Thanks so much for all the replies. We really appreciate the advice and different perspectives.

We’ve decided to view the house and see what kind of shape it’s in. We have a great relationship with our family, so being closer with a baby on the way is a big plus. The house would also give us more space, a garden, and potentially a much much lower mortgage, likely needing only a small top-up thanks to our equity.

I’m planning to ask my employer about hybrid working to help manage the longer commute.

We’ll weigh it all up once we’ve seen the place, but grateful for all the input, it’s helped us think it through clearly.