Nice house & 1 hour commute vs. studio flat & 15min commute

[bibbi01]

I'm having to make the choice between a 6am start and 6pm finish and a 7am start and a 5pm finish (from home to home).

I can either get a tiny, tiny studio flat in which I can never have guests and requires soundproofing, or I can choose a spacious 1-bed house -- but at a costly and lengthy train commute.

Is it better to live in a studio and not have to commute?

I'm just a bit worried that an 8-hour work day plus 2 hours of commuting each day might be a bit much for me. That being said, it would be a 36-week year as it's a school position.

I have had an offer accepted on the 1-bed house but it is really at the very top end of my budget and I would be using virtually all my savings for the deposit.

I'd always go for a house with garden if I could afford both.
a 1 hour commute isn't dreadful, but it is tedious and having to rely on public transport can be dodgy.

Are you likely to stay in the same job long term?

I was about to say same. Maybe renting short term would be a better option while you settle into the job and get a feel for transport and areas. If you had to stay late occasionally would the journey be as straightforward?

I hated living in a studio. I found it worse than a (smaller) one bed flat because there was no division of space. It felt like guests were in my bedroom, and when I was in bed I would stay awake looking at the pile of work on my desk, the tea towel that needed putting away, etc.

I had a similar choice to you, but to me it's really important to look at how you want your life outside work to be:

1. What do you do when you're not at work: is it dance classes, drinks with friends, eating out, art galleries etc.? Or is it walks in the countryside, pub lunches, rock climbing, cycling etc.?

I do a lot of outdoor stuff in my free time, so although I have a commute to get to work, I spend zero time travelling at weekends - it's all on my doorstep. I couldn't be commuting all week and at weekends.

2. Are you looking at pets/children at some point? A big commute becomes virtually impossible if you have to do pick-ups/drop-offs, so would you be priced out of a closer property if you needed to move for those kinds of reasons in the future?

Are those literally the only two options?

Is the commute car or public transport?

I would go for the house and find something pleasant to do during the journey (reading, podcasts etc) with a long term aim of finding a job you can do at home if you find the travelling onerous.

Oh just saw - commute by train. That's nice. If seated you could read/do the online food shop/ call a friend etc.

What's the commuting costs? Some of these rail passes are am absoloute fortune!

I would think about the long-term. Do you have a partner? Plan to have children? At a certain stage in life, I would have been perfectly happy with a studio flat (in fact, I lived in one and loved it), I was very central to everything, could go out with friends and not worry about missing the last train home, etc. By 1 br house, I assume you mean, it's sort of also a flat, but perhaps with some outdoor space. Long term, I don't think a 1 br house/flat in a less desirable location is as good of an investment as a studio that is more central. But this depends on if you are planning to stay there long-term, plan to keep this job long-term.

Also, realistically, will it be affordable if you are stretching your budget for the 1 br, how much will you have left for commuting costs? I have a long commute (longer than this) and I can easily spend £800 a month if I was commuting every day.

House, without question. Do you really want to spend all those weeks off in a tiny studio where you can’t have guests? An hour commute is pretty standard for a lot of people and not arduous at all if your working hours are fairly set. I work longer days than you and don’t struggle with it.

Also don't forget to factor in any service charges with the studio.

I'd imagine the house would sell faster in the future.

Depends on location of both properties and your lifestyle
One bed house does not sound big

@mindutopia

I would think about the long-term. Do you have a partner? Plan to have children? At a certain stage in life, I would have been perfectly happy with a studio flat (in fact, I lived in one and loved it), I was very central to everything, could go out with friends and not worry about missing the last train home, etc. By 1 br house, I assume you mean, it's sort of also a flat, but perhaps with some outdoor space. Long term, I don't think a 1 br house/flat in a less desirable location is as good of an investment as a studio that is more central. But this depends on if you are planning to stay there long-term, plan to keep this job long-term.

Also, realistically, will it be affordable if you are stretching your budget for the 1 br, how much will you have left for commuting costs? I have a long commute (longer than this) and I can easily spend £800 a month if I was commuting every day.

You get one bedroom houses

Eg www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/118920221#/?channel=RES_BUY

I'd keep looking. I wouldn't live in a studio flat if you paid me, particularly with the restrictions you describe. It could also be difficult to sell if you find you hate it.

I also wouldn't intentionally add 2 hours a day travel to my day. I do that currently when I go to the office 2-3 times a week, and hate it. Currently looking for a local job to reduce this substantially.

If you really have to pick one or the other, I'd go for the house on the basis that it will feel like a much larger space, and you'll be able to have guests.

I’m dying to play Kristie and Phil for you.

Would you tell us where you need to be and your budget?

House - how do you get to know people locally? Always on the move. Sounds lonely to me.

Studio around the corner? Get to know and be know. Stroll into work.

TIME TIME TIME. Not a slave to the last train.....