because of schooling. If I didn't have to worry about that then I wouldn't mind so long as the place wasn't a complete cesspit of course.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 16/01/2022 16:22

Would depend I suppose on how different the areas are.

There is a very naice area around here where we could perhaps afford a shoebox flat but that would impact our quality of life. Would be no room for us both to WFH, for DS to play with his toys without getting under our feet, for us to have some space from each other every now and then etc.
That said, we could afford a massive house in a not so nice nearby area. Means we could each have our own bathroom, a home office each, play rooms and spare rooms etc.

We have settled for a simply nice area and a decent house. It's smaller than we would like ideally but big enough. Means DS is around nice neighbours, a proper community spirit and a stones throw from his friends houses.