The List

I don't ask for much ......well that's not entirely the truth, but when you are buying your first home and you already have a family .... and all its belongings,  you want to get something that you can stay in for a few years.

I've moved 3 times in the last 7 years and I'm not in a hurry to do it again so it was crucial to have a house with staying power. I'm not saying it has to be a "forever" house but it needs to stick around for a good number of years.  So, we drew up a list of criteria.

1. Must have at least 3 bedrooms
2. If it is a 3 bedroom house the third bedroom (which would be designated for our daughter) must be bigger than her current one (7' x 5') and have enough room to swing at least one cat by its tail.
3. Must have a reasonably sized back garden
4. Must have space (either a 4th bedroom, insulated garage, separate building, converted attic) to use as an office
5. Must be in the school catchment area
6. Must not be on a main road.
7. Must not be a fixer-upper (structurally) - Ty Pennington we are not
8. Must be close to a public transport link for the big commute
9. Must have off-road parking
10. Must not be over budget.

Turns out, you can't tick 1-9 without drawing a big line through 10.