Whats more important to you....

[slightlystressed]

The house or the location?

We got gazumped on a good house in a very good area a few weeks ago..gutted..now we've found a better house, £60,000 cheaper but in not so good area (not terrible, but not at all "sought after").

It needs alot of work doing, but once done it'll be a fab family home.

Another problem is the school situation DS1 starts in 2011 and the nearest school has been put on "special measures" so I will need to drive him to a better school.

Location everyy time I'm afraid. Particularly when you have school entry to think about - you may well not get a place in your preferred school unless you live closer to it.

Sorry - probably not what you wanted to hear.

Location, particularly WRT school. If the school is one to avoid, then others may become over-subscribed, and you will want to be in-catchment when you apply to them.

The 'quality' of the location not as important - areas go up and down depending on who moves in/out, what businesses set up etc.

Location.

Hence the name of the tv programme! It really truly is the most important thing of all.

Why not do a leaflet drop in the good area you were gazumped in?

Location every time for me.

bah...I knew that was going to be the general consensus!
Its a nightmare here though, anything good comes up and it gets snapped up by developers, or people who arnt in chains.

leaflet drop?

sorry bibbity yeah that is a good idea...should I put my price range on the leaflet or not?

No, just put it through the doors of the houses you like the look of! You'll probably have a very good sense if they'll be in the right price range for you.
But I would advise to use your real name. It makes the leaflet seem more genuine and you more trustworthy, iyswim.

Location.We bought a house that we wouldn't even have looked at had it been elsewhere.It isn't my ideal house by a long chalk,but we are slowly improving it.

You can always change a house,but you can't change where it is.

Good luck with the leaflet drop-my friend found her dream home that way,and we bought ours privately with no agents involved.

Location. We went through hell to get a worse house in the perfect location. We could have got the perfect house in a bad location and we nearly did and I'm so glad we hung out for this house. We will get this house right and then it will all be perfect, right house in right location.