We've had an offer accepted on a great house in an area we don't love. We're used to being very close to our town centre (London outer zone), walking everywhere or taking public transport. We don't even have a car. But the house is amazing and a really good price, though we'd need to get a car, maybe change schools and pretty much adopt the suburban lifestyle (which I know lots of people love, but it's never been for us).
BUT now another option has surfaced, very central to where we live, and we'll need to act quickly if we want it. It's slightly cheaper but it's a much smaller flat on the ground and lower ground floor (shared freehold). A nice little garden backing a park, but no light-flooded interior. It's close to everything. We wouldn't need to change schools, activities, gp, etc. We wouldn't need a car. It's not as nice as the house we've offered on or the place we're renting, but the location is perfect and hugely important to us. Ever since our offer on the house was accepted, I've felt a huge sense of loss about leaving where we are. It's the first place that ever felt like home and a place I wanted to stay.
Neither option is perfect and I feel like either way we'll be looking to either upgrade from the flat or move to a house closer to town in a few years. I've moved so much in my life and put off buying because of it and now I'm 47 and just want to settle down and never spend another minute on rightmove. But there are so few affordable options in our area that I can't see any way to get exactly what we want without this purchase being a stepping stone and it's all so stressful.
What would you lovelies do? Go with the big lovely house in a so-so area or the so-so flat in the lovely area?