Would you buy a house on a feeling?

[Tallkala]

We've been house hunting for absolutely ages.

I don't know whether we are just very fussy, but nothing ticks all the boxes. We want enough space decent sized bedrooms, big garden, nice road, good schools. Yet we are on a budget!

We've viewed a house and I've fallen in love with it, but it's missing a few things.

I love the road it's on, it has gorgeous views from big windows, it's light and airy, I'm happy with the local schools. The owner is an elderly lady and she's lived there since it was new. I can imagine myself living there, imagine myself waking up looking out of the big bay window. I can imagine what we'd do decorating wise no how it would look. It just gives me good vibes, it feels like a happy house.

However, it's missing a few important things. The garden is absolutely tiny, and we have two dc. It really is tiny, you couldn't ever put a decent shed or a swing and slide. You could just about fit a small table and chairs and a tiny paddling pool in Summer. There's not even any side access to the garden and the only access to it from the house is through the garage! This could potentially be fixed by tuning half of the garage into a utility. The third bedroom is also very small.

It's a corner plot and the neighbours all have huge gardens so I'd have massive garden envy.

My kids love being outside and although there are parks nearby. They spend hours in the garden on nice days.

Not many come up on that street. We don't know what to do.

Could you get rid of the garage and that way make the garden bigger?

How old are your kids as playing in the garden stops around 13 really then it's lounging on the garden seats.

We bought a house with a really small garden two years ago and we are currently moving, the garden being one of the reasons.

I suppose it depends on what type of family you are but for us I really enjoy pottering about and need space for the children to play which we currently don't have.

It's put potential purchasers off buying ours too.

Saying that if you don't use the garden I would consider it but just think about how annoying it would be in summer if you have nowhere nice to sit outside?!

I totally bought my house on a feeling and didn't regret it at all.

I need to have 'the feeling p' to buy a house but in your situation I wouldn't because of the garden.

I was initially going to say yes but I think the fact the other neighbours have great gardens - it is too close to home and a daily reminder of what you don't have.

If the other houses nearby have big gardens, why not put leaflets through their doors asking them if any of them are thinking of selling because you'd like to buy in the area?

That's how my neighbours got their house, and it was a bit cheaper than if they'd found it through an agent because the vendors weren't going to have to pay £6k commission.

Well you've been looking for ages and haven't found anything that ticks all your boxes.
This one ticks most of the boxes. Plus you have a really good feeling about it.
I'd say, this is the one.

Fwiw, I gave small children and no garden. We spend a lot of time in playgrounds and parks. How close is the nearest park OP? Close enough for the kids to maybe walk there on their own?

have small children

Leafleting is a great idea. I live in a perfect house thanks to leafleting. A friend was inspired and did the same and is now living in her dream house. You've got nothing to lose.

Kids are 8 and 2. Nearest park is a 10 minute walk.

That's the garden.

Leafleting might be a good idea.

It's big enough.

Your eldest is 8, in three years she or she certainly won't be playing in the garden, they'll be at secondary school and out with their mates.

How many times a year would you use garden? Versus the house which is amazing. I really don't understand this issue of big gardens, they are hard work and you spend more time maintaining then than relaxing in them!

Kind of what I thought bonkers.

He'll be off in a few years with mates.

Looks big enough to me (city dweller!)

I'm guessing houses with a bigger garden are out of budget. If you don't compromise on garden what else will you compromise on?

If you have a healthy budget you can nearly always find a house unless your search area is tiny. I'm guessing your list is a tad unrealistic. Do you need a bit of a Kirsty Allsop style talking to?

You could take out the window and put in patio doors. Check the garage doesn't have asbestos too.

I think the garden is lovely but is that a water access cover in the middle or just a paving stone?

Could you also see if neighbors want all their garden, even if they don't want to sell? One of my near neighbours isnt bothered about theirs.

To be fair, if you laid the borders to lawn and took the planting out, it's not too bad a size. I mean, you'd struggle to have a decent game of football but assuming something ocould be done about the parings your two year old could probably still have a good run about.

The garden doesn't look too bad to me. As a previous poster said, could you demolish the garage to get more garden space? Even if you replace it with a shed, you'll gain a reasonable area.

I can't wait to do the same to ours!

We could afford a with a huge garden but the bigger houses come up on not so nice roads. This is on a lovely road so you sacrifice on size of everything really iyswim?

Yes could make patio doors. That is the dining room window.

Yes that is a drain cover but we have one in our current house garden and have had no problems.

if u grasses over the borders of the garden it would add a lot more space. is there the option of a loft conversion? the 3rd small bedroom could possibly put me off.

I would but not just a feeling, the last time I did that it cost me £60,000 in repairs. I'd also rationally think about the size, your needs and get a full structural survey but yes you need to click with the house and actually like it.
There is no reason why you can't use both your heart and your head. Do think about whether it is a good bet for resale though just in case your circumstances change which they can very easily.

Unless you're loaded, there's always going to be aspects that don't tick all your boxes. And, as has been pointed out, you've probably not got many more years before your kids outgrow playing in even a decent sized garden. For me it was about age 8-9 that I graduated to the local playing fields, as the garden fence could only take so many football or cricket ball impacts.

I'd listen to your gut feeling.

I'd lose the borders and put lawn down to guv bigger play space. Usually corner plots are larger than most which is strange that this is not.

Like others said teenagers don't need a garden, if they're playing football they usually go to the park with their mates.