DH has found us a new build house that would enable us to be mortgage free, 4 bed and a study (much more room than we need!) good schools in area, near train station- 50mins to Kings X for him to get to work. He really wants to move there and I am not so keen.
Basically is a new build housing estate which feels souless and something out of truman show- I am a period property kinda gal. I am on mat leave at the min but really looking forward to going back but most of my work (self employed consultant) is in Enfield and Haringey and needs a car- my commute would be minimum an hour, max 2 hours each way- I feel this is too much but then I would have to do it a max of 2 days a week plus my contracts are only guaranteed til April 2011 so I could have no work in London after then.
I am worried about leaving all my london friends and networks especially with a young baby which can be quite isolating- and where we are currently has a lot going on for babies (loads and loads of childrens centres) and am starting to make friends, and St Neots obviously won't have the same kind of provision although there does seem to be some.... (but the area we are currently is NOT somewhere we want to be in long term and we both do want to get out of London).
Personally I would prefer to move to Hertford, much better commute for me, bout same for DH, much prefer the town and is still close enough to London to see my pals. Trouble is House prices much more expensive funnily enough and unlikely we could be mortgage free plus we would be competing against millions of other london buyers and getting into chains and all that stress (we have been househunting (diff areas) for over a year now been gazumped three times and are throughly sick of it- so the big draw to this St Neots newbuild- is no chain, we could be in by june, not have to do anything to house, carpets, dishwasher etc all sorted.
Nargh we need to make a decision on this house. My heart says no but my rational head is aware it does tick alot of the right boxes and my issue is my commute (and possible isolation but I probably would settle and make new pals) which feels a bit selfish when DH really likes it and will be doing to commute more. (Oh and if we do get a mortgage free place DH plans to go part time to do childcare while I work so that is also a big plus, if we have a mortgage is probably less feasible).
Please wisdom of mumsnet help me decide! I hate making decisions!