Estate vs Non Estate

[estatenonestate]

Currently getting our house ready to put on the market (we are not crazy - we have done a lot of work to the house and even if price dips slightly, we are still in a good position).

We want to stay in the same area. Current house is 1980s house in what can only be described as bungalow- ville. We are on a culdesac. Looking at a house on a new build estate that is 3 years old. Kids school friends are all there, good location. House is big and spacious with decent garden, play area at end of the road.

Other houses in the area are all older bungalows or older style chalets on main roads. But they are all advertised as being Non- Estate houses. Why is this seen as a good thing? They are all family homes but kids won't be able to play in the street or knock for their friends. Are we going to regret moving onto an estate? I want the kids to be able to hang out with friends, cycle their bikes up and down etc. The non estate house feels like something we might want once tbe kids are at university. But surely easier to be on an estate with friends when they are young?

There's a new build estate at the end of our road. There does seem to be a good community spirit there - a lot of loud music in gardens, people sitting around out the front during lockdown etc (I know how that sounds but I am not knocking it - it's just not for me).
The only major drawback I can see is tiny gardens and lack of parking but maybe the one near you doesn't suffer that. One all the ones around here (and there are many) kids playing in the street are hampered by the thousands of identical Nissan Jukes and Mercedes A-classes parked all along the road and pavements.

It sounds like the estate works for you, as it provides what’s important to you, for me I’d also go non estate.

My friend bought a new build twenty years ago, over looking fields but in an estate, by the time they left last year it had been so extended it was like a rabbit warren, just hundreds and hundreds of identical houses and she was so overlooked, she also struggled to sell because it was so overlooked.

Sitting in her garden it felt like there was simply no privacy. Even with six foot fences, there were simply People in their gardens all around her. Kids jumping on trampolines, noise everywhere, and when you opened the blinds in the morning you were looking at so many other peoples bedroom windows.

Even though it was a large four bed detached house it just felt shoe horned into the middle of hundreds and hundreds of other fairly similar houses.

This one doesn't seem to have parking problems. Most houses have space for 2 cars on the drive. But I will drive round at the weekend and take a look.

School catchment isn't an issue as it is the same one we are in now. In fact the location is better for getting the bus to the secondary school in the town over.

Problem is, I also do see the negatives. Hey trying to see if the positives outweigh them. But the reason we are moving from current house is because the inside isn't going to work long term and The garden is small.

Very little ever on the market here.

@belfasteast the only other houses on the market on are in main roads. Our current house is in a culdesac and the kids do play out. But the houses around us are from the 60s , 70s and 80s so lots of bungalows.

Last year I moved to the first estate I've ever lived on.
There's a strong, supportive community feel. People look out for one another.
On the other hand, it feels like everyone knows your business.
Re calling for other children, what if they and your children don't get on?

I live in the "awful" town of Waterlooville and recently moved from an estate there (built 2012). I loved it to begin with but then I started to hate the neighbourhood. Every house had multiple cars as their kids got older but didn't move out and got boyfriends and girlfriends visiting. I moved and now live on a 1960/70s development in the town. My neighbours have lived here years and are all friendly albeit older. It is quiet and peaceful even though I live close to the local council estate. I'm 100% glad I moved. Noise, space and parking are key to us. I'd rather drive our children to see their friends but that's just my personal opinion. You can always move if the estate didn't work out 🤷 the houses over there are lovely but expensive!

As you can see from this thread some people make aspersions and judgements about those who buy new build houses. if you care about such matters

I wasn't aware of all the judgements made against New Build owners until you read such things on Mumsnet - but then again Mumsnet is it's own special world !

Also to add - make sure you speak to estate agents - perhaps not comparable but in Emsworth a lot of houses do not actually make it to advertisement stage .

With regards to Waterlooville, yes, the town centre has seen much better days, but there are lots of nice slightly older estates 60s built onwards, more spaced out, better parking. More choice of secondary schools, closer to colleges and it has a sports centre plus it's faster on the bus to get to Portsmouth for when they're older. As my DCs progressed through primary school and indeed secondary, living close to a sports centre was hugely beneficial to us.

Although I suppose its not that far from Clanfield to Waterlooville sports centre if you go the back way.

