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

[NotCure172]

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?

We've chosen the more desirable area, in particular close to amenities and transport links.

We chose the desirable areas too

Location, location, location!

We went for the small terraced house in the nice area! Good schools, access to lovely local amenities, near the grandparents and cousins and DC within walking distance to friends' houses. We have contemplated moving as would like a detached house, but as we couldn't afford that in this area we decided to stay put!

The better location.

If I moved back to where I grew up I could probably afford the best house in the whole town. There are a few pockets there of more desirable houses with 8 bedrooms, swimming pools and all mod-cons etc. But you are still surrounded by very dodgy areas with high crime and unlovely high streets. I wouldn't move back there if you paid me!

We went for a small house in one of the few desirable areas of the city we currently live in. I don’t regret it at all. The area is beautiful and friendly, we back onto a huge park and the schools are very good. It’ll be a difficult decision if we have more DC!

I had the exact same scenario as you! Town A’s (won’t say the name of the town) house was massive but the garden was small but not too bothered about it. I liked the house too but the area was a complete dump. There was nothing within walking distance except one pharmacy, the schools are OK and the town centre was just so depressing and dull.

About 20 miles away, we found a stunning home, quite a bit smaller but still a big house in a really sought after location (houses here rarely go up for sale) and we fell in love immediately.
Within less than one mile of my house, I have a station that takes me into Birmingham 4x an hour, Stratford-upon-Avon hourly and London twice an hour and an excellent high street with well known stores and independent ones.

I think for me, it was a no brainer but it depends how bad the bad area is!

I will add to my choice of the house over location by saying the nice area is 10min by car and we home educate so school catchment area isn't relevant for us.

I went for a bit of both. My house is in a great location - excellent schools, nice green spaces, lots going on, friends within a short walk, almost all the good stuff (schools, work, city centre, sports and cultural activities, station, doctor, hospital etc ) is within walking distance. But within that area, in our price range, we could afford either a 2 bedroomed Victorian terrace opening directly onto the street or the house we chose, a 1930s former council house. We would have extended either way, but we ended up with a spacious kitchen, front and back gardens, and three double bedrooms rather than a small galley kitchen, a small back yard and 2 bedrooms and a loft conversion. I've lived here for 20 years, and am very happy with the choice I made.

Well, we live in the north east so didn't have to compromise. We have a lovely spacious family house in an 'undesirable' region but in a very desirable area of town that is safe and middle class. The trouble with 'location, location, location' is that certain areas become so 'desirable' you end up living in a shoebox worth £1M in a big city where you can't actually afford to live because all your money goes on a mortgage. Not everyone has the same criteria, I'd never live in London because it does not seem safe, I don't want to have to worry about my children being stabbed etc but some people love the buzz and diversity of inner city life.

For me, location is the most important, although the kind of areas we like aren't the typical 'desirable' areas people talk about. We like busy central bits of London, with excellent public transport and amenities on our doorstep, but that tends to come with high crime rates, pollution and not much green space. Currently we live in a 2 bed flat in zone 1, and we want a bigger house within the next year, so we'll be moving out to zone 2, but it will be a terraced house with not much garden. We could afford a big detached house in zone 4 or further out, but we'd rather stay close to work and all the cultural amenities here.

As a rule of thumb, location location location.
But depends on your circumstances and stage of life. If having a lots of space would significantly improve the quality of family life, I would probably buy a bigger house in a less desirable area.

Hmm I'm guessing most of those going for a "smaller house" still have a bedroom for each child and possibly more than one loo?

Because I think that's different as thats "perfectly decent house" vs "even bigger house."

We aren't in a great area but to be in a better area would probably be an upstairs flat and possibly kids sharing...

@JaninaDuszejko

Well, we live in the north east so didn't have to compromise. We have a lovely spacious family house in an 'undesirable' region but in a very desirable area of town that is safe and middle class. The trouble with 'location, location, location' is that certain areas become so 'desirable' you end up living in a shoebox worth £1M in a big city where you can't actually afford to live because all your money goes on a mortgage. Not everyone has the same criteria, I'd never live in London because it does not seem safe, I don't want to have to worry about my children being stabbed etc but some people love the buzz and diversity of inner city life.

Good grief. Having grown up in the north east and lived in London, I guarantee London's not what you think it is.

And also, in the north east we got shot at through our living room window one Sunday afternoon, whereas I wasn't ever a crime victim in the decade I lived in London.

Nice area every single time. Safe is priceless (unfortunately it's not in real life).

We are looking to move this year... i live in the north east (north tyneside) and am now thinking about secondary schools..

To get into the school i hope for DS1 we are looking at a move further towards the coast.. ideally tynemouth but that is way over budget so we are looking at houses in north tyneside close to the fish quay as that is very much up and coming! (DS1 also has an ehcp which should help with secondary allocation!)

If we moved to jarrow or Hebburn we would get A LOT for our money but i just dont think it would feel like home in the way north tyneside does!

Depends on the house and exactly how different/better the area is. Any Rightmove links?

I couldnt get a smaller house, so if we had to move I would go for bigger house unless it was literally in the centre of smackhead central level bad?

Also what we mean by "worse" area. Mumsnet "not middle class enough" or actually dangerous.

I think it's a balance, I wouldn't choose a box of a flat in a desirable part of London in favour of a detached house in an ok suburb. But I would choose a terrace in a desirable suburb that had most other boxes ticked, over a massive detached in a not so nice area.

We got a smaller house in a good area. Smaller than others we’d seen but better arranged so it suits us better. It has got a tiny garden which is the main compromise but I love living in the centre of our village.

We moved from a one bed flat in a desirable area to a three bed house is a less desirable one. We wanted more space to start a family (though I know it’s totally doable).

I went against the general advice (worst house in best area) and bought the biggest house we could afford in a not great area. We really needed the space.

So far I haven't regretted it but our council is basically knocking down all the council estates, replacing them with new builds and mixing council homes in with owned and privately rented so good and bad areas are less of a thing now than when I was growing up. (I know there are bad areas that aren't council estates and most council estates are fine btw I'm more talking about perceptions). I do wonder if we'll regret it when the dcs are teenagers but so far I love my home and my street is very friendly.