If you've moved/are moving have you had to sacrifice anything?

[Rumblebelly]

We're looking to move and viewing a house next week.
Positives are the area seems nicer. Has a utility room. Small garden at the front (presently have yard and shed) Kitchen looks bigger and has breakfast bar. House has 2 reception rooms same as ours. Also has a nice size loft room with stairs. Ours has too but this one looks bigger? Although probably because it's empty 😉

Negative is because they've extended the yard is very thin. And doesn't look like there's a shed? But maybe our bikes can fit in the utility room?

I think we'll have a drive over on a warm evening as that's when you can tell if it's party in the street time. Something that happens behind us. Plus lots of weed smell and burning in the yards near us now. It'll be nice if it isn't a street stinking of weed.

We own our home and think we're one of the last who live in a owned home in our street. We love our house but have had so many bad neighbours we're hoping this new street or wherever we end up will be more peaceful. Nothing against renters BTW we've also had some fab neighbours and I have rented in the past. Just some landlords don't care who they put in. We've had a crack den and a machete welding thug amongst others.

Parking. We moved to a lovely market town 6 years ago and bought on a bland housing estate 1.5 miles out of the town which we have always regretted. We have had an offer accepted on a gorgeous Georgian house on a quaint little estate right in the town. Only problem is there is only on street parking which is not restricted so every Tom Dick and Harry parks there. We can rent 2 spaces in the town car park one minute walk for the house. It is a sacrifice to live in the town and I truly hope I won't live to regret it for such a perfect house and location.

@SUUUUUUNNNNN I hope you don't regret it. That's one of the things we're keen to have. This house has a drive and looks like plenty of street parking. Your house sounds amazing though. I think you'll be happy. How do you feel in your gut when you walk around it?

Yes we loved it straight away it is not huge but has everything we want and I can see us growing old(er) there. It is not just a house though as a change of lifestyle. We will have the theatre, bars, river walks, town, restaurant a stones throw away from the front door - literally can't wait. Good luck with your search.

That's great news @SUUUUUUNNNNN

I sacrificed a beautifully remodelled house that I loved to move to the worst financial decision of my life at supposedly a better neighbourhood. I then lost thousands moving again after 17 months.

I'm now in a mid century bungalow in a village that needs lots of work but I love it so. I would love it even more if I could have skipped the second house.

You can't buy peace. I hope you can put the monetary loss behind you and enjoy a good life in your new home

I lived very close to town centre. It was a mid terrace, parking on the street but a 15 min walk into town. I thought I'd miss it but towns dead now so no great loss. Now I live a 15 bus ride away if I need to go in. But instead I've got a bigger semi house, much bigger South facing garden, a drive and garage. I'm also near to a river so lots of great dog walks.

We didn't have much luck today. We ended up viewing 2 houses. First was the one we (thought) we wanted. Except the photos lied. We'd need to spend to do some improvements and dh says it needs a new kitchen and bathroom. I could have coped with it but we would need to change it eventually. We offered a bit less to factor in some of this. Vendor wants full asking.

We're viewing another Thursday. It's close to where we live and looks amazing and has a garage. The area isn't as nice but we drove near twice today and seemed quiet enough. Sun is shining and dcs were out playing. Dh really likes the look of it.

We're realising what a great house anyone who buys ours is getting. We've spent money and it's decorated well. I wish we could transport our house to a nicer area. But we do have to move. I'll definitely cry a lot when we do.

@WeAreNotOk that sounds idyllic.

Sorry about the house you viewed yesterday @Rumblebelly, hopefully the Thursday house will be the one 🤞

The cottage we lost out on when we moved here 18 months ago had a similar vendor who wouldn't budge on what she felt it was worth. It's sold now (after she did a cheap 'renovation' on it 🙄) and I still feel regret.

In 2018 we sacrificed an absolutely stunning house that sadly wasn't in the right location for us, selling after three years at a significant loss. We've owned bigger, better on paper houses but that one was perfect in so many ways - except being three hours drive from family. Unfortunately if it had been in that location, it would have cost twice as much.

@LibertyLily that's sad you're still regretting. I hope that passes.

It's so important to get it as near perfect isn't it? You spend so many years there. We're hoping this is our last move. We've been here 16 years.

We sacrificed our space and location as we downsized from a semi rural large 5 bed house to a small 2 bed bungalow in a town. Children are moving abroad and off to Uni and we wanted to release money for them, get rid of mortgage. My dh was close to loosing his job this year - so the blessing to moving was that we would have somewhere to live!!! We have moved so often that we wanted to make it the last move. The bungalow is ok, we have done it up to how we want it. A desirable street, quiet retired neighbourhood and walkable to town. Small garden at the back.

Definitely agree to the sanity thing! Supposed to be moving on friday, but STBEXH is still fannying around with paperwork despite having 8 weeks notice so I don't actually know if it's happening or not.

