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Original poster

Is planning to move twice a bad idea?

13 replies

hellowembley · 12/04/2022 13:35

Hello, keen to hear views…
I currently live centrally in smallish terrace house in nice but expensive commuter town with my husband and two DC age 6 and 4. DH commutes and I work in the town… can walk to work and everything is very convenient. We’ve been going round in circles arguing about kitchen extensions, loft conversions, moving for literal years now and even had plan for kitchen drawn up.
Girls go to school in a village 4 miles out of town. I am quite into the idea of moving to the village and staying about 6 years whilst they are at primary and then trying to move back to the town when they are like… 13/11 for the teen years. Their secondary will be in town.
I spent age 6-11 ish in a lovely village and have fond memories but everyone says village life as a teen is less good and I can see why.
Other than paying stamp duty twice/ having moving hassle twice, are there any other big downsides of loving to the village for 6 years then coming back to town?! Has anyone done this?
Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
hellowembley · 12/04/2022 13:37

Moving to the village, not loving I mean!

OP posts:
NewYorker80 · 12/04/2022 13:39

To save on paying stamp duty twice, could you let out your current home in the town, and rent in the village (assuming the two costs roughly outweigh each other with tax factored in) and then either move back to your town home or sell and buy a new place for secondary school years?

JunhaLamra · 12/04/2022 13:41

How easy is the school run for the secondary school from the village? If it is doable why not stay in the village? Why do all teens hate living in a village? It depends on the teen.

I would look to stay in the village, make sure the house can grow with the children, their own lounge or space really helps. You have no idea what your circumstances will be in 6 years time. If you want to move to the village now then do it. Make sure you and your Dh are happy with your new commute.

Original poster
hellowembley · 12/04/2022 13:46

@NewYorker80 that’s a thought about renting… i suppose my only worry is getting a long term let as I wouldn’t want to have to keep moving between rental properties but that probably does make sense financially . Thanks for the idea.
@JunhaLamra yes good point, it may be that we want to stay and my kids will be able to get to secondary easily enough

OP posts:
Ilady · 12/04/2022 14:17

I would not sell your house to move to the village where you children's school is.
It going to cost you a lot to move out. By moving out you could take your children out of the catchment area of the better secondary schools near you. Your house in the village could take time to sell and the their maybe very little for sale in the town when you need to move. Also the town house prices could go up a lot in a few years.
I know a couple who live about 3 miles outside their nearest town and they found as their children got older they were driving them to friends house's, football training, matches ect. The mother even said to me that she was sorry they did not buy a house in town because it would have made life easier.
I think at the moment your current house is not working for you as a family and you either need to make some improvements or move to a bigger house around your own area.
I would ask around and see if any friends/family know a good architecture sorry house planner. Let them visit your house and see what suggestions they make re an extension or loft conversion. See what's possible and find out the cost. The only thing at the moment from what I have heard it's hard to get people who build or do jobs in houses such as plumbers, painters ect. Also prices have gone up a lot on building supplies.

JunhaLamra · 12/04/2022 14:35

I am all about the now, do what works for you now and if you need to reassess you will but with those current set of circumstances rather than speculating what teens may or may not want. They may well be perfectly happy in the village.

I have a 19 year old and a 16 year old, both boys. We bought this house when they were 6 and 3. We made sure it had room to grow for them. Secondary school wise it meant that unfortunately just because you make friends there doesn't mean they live anywhere near you. We are on one extreme side of the catchment and their friends are scattered toward the other side. But, they rarely meet up outside of school preferring instead to chat online with headsets whilst gaming or party watching Netflix, this includes girls too in their friendship group. Far better than all cramming into a bedroom unless that room is big enough to fit children the size of adults.

Renting your house out means you will pay income tax on that revenue, worth remembering. Would a move back to the town be for you and your Dh or for the children? What about after the children have left home? Your current house doesn't work for you, what do you and Dh want? Do you both want the village? If yes then start with that.

JustPlainKnackered · 12/04/2022 16:31

I have three teens and we live on the sticks. Not all teens hate the countryside. Yes I ferry them around a lot but the return for that extra bit of my time is living is gorgeous countryside, greenery everywhere, wildlife, stunning season changes, fresh air, beautiful walks / bike rides on our doorstep. It's not everyone's cup of tea but my teens love it.

Original poster
hellowembley · 12/04/2022 21:39

Thank you for the different views… it’s good to know that some teens love the countryside

OP posts:
Nandocushion · 12/04/2022 21:59

@NewYorker80

To save on paying stamp duty twice, could you let out your current home in the town, and rent in the village (assuming the two costs roughly outweigh each other with tax factored in) and then either move back to your town home or sell and buy a new place for secondary school years?
Most teens do hate the sticks, OP. Renting is the best idea - if your kids do happen to like the village, then you can sell up later once you know the best location for your older family, and save the cost of moving twice. If you move back to town in a few years you may have to settle for a lesser home as the town becomes even more expensive.
lljkk · 12/04/2022 22:06

We moved for 6 years only which have turned into 18 years (so far).

Roselilly36 · 13/04/2022 08:27

We moved semi rural, idyllic when our DS’ were little, as total pain as teens, we now live just outside a city, all much happier.

moodymary · 13/04/2022 08:48

I think it might be risky to view it as a temporary move. I assume you would get a bigger house in the village but the risk for me is that if you want to move back into the town in a few years will you be almost back where you started in terms of house size? Is it likely that the house prices in the expensive commuter town will increase proportionately higher than in the village? In which case you will be effectively downsizing but with teens rather than younger children. Unless your financial circumstances change of course.
Secondly, are there any back up options for Secondary if you move to the village? Just because the village falls in the catchment for the preferred school now, doesn’t guarantee that it still will in a few time.

Ariela · 13/04/2022 08:57

We are rural edge of suburbia (it's SO very built up round here, was very rural countryside in my youth.) but our teens love country, hate town. As soon as eldest could drive much of the taxi work diminishes on production of petrol money, but we found friends parents shared lots. Only one family NEVER shared transport but I think that was because both parents commuted to London by train so not really about till early evening.

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