Should I move?

[kalia]

I know this is a personal decision but I would welcome advice.

I always keep an eye on what properties are for sale in Aberdeen - I'm just nosey But now I've found a flat I love. It has 4 bedrooms, a playroom, conservatory, 2 bathrooms, lounge, dining room and kitchen and all the rooms are very big. If OH and I buy it I will have to go back to work full time after LO is born as the mortgage would be twice what it currently is.

I currently live in a 2 bedroom flat with large lounge and a living/dining room so we could have 3 bedrooms. But I wouldn't like to have to share the flat with 2 teenagers and only one living room It is my flat and OH pays all the bills (instead of paying rent to me) so costs are split. I had intended to work 3 days a week after LO is born.

From the bigger flat I would have to leave for work by 8 and I would be home by 4 at the latest. OH works from home and we would juggle minimum childcare so there would usually be one of us with LO. We'd have less time to spend together though. We could get an au pair or a student to babysit for a bit each week so OH could work more during the day.

What is better? House prices will go up in the next 10 years so there could be a bigger difference in price and therefore we'd have a bigger mortgage while trying to afford teenagers too. Lots of parents work full time. I'm still working my way up the salary scale so my pay will go up £8000 in the next 2 and a half years and I may be able to go back to working 4 days a week then.

Is this just the crazy version of nesting or is it a sensible idea?

 

[leckershell]

There have been a few great houses come up by us but it would mean me returning to work f/t instead of p/t so we decided against it. We have extra cash at the moment so can afford a nice-ish lifestyle. The thought of working all hours a week and still having no spare money just turned it right off for me. I would rather have the time to spend with Ryan while he's young... you can get a house anytime but you can't replace missing time you wish you'd spent with your little one.

Just my opinion but I'd stay where you are for the mo and move when you get your payrise and your baby is a bit older.

 

[lillou]

another mad one keeping an eye on aspc

im always looking at houses in aberdeen / aberdeenshire and to be honest i was advised by my financial guy that if a place has offers over, the percentage of what they want is lower at the moment so now is a good time to buy i think thats what he meant

i think the decision is yours and OH

 

[Squiglet]

We lived in a tiny 2 bed flat, large balcony, one living room.. etc.. but when I got pregnant, we decided to get something bigger. We found a dead cheap 4 bed flat in town.... and I cannot express how nice it is to have as much room as we do now... its so refreshing.. Also we are aware that the market could crash sometime soon... however, we are not planning on moving from here until the kids leave home... so I think in about 18 years time, if the market has crashed it would have gone up again..

Once the baby is born, I will also have to go back to work full time in order to be able to afford the mortgage...

I worked full time before I got pregnant. While you don't get to see your kid as much as you would like, I don't think it detrimentally effected Tia in any way... In fact, I think the fact that I would have to go to work, and she would have to go to school was good for her.. she saw that I wasn't "slacking" so to speak while she had to go to school. And the excuse of ... but mummy I don't want to go to school... could be affronted with ... well mummy doesn't want to go to work either but...

Its hard work being a mum and working full time. But its nice not to be mum for a while... and you so appreciate your kids when you come home, because every moment is precious with them.

 

[Guadagnia]

Im downsizing, all the money in the world cant buy my time, I prefer to spend it with my children than flog my soul full-time.

All the time in the world for bigger houses and subsequently bigger mortgages !

I guess its down to priorities, and what you want out of life.....................

Only you can decide, what you feel comfortable with, whatever you decide I wish you well

 

[Sherlock]

We could get an au pair or a student to babysit for a bit each week so OH could work more during the day.

I think its really a personal choice. What you and your OH feel you want and need and how you envision parenthood and what you hope to do with it. You also need to look at finances obviously. Would it be better to make use of the space you have and have a few extra pennies and more time at home or be tied into a bigger mortgage and *having* to work full time for the long term. Its a big thing to change your mind on once its done.

We've opted for me quitting my job and my hubby is going to take on all the bills until my maternity leave ends. Hopefully by then my online stuff will have taken off more and I can earn a decent income from that and remain a stay at home Mum. I've spent the last 17 odd years looking after other peoples kids while they go out to work and I know I don't want it for my own at least until they are school aged.

Just an FYI about an au pair if you go that route. They are live in postitions as part of the family. Own room, plus board, no more than 30 hours a week, some light housework included in that (not meant to be sole charge of children either as are there to support parents not fill in so to speak) and 2 nights a week babysitting is what it is supposed to be. In return for language course, insurance and pocket money and room and board. You will be expected to include them as part of the family, eating meals with you, day trips etc. Many people don't do this but its really how the au pair arrangement is supposed to go. I speak from experience of having had good/great experiences but many others have not and it ends up being hell for them or the family and sometimes both.

 

[Babylicious]

i'd stay put for now and then move in a couple of years.

Although I'm going back to work full time due to the bills etc

 

[MakkaP]

I'm in Aberdeen too and wanting to move somewhere bigger, at the moment I'm in Cove, I'd still like to stay here but the prices are crazy.... there are heaps of new houses being built in 08 in Cove and Hillside so I'm hoping when these are being built/released for sale everyone will buy tham and the prices of the older ones in Cove will stick a bit or even just not go for as much over the asking price
If that fails, I wont be moving anytime soon!!

 

[muppetmummy]

I personally would rather work part time until the baby started school than have a big flat, so I'd leave it a few years. I think it just depends on how you feel about working full time.

I went back to working full time for 6 months just over a year ago but changed back to part time hours cos I felt my life was consisting of nothing but work. It was a bit different for me though as I was commuting to Aberdeen from Banchory on the bus so had an hours bus ride each way, so was dropping James off at nursery at 730am and not getting home till about 630pm

When my maternity leave for this baby finishes I'm hoping to continue working part time hours for a couple years at least

 

[kalia]

Thanks so much for all the advice!

We have decided to sort out our current flat so that if we were to find the absolutely most perfect place (we still haven't seen inside the one I first posted about so we don't know what we will feel about it) we would be ready to put ours on the market and if we don't we will have a fantastic flat anyway . To be honest, it would seem a lot bigger if it were all tidy!

But we're not going to look too hard for somewhere else, just keep an eye out. I'll go back to work 3 days a week as planned and if we get somewhere else we should be OK with me working 4 days a week so I still wouldn't have to be full time.

I'm really looking forward to my current flat being properly gutted and lovely! I only bought it 2 years ago and put everything in new - kitchen, bathroom, carpets... So maybe I'm just missing having a flat that looks new.

Thanks again and happy New Year!
Katherine