But yes I've always sacrificed something. For this move it's space, views and style, but its a much better location, the time before that I sacrificed location and convenience, but got the space and the views. Time before that it was space, condition and driveway, but I gained location and style.

As long as its correct for you at the time then it's a smart move!

@Middleaged73 you must have had to get rid of so much stuff 😳

@IsThisLifeNow sorry about ex. I hope all goes well. Sounds like you're a pro?

I left a 3.2 acre garden , L shaped steading,and additional cottage in middle of nowhere to move to a 2 up 2 down mid terraced cottage with a 70 x 34 foot garden.

Had to give away big kitchen table and big sideboard as rooms are only 10 ft x 10 ft

Previous living room was over 30 foot long.

But we are cosy in our new house, near facilities and the sea .😉

I also sacrificed a big garden.
pour garden now is tiny, but I’ve made the most of it (I think) - half is decked and the other half has lawn (for the dog to lie on!). Planters around the sides for some colour, and I’ve hung solar light bulbs on the fence. So for me it’s now perfect as I’m none too keen on gardening anyway and still have an outside space to hang the washing / sit and enjoy the sun. That said, I’ve also only got 1 other garden backing on mine, as the rest is surrounded by public land, then a footpath, then the river. Very much surrounded by nature.
the DC moan sometimes that they’d have liked a bigger garden, but then it’s not like they’d have used it much imo.
the important things for me were space, which we have, and a good location. I think unless you’re absolutely loaded you always have to sacrifice something, and it just depends on what’s most important to you at this stage in life and what you could compromise on.

Your new home - and your old one - sound lovely @ZiggyZowie.

Downsizing is so hard, for all kinds of reasons. We sold our big Victorian family home when DS went to university (3500 sq ft was a ridiculous amount of space for three, but for two it was utter madness!) We sold so much stuff including huge pieces of antique furniture, that eBay assumed we were a business!

My parents both developed dementia shortly afterwards and in hindsight we should have kept the bigger house and had them move in with us as it could have potentially saved thousands in nursing home fees. Our new house was characterful (a relocated Tudor building), but we upsized again - a bit - two years later, in order to be closer to them.

DS still hasn't forgiven us for selling the home where all his childhood memories were made.

@Rumblebelly thanks, he's not being outwardly malicious, it's just laziness and procrastination that's meant it's gone on this long. I've moved 4 times I guess in about 14 years, the last time I honestly thought I'd be there for the next 20 years, but let's hope my house on friday goes through ok and I'm intending on not moving again anytime soon!

That's good. I get in with exdh1 too.

@LibertyLily mil paid care home fees for herself. Worth every penny as it was a good one and she was happy. We'd have had to give up work and life to care for her. Luckily she'd sold her home before she got worse and rented a bungalow. I know people who care for their parents and they can't do much if anything themselves. Mil wouldn't have had that for us. But everyone is different.

We moved a couple of years ago, lots of gains: more space, really close to a lovely park, better garden, but one downside is we no longer have a downstairs loo. On balance, we've gained far more than we've lost, but it is a pain, especially during potty training!!

I gained space, affordability, great views and lovely neighbours.

What I lost was convenience. I lived a 15 minute walk from a great retail park with fantastic shops, cinema, restaurants, bowling alley as welll as brilliant public transport links. Just eat, Uber, everything was just.... there. Here, even the local chippy is closed on a Saturday and Dave, the one and only taxi driver has to be "in the mood" to take you anywhere.

Love it though 😉

@Tootsiroll sorry but Dave made me laugh 😃

Viewed a house and put an offer in 🙏 It's a nice area. Semi detached. Has a garden front and back, a drive and plenty of parking spaces. Just hope they accept? Dh is very keen. It actually looked better than the photos.

It's within walking distance to town and the leisure centre we use.

As I type the estate agents rang. They asked if we can up the offer. Dh has so waiting to see if they'll stop other viewings?

😟🙏

I think every house / property is a compromise.
We've been looking on-line now for just over a year (hoping to move in the next two years and just wanted to get dh's head around what we will get for our money, as we downsize). I LOVE looking through Rightmove and Zoopla, so look on one or the other every couple of weeks, then copy and paste ones I think might suit us onto a word doc and usually do a 'pros and cons' list.
In the 13months I've been doing this, even my two favourite properties, both of which were considerably more than we will realistically hope to spend, had things about them that weren't ideal.

But that is always the case in every property search, surely ?
We've been really happy in our current home for the past 25 years, and if I could turn the clock back I'd definitely move here again, but there were still things about it that were / are less than ideal.

You just have to find where the line is on things you absolutely won't consider compromising on, and which ones are 'it would be nice to have but we can live without' things.

We're actually not sacrificing anything with this house we've found. We'll have 2 gardens where presently have a yard and people walking past our front door. The kitchen and bathroom are bigger. We have a hallway whereas don't now. Plus it's a quiet tidy area. Where we are now is full of rough people.

I can't quite believe it to be honest. I'll believe it once it's signed for.