Going backwards to be in the village we like?

[LizzyBee9]

Ok so we have 2 kids (6&9) and we moved a year and a half ago to a largish house in the countryside (no walking distance to anything and just 2 other houses near by) which we thought we really wanted. We knew we would have to drive everywhere/ the kids wouldn’t have anyone else to play with / couldn’t just jump on their bikes and run up and down the street (as we don’t have one) but we thought the benefits of being in the countryside would outweigh the negatives… turns out we were wrong. The house is really lovely, but it’s cold and dark (200 year old cottage), we sit very high in the middle of a field so the wind is insane and always feels colder here and it’s just not what we hoped it would be. So it was a £310,000, 3 reception rooms and 3 large bedrooms.
We have just been to view a house in a village we have dreamed of moving to for years that is £210,000 a small newish end terrace 3 bed house, typical layout with just a living room and then a kitchen diner at the back, lovely little private garden. It is a LOT smaller than what we have, 107m2 compared to 160m2 that we have now. My husband thinks we should move as it’s all about the location, kids can walk to school, play out with friends etc. I’m worried it’s a massive step backwards to basically a starter house and it’s going to feel cramped with 4 of us. I just feels we have made so many bad decisions, I know don’t trust anything I think or feel and looking for some input / thoughts et so to help me work this out.
thanks

I have thought of that, at first I thought no as there would be ceiling price, but I think even just extending 1m would give us a large family kitchen, dining space with room for a big table and maybe an armchair. The living room would be a snug. I think they say it’s about 2k per m2 so we would be 14k or a little less as my hubby works in the trades. We would have the money to do it obviously as downsizing.

I wouldn't move just yet, would you be ok with more noise/possibility of hearing your next door neighbours etc?

In the summer if it's anything like last year you'll be glad of the cool inside your cottage, you'll get the glorious peace and quiet just the birds etc. Kids can play and no one can moan.

Yes you have to drive everywhere but I'd make your home feel more cosy and keep your eye out in the village you like, set up alerts with prime location, Rightmove etc.

I wouldn't swap rural peace and quiet for a terrace.

If the village is as popular as you describe, you could look at it as a better investment than your current house in that it sounds like it will always be popular.

I love my terrace. We have a small extension which means we have a semi open plan kitchen/living room at the back and a separate lounge at the front. We rejigged the layout to get this and it's made an incredible difference.

The kitchen isn't huge but is very functional and having another area the kids can watch TV etc has made the house feel so much bigger (we sacrificed an awful dark utility room to open it up to the garden/light).

If you can get a second sitting space by extending a little then it will be much easier to live in.

My tumble dryer is now in the shed but that's not a problem and handy if just finishing things that come in off the line.

I'd start observing how you use your current space and deciding what adds to your quality of life and what looks nice but adds little.

I’d do it I think. We have the same size house as the potential one you’ll buy sounds like. We have 3 kids and 2 adults and yes we’re extending but it’s fine as it is. We have the baby in the box room and 2 doubles (2 kids in one double). So you have 2 kids, it will be ok. Assuming you have a good garden. Could even do the loft? I’d do it, nice to have friends close by etc

I do think you need to consider your lifestyle.

We lived in a terraced house for years with three kids. It was great in that the kids played out all day for hours. We moved when our youngest was 9. By then the playing out had stopped due to others moving on. We also struggled to host much due to the size of the house. We've moved to a much larger detached house that does make us more dependent on driving kids places but I can live with that.

Friends of ours moved from a lovely village to a town because it suited them to be able to walk to shops, restaurants and bars. Not something that would suit our family but perfect for them.

What does your family life need? If its living in this village do it.

Your priorities are wrong. What people will think is totally and utterly irrelevant.

Your lifestyle and happiness is what matters, and you are miserable where you are. It's a no brained.

Location trumps everything for me, with the only exception being bad neighbours.

If you love the area then do it.

You definitely can survive another mistake, we all have to be able to!

I'd give it another summer where you live. We moved from 3 bed terrace with rubbish garden to bigger house with garden and it honestly makes me feel so happy in spring and summer . In the old house we were constantly out to parks etc and it's lovely to be able to eat outside. You've just come through cold winter . If you still feel the same in august then sell in September. Another house will come up I'm sure and you could afford a different one.

Who cares what people think, you will be happier if you move. Many people myself included bring up a family happily in a terraced house. They tend to need less heating,too!

You can always move if something you think is smarter comes up locally.

As this thread was bumped, curious to know what you decided, OP?

In the last two years, we have lived in both a crusty 200 yo house with awful light levels that is impossible to heat, and a big 10 yo house that unexpectedly gets absolutely battered by wind most of the year. You have my sympathy. These things do get to you, as much as people think it might be living the dream.