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

[Marghe87]

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!

I've actually escaped to the country now! But yes, I worked in London when I lived in Epsom but it was 8 trains an hour then ( just before Covid)

Worst case scenario you can get a train somewhere else ( Surbiton, Wimbledon, Sutton) and get a bus or taxi. I think in 20 years I had to do this three times. There is a very good nursery a 5 minute walk from Epsom Station.

I think that direction is earmarked for crossrail 2 if that ever goes ahead!

This as an example is in a lovely villagey part of Epsom 10 minutes walk to Epsom Station with a nursery on the way. It's near the best primaries in Epsom too.
www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/63763751/?search_identifier=75ed832865eeda77cbb6d9ce0ff01fd3

House.

There are plenty of nurseries outside London you know. I live in a commuter village, 4 trains an hour to London, 30 min commute, and I’m aware of at least ) excellent nurseries here.

Flats suck. All it takes is one noisy neighbour to move in above you etc etc

But hey your life if you like the flat its up to you

6 excellent nurseries. Oh for an edit button…

Where do you live now given you've already said you live in zone 5? Are you in north London so concerned about loss of the more frequent tube services?

For those suggesting Surbiton, we really like the area but can only afford a flat there (albeit maybe a conversion flat with a garden). I am not too familiar with the whole area, is it common for families to live in flats there or is it more of a big houses type of community overall?

I live in central Surbiton (no kids yet). It’s absolutely lovely and loads of families live here, particularly on Saturday mornings all the buggies are out. There are loads od flats around, few houses in central Surbiton near the station. From what I can see, lots of families do live in flats particularly in central. But further out, in Berrylands/Tolworth, there are more houses.

@graceinc22 nice flats there are half a million which is our absolute maximum budget. I know we could get a house somewhere else so I am very torn on what to do.

I think if you want to stay in the area, you could buy a garden flat which has the potential to do up or extend into the loft, to add value. It would be a good way to get on the first rung of the property ladder, and I’d look to be in a good school catchment.
Then aim to buy the house once DC is in primary school. (some people also try to flip the first house and the forever house comes as the third or fourth property!)

@NicLondon1 houses in this area are way too pricey so it’s either flat or a house somewhere else (there aren’t any 2 bed terraced for example). Flats are around half a million whereas houses all start at a minimum of £750K. I am mid thirties and DH early 40, have good jobs but are not on high earning careers so it’s highly unlikely we will be able to afford so much more within the next 5-6 years.
i come from a country where the concept of property ladder doesn’t exist so I can consider buying and selling once but not many more times; I want to buy a place we can love and make memories in and stay put, not keep swapping for a bigger house every few years iyswim

A friend in property tells me that lots of buy-to-let landlords will be selling up over the next year or so and the market in London will have a glut of 2 bed flats on the market. If we are in a downturn you could plan to buy in a year or so and might get a good bargain at the bottom of the market. Make sure you are in a good catchment for primary, then plan to move to house prior to secondary.

You can often add value to flats - I have - especially with a dated property (e.g. former BTL) which is badly laid out/has the possibility of a loft conversion/extension if ground floor.

@IchLiebePudding so sorry about that! Was the new location very bad/different? Could yoh move again?

The property ladder doesn't really exist these days either for a few reasons. I would ideally try & find a house in the area you like & then stay put. Maybe look at new malden. Kingston ct is high for London. or the Tolworth side of Surbiton

for houses for 500k

We were in zone 5 (Harrow) where I lived my whole life and had the same dilemma.
It is so well connected and I love all the parks , have friends there etc. But we bought a house near to Bushey Station near Watford 2 years ago and I haven't regretted the move. The area is still in the Tfl zone and often the overground runs if there are any issues on the train , plus there are buses to Harrow or Stanmore if you need to get the tube (or can walk to Watford tube). There is such a nice community and we are close to fields for walks/runs as well as all the facilities of Watford Town. I still keep various appointments in my old area and it's easy enough to drive or get the train there.

couldn't resist having a look on rightmove.

half a million would get you a house in Tolworth (just down the road, estate agents still market as 'Surbiton'). not as 'posh' as Surbiton but very family friendly, lots of nurseries, train links from Tolworth station but also a bus to Surbiton station which has endless and fast trains. Tolworth Infant/Junior school is excellent.

3 bed house Tolworth: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131428859#/?channel=RES_BUY

2 bed Victorian, Tolworth (less close to the dual carriageway than the above): www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130612190#/?channel=RES_BUY

OR

central Surbiton: 2 bed small house www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123360986#/?channel=RES_BUY

midway between Surbiton and Tolworth, 2 bed garden flat, BUT right near lovely park, www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/130612175#/?channel=RES_BUY

Having done both, I’d say see if you can get a good sized apartment with a garden. London has so much more for kids.

Your current area sounds lovely.
if your priority is DD, she will benefit more from shorter days in childcare than any difference a house would make - ime long days in childcare can be very stressful for a child.
also, we lived in a lovely Victorian terrace and had noisy neighbours, it can happen anywhere.
I don’t know London well so can’t comment on that, but my friend has bought a really good flat, 2 bed, with great communal garden, near Haringey / St Anne’s, lovely school nearby, it was £365k

I have a friend going through a similar predicament but her thinking is more about the other children’s parents. She feels she gets a vibe when parents come to pick up her kids as they live in a flat. It probably is a thing but it’s not really something I could get annoyed by tbh

I wouldn’t leave London or even move further out just to have a house. Safety, better schools, better amenities possibly, but just to have a house because it could be better for a child who probably doesn’t really care at this stage, nah.

Lived in houses growing up and now live in a flat.

I loved visiting friends that lived in flats when I was a child.

I 100% understand where you’re coming from re childminders and also the associated costs that come with living in a flat.

enjoy London while you can it’s the best city in the world, I might just be being biased though 😉

Good luck with everything

Location and flat. Don't underestimate how much more your outgoings will be in a house. Something always breaks and the bills are always much higher. It's so normal to live in a flat in most countries in Europe. You sound like you have a lovely life, I'm not sure a house and added costs of that and a more expensive commute would make me want a house. Even if it was incredible.

She feels she gets a vibe when parents come to pick up her kids as they live in a flat

Bonjers
Sense of superiority?
No one cares
Only that you are nice people or not

Something like this would be a nice comoromise I guess: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131732666#/?channel=RES_BUY

Surbiton is a very nice area for a young family. I have family living there. They live in a garden flat a few min walk from the train station. It is great. We used to go around singing Christmas carols when the kids in the family were young. Friendly people.

I have worked with quite a few people who had the same dilemma as you. Two regretted moving out of the nice area they were familiar with and moaned about it to no end at work. I happened to sit next to one!

One moved from a flat in Crystal Palace to a house in rural Orpington. He bowed to his parents and peer pressure. People kept telling him he needed a house for the kids. They are both unhappy but cannot afford to move. They have two DD. Compared to the activities they could do and the proximity to everything that Crystal Palace offers, Orpington is a small town with not much going on.
I have friends who grew up in Orpington and love it there. They either go on walks or stay at home.

One swapped a flat in Dulwich village for a house in rural Surrey. His family now spend most of their time inside the house. They used to go out more when they were in Dulwich. His DW loves it. He does not like the commute and is not keen on the area.

Mind you; my sample is biased. I only hear the working spouse's version of the story.