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Property/DIY

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Original poster

To buy a flat and stay in current (lovely) area or a small house and move?

68 replies

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:01

We live in a lovely area in London zone 5. Have been here for a few years, DD is 2 and goes to a lovely nursery and there are good schools nearby with good pre school and afternoon clubs. Train connections are also great and DH manage all drop off and pick ups with no issues (no family support so it’s important for us).
We are getting close to buying a house and we cannot afford one here, just a flat or a maisonette. I’d love to get a proper house but moving to a new area worries me a bit, mostly because of DD and the need to do pick ups etc. i am concerned I will have to use a CM when she is in school as afternoon clubs close at 6 latest and if we relocate further out or with not so good trains we might not be able to be there on time.
Nothing wrong with using a CM, it just makes us feel a bit uneasy to leave DD in a stranger’s house whereas a nursery or school setting feels safer.
We are really torn and honestly don’t know what to do. I am scared I might regret getting a flat and that we could have been more adventurous moving somewhere else but equally logistics are currently very easy and for 2 ft working parents with no extra support it is a very important aspect.
Keen to hear your experience and advice!

OP posts:

Forestdweller11 · 06/03/2023 14:04

Personally I'd stay in the area where you have the infrastructure available to support your FT lives.

Flat with a garden?

Movinghouseatlast · 06/03/2023 14:08

We were in the same position and chose to move so we could buy a house. We went to Epsom which is only 38 mins from Waterloo, but looked at lots of other places with good train connections.

I have to say I would have been utterly miserable if we had stayed in a flat as we'd got older. Your tolerance to noise and other people generally reduces with age! Also having a garden was so important.

I cried when I left London but 5 minutes after moving into our house I was over it, going upstairs to bed and having a lovely garden did it for me.

We lived in that house for over 20 years, we must have saved a fortune on moving fees as I'm sure we would have wanted to move out of a flat after a few years.

RobertsRadio · 06/03/2023 14:09

I think I'd be inclined to stay in the area as it obviously works for you practically and is a lovely area. Do you currently live in a flat and are you used to apartment living? If so, then you will know if it works for you.

steppemum · 06/03/2023 14:12

for me, I would definitely want some outside space. Garden, roof terrace etc.
But a home is a lot about location. If you are happy there, then look and see if there is a place that would work for you.
eg ground floor flat with garden?

WoolyMammoth55 · 06/03/2023 14:14

Yes, I'd say the same about the garden, if you can find a ground floor maisonette with easy garden access then that should be fine!

I do think loving the location and feeling it works for your family is worth a lot.

That said, do you have plans for more DC? Since that might affect the future-proofing of your home!

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:15

@Movinghouseatlast Epsom is actually one of the areas we’d consider if we were to move. Trains are ok but not as good as we have it now. Do you work in London how‘s the day to day commute like? Looks like there are 2 trains per hour from each London station, worries me a bit…

OP posts:

Talipesmum · 06/03/2023 14:15

Afternoon clubs can be a bit unreliable and remember you can’t use them in the holidays. Think about what childcare you’ll need over holidays - we had a childminder who seamlessly moved ours from full time to school wraparound and covered all holidays so it was great - I do understand the anxiety about changing childcare but take a look at the bigger picture as well. We ended up moving out from a flat zone 6 to a house out in Surrey - stayed in the flat for baby 1, and it was just too tricky for baby 2 - going up the stairs with on the move toddler, baby in pram or car seat needing carrying, plus shopping - argh! Of course all these things are manageable if you have to but the inconvenience just got too much and outweighed the love for the area. I still miss it but it was the right choice for us.

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:16

Yes we are used to beingrg in an apartment and yes, would definitely want a flat with garden. It’s just that it‘s expensive here and with £500K we could get a house somewhere else and makes me wonder if it’s worth staying or not

OP posts:

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:17

@Talipesmum I just get anxious about leaving her at a stanger’s home.
Local schools here have realiable school clubs and also offer holiday clubs.

