Thinking about moving, choices are…

a) stay where I am. Reasonable rent, affordable. Parking bit of an issue, can get parked outside house on street maybe 80% of the time, if not then its around a corner out of site. House is a small 2 bedroom property (there is myself, partner and 5 yr old daughter) bike lives in the cupboard under the stairs. To give an example of how small it is, 2 bedrooms, and currently in the main bedroom are 3 wardrobes, a computer/table/chair/cricket bag/golf clubs and trolley plus a dining room chair (not quite sure how that got in here now I think about it!) and obviously a double bed…bit cramped! Large front garden thats perhaps too big and a bit unmanageable at times. Small enclosed yard to rear which is perfect size fro cleaning/working on bike.
Feel a bit cramped, not much storage room, parking is annoying when cant get in.

Private Landlord, nice guy (cycles a bit), just bought his 4th property, never had any issues but that could change at any minute being private.

b)3 bed. Nice area, parking outside 100% of the time. Manageable front
garden but no rear at all, straight onto road. Front garden not private and thats where I would have to do all cleaning/working on bike, ie in full view of any passers by (mainish road in small town). Nowhere really obvious to store bike so would prob stay in 3rd bedroom (with golf clubs/computer stuff etc). House is ‘ok’, nothing to blow me away at all, just…ok. Rent at very top of budget (£125 a month more than prop a). But, secure tenancy for life and can really do whatever we like with property (large housing association). Location is superb, hence the high price, house is just meh though. Grubby carpets, garden would need a bit doing to it …

Prop c). Beautiful house, New Landlord, bought property as an investment spent a year gutting house and doing it up, absolutely lovely and fully modernised. New central heating system etc. 3 bedrooms, 2 big doubles, utility room, big private yard for any bike work. But, no parking at all. Closest I could park would be 250 yards away and car out of sight. Again top whack rent,same as prop b, but obviously tenancy not as secure. Landlord lived with her elderly Mum in a not very nice area of town, concern (apart from the parking) is if anything happens to Mum, she may decide to move into her beautiful home.

My reasons for wanting to move are 1) space, 2) parking and 3) security of tenancy…but not particularly in that order. Quite happy where I am, but the space and parking get to me, prob b provides parking and a secure tenancy but not a great house, prop c is lovely house, meets all space needs and then some, but has zero parking and dont know anything about Landlord.

Going round the bend trying to think things through, can the STW collective help in any way?

Ask the Clash…

I fear most won’t read that and just give you a random answer.

So I say “yes”.

d) keep looking!
e) clear some rubbish out, or put in storage.

Golf clubs??

Sounds like b and c are not good enough to warrant a move. I’d sit tight until something which suits you and your budget comes up. In the meantime maybe check gumtree for old sheds or other storage which could go in rear yard for golf clubs etc (but not your bike)?

Maybe it’s just old age and bitter experience talking, but:

secure tenancy for life and can really do whatever we like with property (large housing association)

Counts for a helluva lot IMO – particuarly when you have a kid.

The carpets etc? You’ll make the cost of replacing them back in agents fees, van hire and general hassle over the next few years

agreed with the man on the telly – stay put and keep looking until the right place pops up on the market.

Doesn’t sound like you’ve found the right house yet.

d- keep looking .
e- which one is near the best schools?
Z- Maybe parking right outside your house isn’t one of the most important priorities in the world . Consider a house with a drive .
🙂

As always the answer is in the question

Definite stick where you are for now. To be honest what you have written reads like that is what you want to do – the other places don’t sound good enough.

I live with my partner and dog in a one bedroom groundfloor victorian tenement. It’s about 40=45 sqm and has a very small front garden just big enough to grow veg. We have maxed out storage and providing everything is tidy it all works and everyone is happy. TBH we could improve storage further with a raised platform bed and lots more shelving but we have our skis and kayaks and bikes sorted away, so for now we are ok. What is impressive is our neighbours – a family of four with two small children who manage fine in the same space. So it can be done 🙂

But yeah, wait until something better turns up and answers all your questions for you

If you have stuff you don’t need or don’t use, then move it on and get some space back. Sell, charity shop, recycle or tip.

To answer a couple of questions…b is so close to partners work and schools that partner/child can walk both easily.
We have sold/given away/got rid of everything we can think of that is unnecessary.
Perfect property would have a drive, 3 beds, poss a garage and be a secure tenancy…unfortunately they dont exist for the budget we have!

Kormoran…I really dont know what I want to do, if I did this would be so much simpler !!

Thanks for all the replies so far though, food for thought…

get married , your future wife will decide for you .

You sound **** lazy.
Ignore the parking issues, it’s two minutes walk.

get married , your future wife will decide for you .

This….

get married , your future wife will decide for you .

This….

All (my) best decisions are made this way. 😉

None sound ideal. Unless you have plenty of money you will always have to compromise.
I certainly would never buy a house without a driveway. I compromised on space but don’t have any clutter.

E. Move 3 miles out of town, get house with garage.

Of the three, stay where you are and buy a shed.

Any chance of getting a mortgage?

TL:DR.

Has anyone mentioned or asked what your intuition is OP? Which one of the three options feels right?

Sometimes logic doesn’t equate to happiness, love for example.

No chance of a mortgage nope. Intuition…probably prop c, it feels right, but I worry about the money, its at the very top of what I can afford, and some sacrifices will have to be made, but happy to do that for the right house.
Whenever I have moved in the past I have always come out of the eventual property I have moved into thinking yup, I really like that…got the same feeling with prop C…but I will be sad to leave the property I am in now…but it has its problems…and I end up just going round in circles again !

Again thanks for all the replies 🙂