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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to have a garden?

61 replies

AffableApple · 27/08/2023 17:05

AIBU to think moving to a house we've found, which needs work, but for a number of reasons is a good price for us - is a good idea despite having no outdoor space? Would it be hard to resell in a few years once we've added value to it without a garden? I have two very young children who would benefit from a garden - but in an area with plenty of outdoor walks and parks - is this necessary? Would you buy a nice period house, newly renovated, but without outdoor space? Thank you for your thoughts. House buying is really tough at the moment and we can't afford to get this wrong.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 27/08/2023 17:25

No I wouldn’t buy a house with no outdoor space . It’s not just about children .

Valerie23 · 27/08/2023 17:25

No. Even a small patio sized yard is important.

This one is being sold with just a balcony and there is a park nearby but I think it will be sold as an air bnb rental as it would be awful to live there with no personal outdoor space.

www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/65113373/?search_identifier=c2f44f1ee55b4b7ec8ae2bf5c0597593

Tohaveandtohold · 27/08/2023 17:26

I’ll never buy a house without a garden. Years ago when we lived in a flat, there was a park just down the road we used to go to pretty much often and it was nice however when we were looking for houses to buy, I knew I just needed the outside space in my house. We have a park that’s about 12 mins walk but nothing compares to having a garden. The door is open currently with the kids just playing nicely without having to watch them like a hawk like I would have been actively doing if they were in the park. Also during summer, I can dry clothes outside, keep bikes in the shed, etc, like I don’t feel I need to dress up daily during this school holiday to go out to the park as they can burn lots of energy just jumping on the trampoline, etc

OhmygodDont · 27/08/2023 17:32

The only way I’d buy a house with no garden would be if I genuinely had no other options at all. With or without children. It’s a mental thing. Knowing I could sit outside with a glass of wine on a Sunny or stormy night, have a bbq, grow some flowers or food. Drying washing. The simple pleasures. I find.

I’ve lived in semis; detached/terraced and a flat. And honestly the more garden even if a tiny house is most important mentally.

Womblegreen · 27/08/2023 17:33

I would rather downsize or buy elsewhere than buy a property no outdoor space.

If I still had young children it would be no. I have dogs, so it will always be a no.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 27/08/2023 17:35

We’re in parks all the time- but I still chuck my kids in the garden at home. With a choice I’d always pick a garden.

AliceS1994 · 27/08/2023 17:35

No I wouldn't ever consider it- I have two kids and a dog, my kids love the garden and would genuinely miss out without one, it would be near-impossible to keep my dog and generally really impractical for drying laundry, storing outdoor equipment (bikes, kayaks whatever)

summerytop · 27/08/2023 17:36

A flat with no garden is one thing, but a house with no garden is likely to be very difficult to re sell surely- unless in an amazing area.

Batatahara · 27/08/2023 17:37

I have young children and despite our best efforts, they really much prefer the park to the garden. It has lots of stuff for them, tons of space but they would just rather go to the playground/woods.

I don't enjoy gardening.

We only have a garden because it's impossible to find a four bedroom house without one. But as you will see from this thread, British people are obsessed with gardens and it would be hard to sell on. Except to me.

Vallmo47 · 27/08/2023 17:38

Didn’t realise the importance of a garden until I moved into a property with a garden the size of a small stamp OP.
I thought the same as you but have now got two teenagers and a garden would be most useful as an extra space to hang out when it’s dry (plus encourage them to go when friends pop round). Imagine having the space to build a conservatory or build a greenhouse, a posh “manshed” used as a room to do X activity in. A toy room in the garden tucked neatly out of the way, a gaming space for teenagers so you don’t have to listen to it inside, a space where they could pitch up a tent and have sleepovers where you don’t need to listen or worry. A space to entertain, have a bbq on a lush summer evening, a space for a trampoline and a slide or a swing, a space to relax with a good book on a lounger with a drink of your choice.
I could be here for days. :)

ladeluge · 27/08/2023 17:39

Why has it no garden I wonder? What does it back on to etc. Can't picture it.