@ExpletiveDelighted I can get to my In laws in Waterlooville in about 10 mins. My husband grew up there. I do have a preference for TPS in Petersfield for secondary school. We have gone full circle on where to live - all the way to Liphook and the Petersfield and then back to Clanfield. We are in Clanfield at the moment. Waterlooville isn't an option for me.

Let's throw this one in the The Causeway, Petersfield, Hampshire
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-69106096.html

We live in a very similar house to #1. It’s perfect for us, lots of separate space (there are five of us) and we are not gardeners so a medium size garden with no established borders and plants to think about was ideal.

We are situated at the very bottom of the estate, so aren’t completely surrounded by neighbours. Our youngest plays out, which is something our teenagers never could (we lived on a main road and they didn’t have neighbour friends).

We have the occasional street party, Halloween is always a big deal, there is a real community spirit. But it’s not intrusive, and in fact there are quite a few neighbours who rarely get involved and no one minds or cares.

Our ‘estate’ is in fact around 40 houses, mainly detached, with half a dozen HA houses, a small block of ‘apartments’ and a row of semis. I don’t know whether larger estates bring their own problems.

I think house 1 is a David Wilson? We looked at one but went for this estate in the end which was Barratts. Same company but DW has slightly better fittings and extras, with both the build is solid and the rooms are large. Not flimsy boxes like some people expect new builds to be.

Op the fact that non estate houses on the market are on main roads is likely due to to fact the market has constricted due to Covid. I think it’s very unlikely that only houses on main roads are ever for sale

I think you’re decided though, so you don’t need to justify it.

I guess when you think about it , it is quite funny that people dislike new builds estates and that part of the problem is that they are all the same and lots of them. I guess it is the most efficient way to build new homes. You can't have 20 different designs as that isn't cost effective and I agree that sometimes they can be squashed in like sardines, this particular development has never felt like that when I have been in it.

@Bluntness100 we have been following the market for a while and very little comes on. Non estate houses are on main roads mostly because tbe ones that are on cute culdesacs are by default on an estate.

I have to be honest house one does look like it’s squashed in like a sardine with a tiny garden and terribly over looked.

An estate house would be my worst nightmare because I’ve lived on a new build estate in my twenties and it was all kids playing out and parking wars. Hence why we now live in a non estate location. It’s not perfect, but it’s better.

I would hate to live on a main road. In your position and children's ages of be going for estate for sure. The likely quality of life it offers has more potential for plus's.
That said, like most places, the type of neighbours you have influences whether the location works well, people keen to live non estate might be more likely to object to a bit of noise from your children. Maybe it'll be cliquey but non of what you really need to know (how will it all pan out) can be known except in hindsight. If you can imagine teaching your kids to ride a bike outside your own front door on the estate that says a lot about what it could offer your kids. Neighbours with kids might not be your tribe but at least they are more likely to be considerate as they drive through. 🤷
I'm waffling now. Go estate.

Fair enough about Waterlooville and I did think TPS might be one of the reasons for preferring Clanfield. The Causeway house is nice but it's overlooked at the back and on a busy main road, I'd prefer the Clanfield main roads to that one I think.

We bought our house 27 years ago! DS was under a year old.

I suppose strictly it is on an 'estate' - but on a 'Drive' so more like a through road.
I was completely put off other properties we viewed by being told how 'all the children play out the front' and how they 'all use each other's front gardens'. I value my privacy. I don't want other people's children running across my front garden or playing in front of my house!!! That's my idea of hell. Little did the other vendors' know how much they had put me off their properties!!!

Sent my daughter to TPS absolutely adore it's ethos as a school. At the time it was less popular .. Bohunt was the favoured and catchment area was very wide I understand that has changed somewhat. I don't think it will ever lose the rep of the school that cares though.

The small estate I live on is very quiet...we are overlooked at back though...it is not something I care about.

The Causeway house is very nice although a busy road a perfect example of the way people adapt those type of houses to their needs (is it post war) is that an option? Buying and adapting to suit your needs?

@HalloumiSalad this is what we have been thinking. But it is a significant jump up tbe property ladder and just want to make sure we have Thought through all tbe options.

@ExpletiveDelighted it is but the garden is substantial and I have fiends on that road and the house is set far back but there would be no playing on the street

@OrangeCinnamon I don't know how much I care about being overlooked. The fences are really high.

We did look at Liphook as well. 😁

I have spent a lot of time in that estate and the roads are quite wide, it doesn't feel cramped. There is lots of green space.

So confusing 😩