Decision time...

This week I decided that I hate my house. Despite living here for nearly 8 years and having spent all our life savings (and then a bit more...) on improving it and making it into the perfect family home, we've just had far too many problems with it recently for my liking and I want to move. Over the last year we've had the following;

broken fridge freezer resulting in 8 weeks without any chilling ability, in the run up to Christmas
rats, then mice, then rats again
2 fly infestations from the deceased rats
washing machine needed replacing
boiler needed replacing (that bill hurt, a lot)
penetrating damp in the entire side wall of the house, coming through into our bedroom
damp or soot coming through the chimney wall in my son's bedroom
attempted theft in the shed (the Husband was most upset about that, as he has three very nice bikes in there)
cracked plaster in the living room (plaster is only a few years old)
both loos are broken but one can't be repaired without taking down a wall

I'm sure there's more, and that list grew bigger this week with the 5 month old washing machine deciding to fuse all the sockets in the house. We got the leccy back, but have waited a week for Hotpoint to get their arse into gear and come out to look at it. They're coming tomorrow, and I just hope they cope with the fact that they'll need to take the sink off the wall to move it.

So, of course our thoughts turned to considering moving, to a new build. This is where the dilemma lies; we've been trying to reduce our mortgage over the last few years and don't really want to increase it now. On the other hand we are likely to inherit enough money to pay it off (and any extra that we want to take out) - but we clearly have no idea when that money will be coming our way, seeing as our parents are all alive and well.

We've had a look on t'web anyway, and these are the results at the moment;

This was my first possible, as it's a newbuild and in a great location near to the park, beach and school. Fabulous bedrooms, but where do you put a dining table, and where do the kids play when they have any friends around? Ruled this one out pretty quickly on that basis, even if it is affordable.

Next is the most sensible option. Even closer to school, decent garden and a drive and front garden which we don't have now. We could stretch to it, but in reality all it would provide is an extra bathroom for the Husband to clean. Oh, and a spare room for the MIL to stay in, though it would be shared with my office.

Now this one is rather quirky, gated private drive and a wonderful living space, but having driven round there it's all a bit cramped. The garden isn't great either.

Fabulous house, vineyard in the garden, amazing character - but needs serious cash spending on it and is very old, which is what we're trying to get away from here.

Lottery win needed for this one sadly, but would provide us with all the space we want plus more - and what an incredible kitchen/diner!

On reflection I think we'll stay here, and just leach more of our hard-earned cash into it. Oh well, a girl can dream:)