Advice? To sell or not to sell?

WifeofDJFLP

Hi

not sure what kind of advice I'm looking for but any advice or opionions welcome!

Current situation

Living with OH and 3 children (14,11 and 4) in 3 bed ground floor flat which just isn't big enough (11 year old daughter sharing with 4 year old son)

House value approx £160 000 current mortgage just over £60 000

The problem is we live in an area where house prices are just ridiculous and I don't think we can afford a house that better meets our needs.

OH earns £34000 pa gross and I currently work 2 days a week and earn just under 7K. We have other income (£700pm)via maintainance from ex-husband but I don't ever like to rely on that as he's a tool and could stop paying any day!

If we stay where we are then we'll have to extend or at least borrow some cash to sort the bathroom which needs gutted. There is a lot needing done here but mostly cosmetic with a few costlier things- new boiler wouldn't go a miss that kind of thing.

The things that say stay are-

love where the house is in the town
mortagage repayment is low
wouldn't have to go through the stress of selling :rotfl:

And the things that say go-

house is too small, nowhere to escape as it's all on one level
Daughter really needs and deserves her own space
I have been looking at stuff on the market for months now and they're all nicer that this place!

So what would all you wise people do if you were me?

Stay and extend
stay and don't extend but maybe pay off the mortgage and actaully own the house one day!
Move

Wife of DJFLP
xxx

sunnysea83

sorry confused is it a house or a flat

poppysarah

Ah the good old days when a 3 bedroom house was big enough for a family.

Can't the same sex children share a room?

WifeofDJFLP

Wow, thanks for the judgemental answer. As someone who shared a room with up to 3 siblings at a time in my own youth, I kind of see where you're coming from but wish you'd resited the tempatation to have a cheap shot.

For your information the children of the same sex cannot share a room as one is nearly 15, the other 4, the eldest also has an autistic spectrum disorder and currently inhabits a bedroom just big enough for a bed and a chest of drawers.

it's not just that the 3 bedrooms aren't enough, the house is small overall- I can pee and wash my hands at the same time in my bathroom, have to walk sideways round my kitchen and if I meet my OH or one of the big kids (5'10" and 5' )in the hall then one of us has to duck into a nearby room to allow the other to pass.

Wishing I'd not bothered to post now.

poppysarah

Well what about parents sleep in lounge on a good quality sofa bed? That way the kids get a room each.

Sell and rent until you can buy a bigger place?

You bought this place because you liked it once - has it shrunk? Is it too small now there's 5 of you there? A hall isn't something you can improve normally without making open plan living which I think is mostly a bad idea.

I didnt mean to be rude. I'm sorry if you thought I was.

Looks like you should seriouly investigate moving.

Nikki

I sympathise with your situation, we sold up and moved (took us 18 months though) for the same reason albeit we lived in a 3 bed house. DS1 13 ASD - own room, DD 11 sharing with DS 8 which was the lesser of the 2 evils and far from ideal. We also needed to get out of our LEA as DS1 has been out of school for 3 years and they couldn't have cared less. This is a new start all round and so far the best thing we ever did.I suppose it depends on your finances and where you'd want to move to.