Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Offered our dream house but…

184 replies

Battleaxx · 01/04/2023 09:27

we were moving away!

So we have sold our house to a cash buyer, in preparation for a big relocation across the country to be near my parents in Cambridgeshire. We haven’t found a place there yet, it’s ridiculously expensive but we’re looking hard.

Yesterday I was called by an old friend who lives in a beautiful house in our town. It is our dream house and we’ve always said if we could choose any house that would be it: bright, spacious, lovely garden, on a lane and backing onto a nature reserve. Still within walking distance of school and work. There are only 3 houses on the lane and they never come up for sale. Friend is selling and said we could buy it privately and get a bit of a discount as she would save agent’s fees.

What do we do? It’s like handing in your notice and being offered a massive pay rise! We have very good reasons for relocating, primarily being closer to my parents but also more work opportunities. The flipside is that it’s more expensive and we’d be living in something much less good. We are settled where we are but had psyched ourselves up for the move, identified schools, got the kids on board, got family excited that we’ll be nearer etc.

OP posts:
Pipsquiggle · 03/04/2023 08:26

I really feel for you OP.

I genuinely don't know what I would do in this situation.

I definitely would do a pros and cons list and see what kind of property you can get near your ILs and do the due diligence on which schools you would most likely get into.

Also you need to really think about how involved the ILs will practically be as they are still working. If they can't see you much as they are still extremely busy - what's the point in moving?

I keep going back to what you said about 'your quality of life will go down'

I went to Cambridge a few weeks ago for a city break and it was lovely but heaving with tourists

Ishouldbeoutside · 03/04/2023 08:49

Being isolated doesn’t mean not being near your parents. If you have friends and social activities, that can be a lot less isolating. I have never felt so isolated as when I loved for family reasons and they didn’t want to know really or we fell out. They used to visit for a few days every few months, and that that was better for our relationship .

Ishouldbeoutside · 03/04/2023 08:49

Moved

TheLongpigs · 03/04/2023 09:02

I wouldn't overthink the potential problem of buying from friends. We bought our first house off of friends and it was never an issue. They moved a couple of miles away, and weren't remotely interested in the changes we made it to the house and they were excited about their new home.

We have always considered ourselves lucky that we were buying a house we knew from people we trusted. You only really need to read the horror stories of moving into houses on here to know the risks are far greater buying from strangers!

chopc · 03/04/2023 09:18

Location location location. This was crucial in our decision making as there were so many nicer houses further away from the station and school but I was adamant I needed to live within walking distance of both and I am thankful for this decision on a regular basis

Shuggie1234 · 03/04/2023 16:55

Your reasons for going haven’t changed. So you just have to decide what’s your reasons for changing your minds. It can’t just be a house? I’d stick to the plan to move unless of course you really deep down don’t want to move 🤔😬

whyistheresomuchwashing · 04/04/2023 11:33

I don’t know if I would move or not, however I live very close to my mum, and whilst I love her dearly, she does expect to do everything with me…and gets very annoyed and sulky if I do things with my friends without her. Living a little bit further away from her would be my preference.

theblackradiator · 04/05/2023 11:19

What did you finally decide OP. Are you moving away to be nearer family or did you go for the dream house? Or are you still agonising over the decision? Hope all has worked out for you whatever you have decided.

ImustLearn2Cook · 05/05/2023 06:35

@Battleaxx Ooh yes we would love an update!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread