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Original poster

If you chose between location and property size which did you go for and do you regret it?

118 replies

donkey86 · 12/05/2023 16:53

When we moved to our current town about six years ago DH and I very much prioritised location. It’s a seaside town and we wanted to be walking distance from both the beach and the railway station. So we accepted that we could only afford a fairly small terraced house.

For the most part I’ve been happy with the decision even though it means our DDs sharing a room. It’s great to have everything in walking distance, especially as DH can’t drive. But yesterday I went around a new friend’s house at the far end of town. It’s massive! Four bedrooms, a lovely garden, a driveway. When I got home I looked on Rightmove (I’m nosy!) and I saw that a very similar house near them is on sale for less than ours is worth. Despite being well over twice the size!

So of course now I’m thinking of how much house we could have if we moved to the suburbs. But they don’t even have a corner shop close by. They drive everywhere. There aren’t many buses either. And DH would never agree. But that lovely garden - oh, I’d like one like that! We only have a courtyard patio.

I was just wondering how other people feel? If you went for location, do you pine for a big house? If you went for the house, do you get frustrated having to drive for a pint of milk?

OP posts:
PolkadotZebrasAndStripyGiraffes · 13/05/2023 10:37

It's funny isn't it, I do sometimes see houses and think I wonder who chose to buy that, (compared to what would be a similar price). But it will be a case of people having different priorities and needs.

Kickingupmerrybehaviour · 13/05/2023 10:45

We bought a fixer upper in a great area that wasn’t really suitable long term but we managed in it for 2 years, sold it, made some money, moved to a fab big house in the same area.

Redburnett · 13/05/2023 11:06

I have heard it said that a poor house in a good location is a better buy than a good house in a poor location. In my limited experience I have ignored this advice and always gone for the better house in the poorer location and not regretted it because I live in it. Having said that the value of the properties has not increased as much as those in better locations.

Burpcloth · 13/05/2023 12:58

Absolutely agre with pp's that it's a balance. We went for minimum criteria in a house and looked at how central we could go on that basis (central being our location preference).

We also worked on the principle that for us, on a practical and emotional level, we'd likely find it hard to downsize if we got used to a bigger house. So risking choosing house over location with the idea we could always move back if we changed our mind.... didn't really feel like a goer.

Maddy70 · 13/05/2023 13:11

When I moved to Spain I moved from a huge 6 bedroom house to a tiny 3 bed apartment.
My apartment is a shirt walk into a really pretty town, and the first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning is the blue sea through my window.

Location is everything

Crikeyalmighty · 13/05/2023 14:51

Location matters enormously - when we moved back to uk from Denmark - we had real trouble finding a nice house to rent in our chosen places even at pretty high rents- we kept being outbid- even at full money offers, so ended up with a nice house but 2 miles out of town in a town I wouldn't really have picked and I don't drive- no shops or even a nice pub anywhere really in walking distance . My H does drive but we actually found it really depressing him having to constantly drop me off even if I just wanted an hour potter to myself. We thought it would be ok- but it really wasn't us.

Luckily a beautiful house came up that was perfect in our preferred location and we bit the bullet, paid again to move and now rent a lovely house on edge of city but with a Uni bus every 8 minutes at end of street into town. And I can use the Uni shop and cafe too if I want which is 7 minutes walk through the campus.

Over the years we have always gone for location , but the house matters too , especially renting , because I can't move in on the basis of 'doing it up' or extending it.

Crikeyalmighty · 13/05/2023 14:52

@Maddy70 and you can't put a price on that for a feel good factor!!

AlliumFairy · 13/05/2023 16:16

We chose the house. Large barn conversion with a big garden. It has 4 reception rooms as well as a dining kitchen. I still love it 35 years later.

It's in a village with no shop and poor public transport but that's never been a problem. Great for bringing up children, tiny village school with a lovely family atmosphere.
We recently looked at moving for location as we are now getting older but found nothing we liked even a fraction as much as our house.

