Bigger house in posher street or smaller in more practical location?

[wawawoo142]

Trying to decide between two houses to buy to live in for next 10+ years. Two kids, both houses same distance to walk to school so that's not an issue.

One has all the space and more, in a posher area of town, but still walkable - but the extra 10 minutes walk will mean I drive more often. House needs renovated, but nothing major, just updating to our taste.

The other has everything we need, just the rooms are all a bit smaller (normal sized rather than huge), more recently renovated and to our taste, more of a mixed street but still quite nice and very easy to walk into town, kids to activities, etc.

Both options are similar price. The bigger one probably has more potential to grow in value due to the posher location, whereas the smaller one is at it's full potential and probably one of the nicest houses on the street.

What would you choose???

What would the running costs of each look like? Can you afford to do the work needed in property one?

I’d go for the grower. You can put your stamp on it and be confident that you’ll increase the value.
That said, it depends how much you’ve got your hands full and if you’d be in a hurry to get work done.

Think they would be similar running costs. Bigger house has double-glazing, smaller has original single-glazed period windows. Bigger is more south-facing so even though bigger, hopefully not need the heating on any more than smaller one.

We've got time to do DIY projects like get the kids rooms decorated soon as we move in, but wouldn't touch dated bathrooms and kitchen til we've lived there for a year probably.

I would go for the bigger one, more desirable location, needs a bit of updating. You will be much more likely to make a profit on it 10 years from now.

Bigger, for the double-glazing and south-facing-ness alone. Decor can be left till you have spare cash. And surely no need to drive all that much more for ten minutes extra walk?

Could you clarify the difference in locations?
I'm not really understanding what you are trying to compare.
Also your OP says same walking distance to school for both houses. But then you say 10 mins further for posher one. 10 mins difference seems nothing.
What is there local to the posher house? And what makes it less convenient or desirable to you? Because of what you've written the bigger house seems a no brained. There must be something I'm missing.

Always the worst house on the best street, not the best house on the worst street

The bigger one. You'll appreciate the extra space more and more as the kids grow and you can update it as and when needed.

So house 1 is bigger and on a nicer street, house 2 is smaller and on not so nice a street, but they're roughly the same price?

Is it just the extra 10 minutes from the town centre that makes the price difference?

Otherwise it seems really obvious that house 1 wins. Unless there's something else keeping its price down a bit?

Bigger, posher, definitely

Location location location is what an estate agent would say -good luck with it 👍

When DH and I first bought a house, he persuaded me to go for the biggest one that we could comfortably afford. He was so right, as we then had kids and it would have been much harder in the sort of house I was suggesting. But as they grew we realised that a bigger house would mean that the kids stuff hadn't taken over every single space, so we moved to a bigger house in an area not seen as quite as nice - but in reality actually it's nicer because it's friendlier and unlike previous road we have pavements. Our current house is 15 mins walk to shops/station, which makes life so much easier than our previous 25 min walk, eg in my lunch break I have time to pop to shops, and that's 20 mins walking saved on a day I'm going to the station, plus we'll walk to the town centre to go out for dinner whereas previously we'd probably have driven if going to be walking back in the dark. So I completely get your dilemma and it really comes down to how much bigger / how much nicer, and whether the distance will eg affect your lifestyle once a week or every day. If it affects daily life, I'd take the closer house that you can just move into, if less of an effect I'd take the bigger one, provided "posh street" doesn't mean "unfriendly street".

Going against the grain here and saying the smaller house. You'd use the car less. You'd have to have less stuff (aka crap) in a smaller house. You may have more diversity in a less well to do neighbourhood? I realise that is a big assumption, but it is the case in my town. How close is some good greenspace to each? Tbh that would be the decider for me with a lively spaniel!

Bigger and better location!

If they’re the same price, why would you choose the smaller/less posh option?

I try to drive as little as possible so I’d go the smaller one. Or bigger one but get bikes!

I’m struggling too. Why would an extra ten min walk mean more driving. Either the kids are old enough to walk or they aren’t, or has someone disabilities?

but for ten mins walk between the two I can’t think why you’d want the smaller less practical one? To avoid the ten min walk?

I think 10 minutes extra walk (twice a day) is actually very considerable. Especially in winter or in rain.

If it’s 11 minutes walk rather than 1 minute that would be ok, but if it’s a 20 minute walk rather than 10 it would feel a massive chore to pop out for a pint of milk etc.

But that is just one factor of many, what’s the garden and privacy like in both?

Bigger

Needs to be renovated

It's obvious you should go for the bigger property that's likely to increase in value so the fact you're even contemplating the smaller property that's a worse investment would suggest you prefer it. Maybe have a think why that might be - shorter walk, less work, just a better vibe though you don't really know why...? Or might it be less about preferring the 'poor' choice and more about disliking the 'sensible' choice?

Location, location, location.

Bigger.

But we aren't the ones who will be living there- what does your gut say? Sometimes it's not a rational decision but from the heart.

Exactly this! I know 10 minutes isn't a huge issue for once in a while, I'd walk 15 minutes into town to pick up a few things (or 5 minutes to local shops), but I wouldn't walk 25 minutes without knowing I've got nothing else to do as it would take a decent chunk of time to just pop into town for a couple of errands. Going into town for dinner, on a cold/wet night - 15 minutes is fine as it'd probably take almost that long to drive and park up and then walk from car park to restaurant, but 25 minutes walk each way would probably mean I drive half the time at least. I know people who live up that way and they hardly ever walk into town, but am not sure they'd walk 15 minutes either (maybe they are not my people!)

However, it is a really lovely street once there and the long-term potential is better, kids would be happier in bigger bedrooms and we could just move in and not worry about having a good clearout first - which is very appealing! I WFH so do spend most time at home and bigger house makes sense for that too.

Heart says smaller in the more practical location as life would be easier in a lot of ways, but head says suck it up and choose the bigger one that will be a slight inconvenience but worth it.

Location-wise - the school is kind of halfway between each of the houses, which is why the walk to school is fine. Town is also between the houses, but more towards the smaller one. Smaller one also has local shops, takeaways, station, etc all closeby, but we don't actually use them that much - I just like knowing they are there perhaps!

It is mind boggling to me you’d pick a house less suitable to avoid ten mins regular extra walking, but I guess we all have our critical requirements. And if this is yours and it’s such a major deal you’d pick a house based on it, then go for the little one.