Dream House vs Dream Location - your experiences? !HELP!

purplebutterfly

In short, I have the same problem as everyone else - do I prioritise the house or the location?
I don't drive and the house I love is not on any decent public transport routes.  I'm used to living at a location where all the buses across the area intersect, so the difference will be a big one.

I won't need to be going out daily (I'm in the shielding group, so might not be leaving the house this Winter!) but I will need to at least get to the doctor surgery twice a week.

I'm also used to living in what is considered the "posh" part of the local area (it's not posh as such, it's just thought of as more refined than the other places) whereas the house I want is in an area that has had issues with antisocial behaviour  due to a few streets of social housing nearby having a more "liberal" attitude to the kids' behaviours 

I absolutely cannot afford a house that is suitable in the area where I currently rent.  I've looked at plenty and can't make it work.  

The house in the less desirable area offers almost everything I could want.

Have any of you ever opted for house over location and then bitterly regretted it afterwards?   Would I be better settling for a house I don't really like in a location that is better for transport/shops/closer to the doctor etc?

This is the biggest decision of my life and I am terrified

thanks for any advice you might have 

RelievedSheff

We made the mistake of choosing the house over the area with our last house and regretted it the whole time we lived there. The house layout suited us perfectly. The neighbours and the location left a lot to be desired and we hated them.

We are so much happier since we managed to sell that house and move on last year. We are now in an area that we love in a house that we love but we did have to move further away from work to be able to afford that.

Splatfoot

Location. Every time. 

Tea_Pea_Dee

Is the tv programme called house, house, house or location, location, location? Case dismissed

Coopsy85

The only thing you can't change about a house is the location! 
That said, depending on how bad the area is I would be willing to compromise, the house we want is in a better part of a not so nice area and we are moving from one of the nicer areas of Town. But it sounds to me that the practical considerations like transport would play a big part in your quality of life, although you may not be going anywhere this winter, presumably you're buying a house to live in for longer than a year? 

hazyjo

The saying goes "location location location" for a reason.

Always buy the worst house on the best street. Never the best house in the worst.

Doozergirl

If you absolutely cannot afford in the location that you want, then it needs to be a different location. 

The question here isn't really 'house or location', it's 'house or no house','rent or buy'. People aren't really answering this thinking about your situation.  

For me, every answer involves home ownership. It would not involve renting in a super area if I could buy in a half decent one. 

You haven't described the area as particularly bad, just not ideal.  I understand the transport issue, which is a big one if you don't drive.  Could you learn and afford to run a modest car if needed?  

Is the area bad? Or is it not ideal?  

Drawingaline

Transport issues would be a huge problem I think. Can you afford taxis on a regular basis in the future? Because without buses or a car that's pretty much your only option.

HanPop

I think the transport issues might be hard for you to deal with after a while of being there. 

We did buy a house in a ‘not so desirable area’, however it is from a reputation from 30 years ago that is unfounded now. The area is being redeveloped and has totally changed. But because of the name of the area our lovely house was £80,000 cheaper than what is considered to be a better part of town. So I do think you can buy in a less desirable area and be fine but you do need to do your homework to make sure the area isn’t too bad to ruin your enjoyment of the lovely house.

steampowered

As with everything in life - there is a balance, and different properties will suit different people.

Are we talking drive by shootings or just bored teenagers? Bored teenagers are really not that much of a problem - there is a peculiar British trait of being obsessed with judging other people's behavior and being overly negative, which you need to watch out for. 

Though - the lack of transport would be a killer for me personally. Being able to get around is important.

The other alternative would be to continue saving, and buy in perhaps two years time, if that would allow you to afford a more expensive property. That also gives you more time to make the most of the "Lifetime ISA" which gives you a £1,000 government bonus for each £4,000 you save, in each tax year.

Fishoutofwater

Location every time. No doubt. We bought our “dream home” and loved it but hated the fact there were no pavements, couldn’t get a takeaway delivered, extortionate taxi costs etc.