Best area but no garden

[totallycommitted]

We are viewing properties and the area we love has some fabulous outdoor spaces within 5-10 minute walk and excellent schools. It's a safe family friendly area and I love it but a garden is out of our budget. Please tell me I'm not mad for considering a (lovely, spacious) flat with no outside space at all? (We have one toddler, hoping for one more!)

Are there nice, useable green spaces locally? If so, I definitely would. M

Not having even a small outside area will always limit resale but if it doesn't bother you then why not? Personally I would never choose a flat with a child, I had no choice when mine were babies but we moved to a house ASAP

Do you have a garden now? Because I think I’d really struggle to go to a property without a garden now, because I already have one. But if I didn’t previously have one then it probably wouldn’t be that difficult.

Outdoor space is lovely, but not if you would need to compromise on something you value above it such as more indoor space or a better location. And when it comes time to sell, there will be more people making the same compromise, just as the people you are buying from also did.

I personally wouldnt unless your flat also has multiple rooms / can make up for a garden? Will you get a playroom or any room that’s a bit of extra space for LO to burn some energy off?

Is it up a flight of stairs or ground floor? What’s your plan with a pushchair / toddler if you are by yourself and want to go out?

Obviously people do have this situation and manage fine but if I could avoid it I would

I live in fairly central London and plenty of people (including people with a lot of money by national standards) live in flats with children. They go to parks a lot. But so do the people with gardens, because the kids like more space / running around / playground equipment / scooter and bike riding, etc, and the adults like a change of scene.

I wouldn't compromise on a good location and good schools just to have a garden, as long as you have some outdoor space nearby.

Depends what the alternative is. I personally wouldn’t as I like a garden to much but if the alternative is not buying then I would get the flat.

I've just moved one town along to gain two much needed extra bedrooms. I wouldn't say I regret it, but I'm wondering now if there could have been a middle ground - one extra bedroom and maybe on the outskirts of my home town. Is there a similar compromise option with your scenario? A ground floor flat with a garden that isn't quite in the area you'd hoped for, but still (e.g.) within catchment for the same schools?
That being said, I've never been much of a garden person, and if I were the only adult in the family, I wouldn't be able to maintain it and would be looking to move to a roomy flat instead.

Dont buy flats. Save and buy a terraced freehold house. Even if its a 1 bedroom.

Learn from my/others mistakes.

(Flats - ground rent, service charges, neighbours left right up and down, social housing element, other building problems)

No. I wouldn't. Unless it's an older style property somewhere like Edinburgh.