Lease up on our two bedroom flat (lots of stairs) in November (we are North London close to my work- hour from DH's work). First baby due in Feb. Flat not really suitable for a baby (or a clumsy pregnant woman either- our living room is in the attic- a fall down those stairs would probably lead to fall to ground floor (2 flights!). No garden either, location okay but not amazing.
So we have a few options we are playing with and need help!
a) Move into central london and rent a house/ground floor 2 bedroom flat (have to find extra £400 a month and potentially less space than we have now but possibly about same space and a garden). However DH would have much less commute and would be happier (and my commute is irrelevant as now down to one fixed day a week and 2 flexible days (which i can work from home on if I want) so would be nice for DH who loves London and being able to get out and about but personally I don't - I would leave tommorrow if I could (can't because of DH's work) so not sure I want to be in the city. We would probably do this in november when our lease is up. We could maybe go to an area I like but typically all the ones I like are at top end of our budget!
b) Move to walthamstow and rent a house in an area we would like to buy in but won't ever because of flood risk (but love the area!) also spend time getting to know the area and buy a house in walthamstow in an area we like. (again probably move november)
c) Buy a house in walthamstow but will be a bit of a rush and stress to get done before the baby is born and also complicated in terms of extending our rental agreement etc etc. But would also mean finally we have a foot on property ladder and won't move again for a while (options a and b mean another move in a year or so when we buy- hate moving!)
Oh and to complicate matters options a,b and c mostly take me away from the lovely hospital I want to give birth in which scares me a bit as hospitals near walthamstow don't get such rave reviews as the whittington (read downright terrifying reviews!) Maternity care in london being a scary thing anyway! I suppose potentially option a could be a move nearer the hospital but seems a very silly reason to move.
And then there is the dilemma about when to move? November when lease is up? (never able to buy a house in that time) or March/april while the baby is small?
cor sorry for long post. I hate dilemmas- any advice!?