OP posts:

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:19

I lived in a flat all my life and don’t mind but would want give DD the best and wonder if a house would be better as she grows up etc

OP posts:

steppemum · 06/03/2023 14:22

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:19

I lived in a flat all my life and don’t mind but would want give DD the best and wonder if a house would be better as she grows up etc

well, if you have enough space and a garden, what are the actual differences?

yes, neighbours can be an issue.
yes it may be smaller.

But a garden flat/maisonette is really not that different to a small house.

cestlavielife · 06/03/2023 14:31

If you both working ft commute stay in area. Get a flat with garden .
"Better" is relative

Think if scenarios where you need to be back on time and trains cancelled.
Who steps in ?

If you move out can you afford nanny?

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 14:54

@cestlavielife we are paying full time nursery without funding right now so we will be able to afford any type of wrap around care once she is in school as it will be significantly cheaper regardless. It’s more that our preference are school clubs.

Yes, a maisonette is similar to a small house but the downsides are: unknown neighbours, potential sharehold or share of freedhol issues, maintenance fees, not possible to extend and add value etc

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steppemum · 06/03/2023 14:56

I guess I was reacting to your comment about wanting to give dd the best.

Is she really going to notice the difference apart from maybe neighbours and noise?

HerculesMulligan · 06/03/2023 14:57

We were in your shoes and bought a flat in Zone 5 when I was pregnant with DS. Ours had beautiful communal gardens which was ideal for sitting outside with a baby but not having to do any of the upkeep. Just before he started at school, we were able to sell it and buy a house just up the road. If this is your first home, buying a nice flat which is likely to hold its value is a perfectly good start; it doesn't need to be the 'forever home' (which I think is a crazy idea for anyone, tbh).

Honoraryuce · 06/03/2023 15:01

Someone above mentioned Epsom, we are in Ewell so can go to Chessington or West Ewell station, they're both in a London travelcard zone. It's also a short bus to Surbiton which has fast trains (18min into Waterloo). This gives us more options for commuting especially if some trains are disrupted. When the rail strikes were on there were a good amount of trains to and from Surbiton. We both commute into London although I often drive in, being close to A3 it's also fairly easy to drive into London.

footstoop · 06/03/2023 15:06

I would try and go for the house tbh as you seem to want to end up in a house. Looking at the market I also think a house is a better buy. My childminder used to do pick ups & drop ups from the local school.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 06/03/2023 15:07

We were in the same position, but Not London (live in Essex) and could afford a flat right in the centre of the city with all the amenities and transport links that came with that, or a house in the suburbs.

We chose the flat.

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 15:46

@Honoraryuce thank you, will look into Ewell too - are trains frequent?

OP posts:

Honoraryuce · 06/03/2023 16:24

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 15:46

@Honoraryuce thank you, will look into Ewell too - are trains frequent?

About 3 an hour from Ewell West and 2 an hour from Chessington. There is also Ewell East station but those trains go to Victoria/London Bridge, I'm not sure how frequent they are. From Surbiton I think there are about 4 an hour. The Waterloo line trains stop at Wimbledon which is useful for tube too.
Although Epsom town centre is closer I would say I mainly go to Ewell Village, Kingston and Surbiton instead.

ICanHideButICantRun · 06/03/2023 16:28

I'd aim to be in a house when she's in secondary and you don't have childcare costs.

Original poster

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 16:34

@Honoraryuce thank you! based on map Ewell and Chessington look quite far but I guess it depends on whether you drive to the station (I don't so need walking distance). I will definitely have a look at the area :) Based on quick search I can see there are good primaries but not many good state secondaries, apart from a couple of same sex (which I don't want), am I correct?

OP posts:

Honoraryuce · 06/03/2023 16:45

Marghe87 · 06/03/2023 16:34

We're almost equidistant so 20-25 min walk from each station and bus for Surbiton. You could potentially live somewhere walkable to both Ewell stations. Primary schools are pretty much all fairly good but yes the mixed secondaries aren't amazing. We home ed at moment so not that important for us although we will be trying for all the good grammar schools in our radius (Tiffin etc) when it gets to that stage.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 06/03/2023 16:48

Bear in mind the childminder isn't a stranger for long.

footstoop · 06/03/2023 16:54

@Marghe87 a friend is in Ewell borough but near a bus that takes her to morden tube.

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