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we aren't planning on sending charlie and olive to private school so we would move. of course that's easier for us to say -- we don't own! but our plan has always been to go to public.

Noo, I'm not a fan of private schools unless you have absolutely horrible public schools. I will neverrrrr put my LO's in private schools,

Well we never planned on sending LO to private school, so that's easy for us. We picked our house because we like the public school that is right down the street.

We want a nice school that wears uniform and has good teachers. It doesnt have to be a private school though.

Well, if we weren't planning on homeschooling I would be sending my kids to Montessori, so yes - I would live in a cheaper house if it allowed me to send my children to the best possible school.

We have talked about it a lot and are very open to both possibilities. But, we won't be buying a house until after we have kids, so we will be considering the schools in the house buying all at the same time, so it won't be about whether or not to pick up and moving for us, it will be where do we move to, you know? We don't have strong feelings on public over private, but would generally prefer public-- in large part because then their friends would probably be in the neighborhood, playing on the same sports teams, etc. I went to private school and all my friends were a car ride with mom away from me, where the public school kids had more walking distance friends.
So, I guess in your case I vote move for a better public school. Unless there is a really great private school that you can afford if you don't move.

ETA- I see you would have a long drive to the private school, so that sways me to moving. You don't want to have a long drive every time they have practice, or go to a friend's house, etc.

Ugh, this is our same problem! I LOVE the neighborhood next to ours and the houses are gorgeous and not very expensive. But we would definitely send our kids to private school because the public schools here are terrible. OR we can move to the suburbs and still get a nice house, but not as nice for more money and send the kids to public school.

We'll probably move to the suburbs. My biggest worry is something crazy would happen and we wouldn't be able to afford private school and then we'd have to send the kids to the crappy public school. At least if we're sending them to a good public school, there's a place for them no matter what our financial situation is.

We are going with expensive house that happens to be in the area of really great, newer public schools. I nor DH went to private school, just really good public schools, and I've always wanted to live somewhere where that's still possible. We're building our dream home in Charleston, SC, and the schools there are really good. I am sorry for your dilemma:(

I would rather live in a good school district and send my kids to public school. I agree with what @Foodnerd81 said about having to make a long drive to see friends.

I loved having all my school friends in the same neighborhood. I lived within walking distance of my elementary, middle, and high schools, so it made going to sports practice or staying after school to do homework easy, too!

It was great having a little more independence when I was an older kid. I always felt bad for the kids who couldn't do stuff because their parents were always driving them around.

More expensive house. You'd be in a better neighborhood which has got to be a plus all around - safer, better schools, neighborhood children that may be less likely to be a bad influence. The better house can be an investment and the money recovered, the money to private school is gone. (Yes, education for kids could be an investment also, but not the recoverable type like the house would be).

Expensive house in a better neighborhood with better public schools!

The area that we love and want to live in has AWFUL public schools. Like the state stepped in and took control of the school board bad. My DH grew up in that area and attended a private school.

The answer for us is easy, private school.

@PurplePumps: agreed! better neighborhood and potential for better resale value later on.

We chose our neighborhood in part because the schools here are really great.

I say buy a more expensive house in a better public school district. I'd like to have the option of sending my kids to public if we cannot afford private.

This is a bit of a convoluted answer but...
I value public education, in the same way I value safe drinking water. It's why I don't believe in frequent purchase of bottled water--if you want a good system, you have to demand of it and therefore be a user. Become involved. Public.
On a more selfish note-living in a better house, ideally you would see greater equity come out of it. Paying for private schools is money gone....gone to a good education, yes, but gone nonetheless

We had to face that dilema when house-hunting. We could have bought a much bigger home in a less desirable (well, by school and city standards) for less, but then I would have insisted on private school. Instead, we got a smaller house, but in a city with excellent public schools. As many people stated, the house is a more predictable investment (IMHO) than private school. Heck, my friend's sister went to private school thru to college and they didn't even help her with the mandatory classes needed to get into State University!