I don't understand people not driving and having to make such life choices on the basis that they can't drive. DH and I both learned at 17, as did our DC.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 16:35

I don't understand people not driving and having to make such life choices on the basis that they can't drive. DH and I both learned at 17, as did our DC.

Some people care about the environment & some people don't need too. I grew up in inner London, I had absolute no need for a car.

roarfeckingroarr · 13/05/2023 16:49

I think I would go for a middle ground if possible. I'm in a similar situ - looking to buy a family home with a garden either in Kingston (terraced) or much less fancy Worcester Park (semi detached with huge garden) and will go for the latter. But then, my children are very small and I need space more than I need to be in spitting distance of the Thames

roarfeckingroarr · 13/05/2023 16:50

frankgu · 13/05/2023 16:35

I don't understand people not driving and having to make such life choices on the basis that they can't drive. DH and I both learned at 17, as did our DC.

Some people care about the environment & some people don't need too. I grew up in inner London, I had absolute no need for a car.

I live in central London so don't currently own a car, but learning to drive is a life skill. I agree with the pp and find it unutterably bizarre when an otherwise competent adult cannot drive.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 17:03

@roarfeckingroarr I don't understand your point? I passed my test but don't really think you "learn" to drive until you have a car & actually drive. As I said I had no need for that at 17 or 21 or 25 etc. I also understand people who aren't interested in learning because they care about the environment.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 17:06

@roarfeckingroarr In Kingston or WP you would need a car if you have dc! Friend moved to WP recently, near the high street. I thought it was nice, didn't really know about it.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 17:07

she moved for the schools.

roarfeckingroarr · 13/05/2023 17:23

@frankgu my worry with WP is a lack of great schools and not close enough to grammars or private. I'll buy a car when I move; im much more central at the moment but separated from the kids' father so moving out a bit.

roarfeckingroarr · 13/05/2023 17:25

@frankgu ah fair, I misunderstood what you meant about learning to drive. I find the environment thing a bit weird if I'm honest. Having a clean car and only using when necessary... drop in the world's oceans ten times over

Talia99 · 13/05/2023 17:38

Location - 2 bed flat with everything (shops, buses, trains) walking distance, 20 minutes from airport (no flight noise).

I do miss having private outdoor space and a garage would be nice (rather than a designated parking space), plus occasionally I yearn for a detached property and the quiet that comes with it (though realistically I’d be able to afford a semi at best) but the trade offs are worth it.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 17:50

@roarfeckingroarr her dc are at an excellent primary, she said it was in the Times, don't know the name.

She's aiming for grammars I think but she's also catholic so has more options & she mentioned there is some private's that have buses. As someone who grew up in London it's really normal to travel for secondary school. I'm actually looking that way or Kingston as there aren't enough options secondary wise in my part of Wandsworth. Can't really afford private.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 17:50

I agree about the car thing but know some people who are proper anti & tbh once I had dc & got one I use quite a bit.

frankgu · 13/05/2023 17:54

Oh & she told me certain postcodes give slight priority for grammar's so be mindful of that.

shivawn · 13/05/2023 18:02

We went for location with our current house but we'll be upsizing in the next 1-2 years and it will be all about the house!

We have a toddler now and a second baby on the way so more space and most importantly a big garden are important to us now! We won't be more than a 10 minute drive to our workplaces in the new house but won't be able to stroll in to the city centre for dinner as easily as we can right now

Nw22 · 13/05/2023 18:33

We are in the process of moving from a s larger house to a smaller one in an amZing location. I will never pick house over location again

BungalowBuyer · 13/05/2023 19:12

We're in the process of selling/buying and did a lot of viewing before we finally found a property the size we needed and also close to some shops and services.

We're not planning to move again so a shop within a few minutes walk was on my essentials list, and on or near a bus route.

We eventually found a bungalow in a nice village, with a bus stop at the end of the street and a small row of shops a couple of minutes walk away.

Crikeyalmighty · 13/05/2023 19:18

@AlliumFairy there are those with health issues too who are unable to drive or it wouldn't feel safe too. I didn't bother and then just at the point I decided to bother- the health issues erupted!!

sparklefresh · 13/05/2023 19:20

Location

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