Location or house

[mumsthewordi]

The age old dilemma

1. A very desirable area close to daughters school but away from sons (he's older and could get bus), stunning road but it's a semi detached , whereas we're in a detached now

It's a new build and has underfloor heating, great mod cons and goes up two levels so still bigger square footage on where we are now, but the downstairs living space is smaller as well as garden but it's open plan and one other reception room and WC - could get a shed in garden though but not much else. Study would have to go upstairs too.

It's a different way of living (more upwards !) as no utility or space for American fridge - but they've got washer dryer on first floor.

1. Second house further away from kids schools not as desirable area but a bigger space downstairs with two receptions ans finding a garage and utility room and a huge garden.

bedrooms are smaller maybe same as ours not bigger but bathrooms need re doing and it's not new build so maybe not very good on energy rating

Both in budget through 2. More a stretch

Neither!

Why are you moving?

I'd go with the second house. Your kids are already in these schools, which is the main reason I'd want to live in a desirable area, so moving further out sounds like the best solution to me. We just moved into a three-storey semi townhouse and while I love my tall house, I really wish we'd stretched £30k to get a two-storey detached house as we would have had loft storage and noise wouldn't be as much of an issue. Going back to a semi after 2 detached properties is taking some getting used to!

Neither sound great but definitely not 1. What is wrong with where you live currently? Do you have to move?

What are your reasons for moving? Both of these houses sound like fairly sizeable compromises.

Always location for me - never live where you'd prefer to live somewhere else.

I wouldn't touch 1 though

I wouldn't take either. But if you have to, I'd take the older house. In 99 cases out of 100 the older the house, the better the build quality.

In the end I went for house over location.

The location of the house is fine, but not super convenient for my work (I travel between a lot of different sites). It also doesn't have so many shops within an easy, quick drive.
But that being said, it's in a lovely quiet street, in a pleasant, established estate, and the house is lovely.

I think ultimately you don't know which is the most important to you until it happens. Then you'll just know what you're willing to compromise on, and what you aren't.