I would go for the better school district. Aside from the obvious, your kids in a better school, the home is more likely to go up more in value as schools are such a high priority to people. You'll find, when you sell, that your house will both be worth more and sell faster with a good school district.

Both of you have valid pros and cons. What I'd advise you to remember is that circumstances can and do change.

Cities can change traffic patterns. They can rejuvenate and clean up "bad" streets. Nice neighborhoods can deteriorate. Zoning can change as can what is the "fashionable" neighborhood.

Even if you got pregnant in the next year or two it would be 6-7 years until the child were school-aged. I personally wouldn't worry about the school district now.

Investment-wise it's generally better to buy a modest house in a nice neighborhood. Then again I think there is generally more cultural diversity in neighborhoods that aren't hoity-toity and I personally value that.

You know...everything you've said is valid on both sides. But what can REALLY make you regret your home purchase is usually simple stuff that you can't control. Like having awful neighbors. Neighbors that party, neighbors who are total snobs and nit-pick you about YOUR noise or weeds or dog, neighbors that don't take care of their yard, neighbors that knock on your door all the time wanting favors, neighbors who have 12 cats that crap in your flower beds,

Honestly, if you guys can't decide I'd visit both places again and look for "neighbor clues." How many cars are in the driveway? A lot? Maybe it's a rental or there are four generations living there. Are there motorcycles? Do you want to hear THAT at 6 AM every morning? Are the yards kept up? Heck, I wouldn't even hesitate to "take a walk" in the neighborhood and just get a feel for it. What do you see/hear on a Sunday evening? Doors slamming? Yelling? Music? 14 kids in the pool? Yappy little dogs?

Yep, if it were me I'd make a "neighbor" checklist and go do a little investigation. The house can meet ALL your criteria and still make you miserable if your neighbors suck. Ask me how I know. :-)

If neither house feels "right" to both of you then you just keep looking. You'll know when you find the right one.

Back during the housing boom I made offers on FOUR houses and lost out to higher bidders. I eventually found a great place I liked the BEST of all of them and I GOT IT. So it all worked out for the best. There's plenty o' fish in the sea even in a hot market.

Depending on when you have children - it could be 5 or 10 years before there is a school district issue. You may very well sell by them.

I guess I would keep looking for something that one or the other is not going to resent.

Hands down, the first house is the one I would buy. Buying near the run-down street is a big no-no. Crime will be higher, no way to argue against that.

I would purchase the house that is in the better neighborhood. Your not planning on having children anytime soon and it should resell better.

My husband and I are having a bit of a disagreement over 2 homes that we each love in vastly different parts of town. For comparison's sake, the homes are both new construction houses by the same builder, with approximately the same square footage for approximately the same price.

The house that my husband likes best is in a very nice neighborhood, that actually is connected to a neighborhood with massive, gorgeous homes that far exceed the value of our home. He sees appeal in the fact that it is a prestigious neighborhood. The downside is that it is in a less desirable school district. We have no plans for kids in the near future, but if and when we do have kids we would not want them to attend this school district.

The house that I like best is also in a nice neighborhood, does not have any of the huge homes that the other neighborhood has, but has very similarly sized houses and is still a very appealing neighborhood. My husband's concern is that our drive to work would include a street that is well-known for traffic congestion, and that nearby there is a very run-down street that is notorious for being one of the worst streets in the city. It is however in a far more desirable school district.

Considering that the houses themselves are so similar, what would you prioritize for location? Or would you ditch both houses and look for something in a more mutually agreeable area? Thanks!