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Property/DIY

North facing garden with a football stadium in it!?

15 replies

tt7488 · 15/03/2013 11:11

Having a nightmare trying to find a flat. There just doesn't seem to be anything (in our price range). We have seen somewhere lovely which is very big but only has two bedrooms. It is actually bigger than a lot of the three beds we have looked at but I would rather have three smaller bedrooms (no opportunity to convert as it is a basement flat so middle bedroom would be windowless).

The living area is really lovely and is mostly conservatory. It is one of those lower ground flats that has been made the best of but I'm not sure you can ever escape the fact that it is essentially underground (sort of).

The garden literally has QPR stadium in it. I actually wouldn't mind this terribly (not fussed about noise, willing to see it as a quirk) but I am concerned about how this will affect the resale value. It is probably the only reason that this place is affordable to us so I guess that makes sense. But it also has a North facing garden. The estate agent (obviously) insists that it gets plenty of light. There aren't any buildings for a long stretch either side blocking the east or west and the house is only two storeys so I guess not too bad blocking from the South. But I just can't decide. It is so hard to know as there is no sun at the moment. There isn't anything growing in the garden but they have very temporary renters in at the moment so maybe that is the reason? The next door neighbours have got plenty of stuff growing (haven't spoken to them yet) but that might be from laborious effort and careful selection.

The garden is quite big and obviously contributes a lot to the cost. I don't want to be shelling out for a big garden when it is going to be dark and dingy all the time.

What do you think?

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greenfolder · 15/03/2013 11:17

when you say QPR stadium, do you mean it has a great tall wall along the back of the garden? if so, i would avoid. it will likely cast a shadow over the garden and flat when light is precious. would also not underestimate noise and disruption/petty vandalism from the stadium. you might think its not an issue but it will be when you live there. i used to live in a similar situation near Watford Football club. our lives were run around home and away saturdays.

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CajaDeLaMemoria · 15/03/2013 11:23

Could you arrange to be around the house after a home game?

Having been to QPR a few times, I wouldn't consider this. I love football and I'd love to be that close to a stadium, but it'll be loud, there will be a large amount of traffic, and football does attract vandalism/destruction/graffiti etc.

I can see why it's tempting, but I think you'd end up stuck there. You'd need to find future buyers who are not only happy with the increased noise and insurance costs etc, but also don't mind about the possible loss of light.

I think for the right home, it might be worthwhile, but it doesn't sound like this one is fantastic.

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tt7488 · 15/03/2013 11:31

Trying to talk myself into I think as DH wants to buy it. And house prices in Shepherds Bush are rocketing. Places that we are looking at now are at least 30k more than when we started looking (November). I disregarded a lot of places then for not being close enough to the tube and am now kicking myself a hundred times over.

I think the alternative to this is moving out of Shepherds Bush. I would do it (although I do love it here) but I love my childminder more than life and can't bear to leave her.

In my head I am reasoning that because the stadium is in the North then it won't block the light???

Going to have a knock round the neighbourhood on Saturday and ask what people think.

It is a lovely place with lots of nice features but the garden is really important to me.

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MustafaCake · 15/03/2013 14:05

It sounds like you don't really like the flat.

And I think that having a nice flat trumps the need to stay near the childminder. You won't be needing her when when your DC goes to school anyway. Plus there are lots of good childminders/nannies/nurseries/out of school clubs outside of Shepherds Bush!

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greenfolder · 15/03/2013 15:51

i think with north facing, sun on front of house in morning, eventually on back of house in evening, but if you have a bloody great wall, this will cast a shadow over that for much of the time.

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ILikeBirds · 15/03/2013 17:52

This one?

I think that would put a lot of people off so would limit your market to resell but don't know whether that is reflected in the current price. Feels way to enclosed for me, couldn't stand it personally.

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CajaDeLaMemoria · 15/03/2013 17:59

Gosh, if that's the one, you are managing to be very optimistic!

It's got a lovely inside, I think, and it's in a good location. But the garden is utterly destroyed by the stadium, it looks closed in, and that type of wall will impact on light. You are also very close, so you will get all the football related issues.

I think you'd have to buy being prepared that you may struggle to sell it, and may be stuck there long after you need a childminder. It's a lovely house, but being inside a stadium (pretty much!) will mean very few people entertain the idea of living there.

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RustyBear · 15/03/2013 17:59

How long are you planning to be there before you sell? Because QPR are planning to move to a new stadium, though I don't think they've even finalised the new site yet. But if you're going to be there several years, you may have a massive demolition/building site behind you at some point, and no idea yet what will eventually be there.

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Doyouthinktheysaurus · 15/03/2013 18:20

I think you would regret it.

I expect the height of the football stadium means that it would affect light in the garden.

A lot of people would hate it which is why it's cheaper and it probably would make it harder to sell. Plus it's not just match noise but the people all around the area every time they play at home.

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Dolallytats · 15/03/2013 18:23

The flat is lovely, but the garden is ruined by the stadium. I wouldn't spend that much on a flat (if it's the right one) and not have a decent amount of light in the garden.

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wonkylegs · 15/03/2013 18:34

I lived in a flat extremely close to St James park once, not that close but still very close. Access on match days was impossible, it was extremely noisy when matches were on and annoying if you listen to the match on the radio due to the slight delay from live. Generally we didn't have many problems with fans but I think magpies are generally a nice bunch (excepting derby days) it was just the sheer number of people & cars that was a problem.

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MewlingQuim · 15/03/2013 18:51

The stadium would ruin it for me as I hate football, but a north facing garden isn't a problem IMO. My garden is north facing and it gets plenty of light between April and september and I grow lots of fruit, veg and herbs, only the patio is shady.

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Tertius · 15/03/2013 19:19

We were considering Loftus road. I think you will fond buyers when you want to sell. And I think it will be developed in the next 15 years. Prob residential.

We used to live a couple of sts away and the noise is fine, etc

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21march · 16/03/2013 17:55

I live in Shepherd's Bush and I agree with you about the lack of housing supply, but take the price "increases" with a pinch of salt; people can ask whatever they like, but it doesn't mean there are people willing or able to pay. Two of my neighbours who had their homes on the market at the tail end of last year ended up withdrawing them because they received no offers.

Now they want to re-market and are being advised even higher asking prices "because people want to feel they're getting a bargain". Not because of prices rising. There have been a few 'record' prices but Shepherd's Bush now looks ridiculously overpriced when compared with Balham and Clapham.

That's a gorgeous flat but Ellerslie Road is a bit grizzly, I always think. Not just because of QPR but also because of the mini-cab and cannabis turf wars on the Loftus/Uxbridge Roads.

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DizzyHoneyBee · 16/03/2013 20:22

It's a lovely flat but think forward if you can't sell and you have small children to get to sleep but they can't because of the noise of a match.
I would avoid it unless you knew for certain that the stadium was about to be demolished.

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