Need some opinions

[Teeki]

Definitely sounds like a good plan if you could buy it - then you could what you like to the outside anyway

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[Livinthedream]

To lease the first house,I would want a much longer lease than 6 months. My FDC lady said it cost her anout $3 -$3500 to set her place up. There had to be shatter proof film put on all the windows in the kids areas (bottom 1/2) pool fencing around the play area, and kid proof locks everywhere. she also put in a sandpit. She got a grant of something like $1800 but I think that is just a one off thing.
It would be such a shame to go to all of that effort and have it sold form under you.
Also, I dont know if you would tell the parents, but, I would have to seriously consider weather I would put my DS in daycare that may only last for 6 months and then have to be relocated to either an inconvenient area or shut down for a month while moving.
GL though, have you considered maybe paying a bit more by moving to an area that has high wait lists for FDC and that way you would be able to fill up on your quota of after school care too?

[Fleur]

I've just skimmed the replies, but here's my 2c -
I wouldn't bother with the first house. Doesn't really matter if the inside is perfect for FDC, if you are only looking at 6 months you have to go through all the hassle & expense of moving again... you would be doing FDC for longer than 6 months so really you are just going to end up inthe same boat then KWIM? And no covered outside area is a killer for us. Also with FDC you would probably find that having an outside area is a huge bonus, our FDC lady has a large undercover area th kids play in a lot - in hot weather a few containers of water keeps them happy for hours.

So, whether to rent the second house or buy... for me it would come down to finances I guess, if you could buy something cheap but still have enough income topay the mortgage & fix it up a bit, I'd be really tempted to go that way. If having a mortgage was going to eat every cent though, for a rundown el-cheapo, I'd rent the second house and wait a bit to buy.

ETA - if you can get a lease option on the first house that might be a good way to go too.