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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to buy a house with terrible parking?

309 replies

Seaandsand83 · 13/01/2020 12:37

We currently live in a 2 bed terraced and have found a fantastic 4 bed semi with big beautiful rooms, well within our price range. We'd have enough money to build an extension on the back for a really spacious Kitchen diner. However, the parking situation is terrible. There is only parking on one side of the road and it is always full. There are a few spaces about a 1 or 2 min walk way, round the corner. I know that doesn't sound far but if I have done a food shop it would mean a few trips back and forth

We are in a position to put an offer on but AIBU to buy a house which is perfect for us but with such bad parking?

OP posts:
FenellaVelour · 13/01/2020 17:30

We bought a lovely spacious house with no parking and I need to park a couple of minutes walk away (nearly always can), which is fine for me but I don’t have young children - if I did, no way would I have taken it. I get my supermarket shops delivered.

Torchlightt · 13/01/2020 17:46

Sad that you're going to give up all that just because of needing to walk a few minutes every day.

Frenchw1fe · 13/01/2020 17:53

Location every time.

Feelabitmeh · 13/01/2020 17:55

Our house is like this. It doesn't bother me at all really. A bit of a pain when I had a newborn and was getting used to the whole car seat juggle, but not a problem now. I'm not one of these people who is in and out of the car all day however. It would annoy me if I had to drive to the corner shop or something. One big plus is that it really makes you think of whether it's worth jumping in the car or not. At my last house I was a bit lazy and would drive to my friend's house half a mile away when we had wine and pizza evenings.... Now I walk! Especially if I do get parked outside the house. My waist and wallet is better for it

MummyFriend · 13/01/2020 18:06

I do have to say, there are situations where a major inconvenience like lack of parking are totally worth it... I think you may have stumbled on a house that, personally, may have dropped right into that category.

I instantly thought you were bonkers for even considering this but an unobstructed sea view is something so special and calming in itself I think the sacrifice could be worth it. If you can find a solution you would be happy with then I would still seriously consider it. Good luck, OP!

WineGummyBear · 13/01/2020 18:07

If you ever plan to sell, your pool of prospective buyers will be vastly reduced.

Most buyers set their search parameters (location, parking, bedrooms) and exclude the ones that don't match.

I feel your pain. Parking is such a boring consideration, especially when the house is dreamy.

HelloDulling · 13/01/2020 18:18

I’m amazed by the number of people who say they would never buy a house without a parking space/drive. I’ve never lived in a house with one, sometimes it’s a nuisance, but rarely. In our previous house it was more annoying, as the children were younger then, but it certainly didn’t factor in our decision to move (hence our current drive-less house).

PickAChew · 13/01/2020 18:31

With 2 cars, definitely don't do it.

Poetryinaction · 13/01/2020 18:38

I viewed a house like that and my friend bought it. She couldn't believe I didn't want it. 2 years later she is moving on.

bumblingbovine49 · 13/01/2020 18:41

I would but we only have one car and don't use it to go to work usually.

Having said that, our car has refused to start becaue of a flat battery twice recently and it has been very easy to put in a battery charging lead and run it to the car battery from our front door as we have a small drive. If the car has been parked further away we would have had to call a breakdown service and wouldn't have been able to wait at home for them, which would have been a pain with very small children.

On the whole if you have very small children, I'd say don't do.it, otherwise I think it might be ok.

Just thought of another problem. If you have visitors, they can't park either so it is difficult to entertain as much.

Then again, if it had good parking, it would be much more expensive so swings and roundabouts and all that

Sorry not much help am I? but it is really something that depends on your personal circumstances

NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace · 13/01/2020 18:41

Depends ..... have you got a car?

HisBetterHalf · 13/01/2020 18:41

Have you got teo cars or one? Or more? I wouldnt choose it. No parking ends up with neighbour feuds. Plus if you have lots of friends and family visiting who drive its a pain as well

HisBetterHalf · 13/01/2020 18:42

*two

YourOpinionIsNoted · 13/01/2020 18:45

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I hate parking stress, love my driveway! But also because it will definitely impact on your ability to sell in future.

BeautifulBirds · 13/01/2020 18:49

Nope from me.

Having lived somewhere where I couldn't park outside was a total nightmare.

When coming back with shopping and the baby. Couldn't leave the baby inside with the dog or in the car on her own and had to make multiple trips to the car and back with the shopping. Total nightmare.

Also, when moving it was awful. Van couldn't get near the property.

Luckily we now live in a property with a double drive which is ace!! Although property is not perfect, needs work and extending, it was in our price range and we can do the work slowly.

HisBetterHalf · 13/01/2020 18:51

you also need to consider the age of those already living there as once their children grow and pass their tests and get a car there is even less space to park

Blondeshavemorefun · 13/01/2020 18:56

No. Parking to me is fundamental

Wouid drive needs insane to get home after work and not be able to park - to not park and carry shopping in - be raining etc

The house is cheap as no parking

RedRum27 · 13/01/2020 18:59

Unless you have the funds to add your own drive and can do it immediately with a dropped kerb etc I would strongly advise against it. Live in a terraced myself and the next house we buy will 100% have a drive. The roads of terraces in our area weren’t built for the amount of cars nor the space they take up nowadays.

RedRum27 · 13/01/2020 19:00

And I’ve just rain from parking around the corner in the shit ton of rain coming down haha so definitely get a drive to run 5 steps instead of 500!

Majorcollywobble · 13/01/2020 19:01

As a couple nearer aged 70 DH and I moved from a sweet house in a hilltop village where parking was only available a 5 minute steep hill walk away . It just became too much .
If you are young and even later on a one to two minute walk on the flat isn’t too bad .

Poppet1710 · 13/01/2020 19:04

It totally depends on what you are used to and how much of a deal it is to you. I live somewhere which has recently introduced permits which helps the situation having not been able to park near my home but there is not guarantee. If I can’t park need my home I block the road to unload quickly before going to find a space. The only time I had someone get cross with me for doing it was when they were using it as a cut through as they thought it would be quicker than using the main road. It is a one way road and you usually get the understanding nod from those who live in the road. So it depends on how you feel about parking. It is a common problem in my city, I’m used to it and feel it comes with the territory of being in the city. I could of lived further out of town, or got something smaller with a parking space but I love my home and like being in the centre of things.

misspiggy19 · 13/01/2020 19:06

If you ever plan to sell, your pool of prospective buyers will be vastly reduced.

^I wouldn’t even look at a house with no off road parking

KittyVonCatsworth · 13/01/2020 19:08

Not a cat in hell's chance; I've just bought a house and my criteria was very open when looking but the top of the very short list was parking. Getting shopping in, although you can overcome it by delivery, is a nightmare. Even things like going out dressy somewhere, imagine going out dressed up to the nines and then even having to walk 2-3 minutes in this weather! Tradesman visiting in the future, visitors etc, there are so many reasons why I wouldn't regardless how beautiful the house is. Resell would be a nightmare too.

bluejelly · 13/01/2020 19:23

I am aghast at how people are so resentful of walking 2 mins round the corner. I don't have a car at all and manage totally fine.
Really a first world problem.

GabsAlot · 13/01/2020 19:28

nope dont do it-when we bought out house netiher of us drove sp didnt matter i started driving after about 8 years and the parking has just got worse and worse most houses now have 2 cars each and if u dont get home early u dont get a space-you start obsessing about where youre going to park

i said id never live anywhere else now without parking