Might as well buy a flat, at least that way you could get a balcony.

mondaytosunday · 27/08/2023 17:39

I have pets so a garden is a must. I think most families would have a garden as top of their list of requirements too.

cardibach · 27/08/2023 17:40

I detest gardening.
Nevertheless, I wouldn’t buy anywhere with no outdoor space.

AuntyMabelandPippin · 27/08/2023 17:41

I had three years without a garden. It was the three years my children were ill the most. Once we moved, I rarely saw the GP.

NotAsAnonymousAsYouThinkYouAre · 27/08/2023 17:42

What is outside the house if there is no garden? Is it pavements directly in front & back or is it back to back semi detached with another house?

I couldn’t live somewhere where I couldn’t have washing out and at least a few pots to grow things.

Countdown2023 · 27/08/2023 17:43

Just for my own mental health the option of being able to sit outside for morning coffee, evening drink, put washing out, grow something is important. So for me even a patio or balcony garden would be a minimum. Luckily I have a decent size garden which I treasure.

yikey · 27/08/2023 17:44

Most people will want a garden, but the house will be priced to reflect - so someone will buy it. Is a Juliette balcony an option? Might make a difference when coming to sell.

C152 · 27/08/2023 18:00

I would never buy a house without a garden. For me, that's the main point of a house (the other is the benefits of freehold). If you're looking to sell it on as a 'family home' at some point in the future, it really won't appeal to those with young children, regardless of how many parks there are locally.

Doopydoo · 27/08/2023 18:00

I could never buy a house without any outside space to call my own.
Its lovely to have nice nearby parks you can visit but it’s better to be able to open your own back door and lets the kids run in and out knowing they are safe in the garden.
I couldn’t be bothered to have to get us all dressed every time we wanted to go outside to play.

LadyOfTheCanyon · 27/08/2023 18:01

Mews houses often don't have gardens.
We're considering one at the moment but it does have a tiny balcony big enough for a cafe table and a couple of chairs. Honestly that's all we need ( no kids) as I can't bear gardening.

knobkopf · 27/08/2023 18:13

No, not when you've got kids, definitely not.
If you can possibly afford it and you have children, you need a garden. They need to be able to get outside. You have a lot more washing than a single person or couple without children and it's helpful to be able to put it outside.
The children need it to be able to play and get some fresh air.
It would be a total pain having to go to the park every single time they want to play out. With a garden you can have a table and chairs and sit there with a coffee and a book while they play out, or you can be doing stuff in the kitchen when they are old enough to play unsupervised.

I'm single and I have a one-bed flat with a balcony. I like not having a garden as it saves work for me but I really need the balcony to be able to sit out in the fresh air (and dry clothes!). I live in the countryside and have fantastic walks and places to go on my doorstep but there are times when you actually can't be bothered to do that and still want to sit outside.
I'd imagine it would be the same with children. You'd get sick of having to get everyone organized to go to the park all the time.

Don't do it.

Original poster
AffableApple · 27/08/2023 23:04

Sorry, said children kept me busy! Right so a few questions here - to explain better the house is on the high street of a nice village, so it's never had a garden. Has five or six decent bedrooms so easy to have family to stay. Lovely local school which feeds into a bigger school in a bigger town. (The bigger town is where we'd want to move but we've struggled to find anywhere suitable in this mad property climate). Perhaps doing this place up would mean we could afford somewhere lovely with a garden in the bigger town by the time thry were at secondary school. The problem is the garden. Trying to work out if we can get past it, despite the house being really quite big. (Sounds like a first world problem, I know. But we've had a really difficult year or so in a tiny flat we've struggled to sell, so please forgive me. Where you live is precious.) Thank you all so much for replying x

OP posts:
Original poster
AffableApple · 27/08/2023 23:05

There's no outdoor space, just an alley for the bins.

OP posts:
Beetlebuggy · 27/08/2023 23:11

I'd need some kind of outdoor space, not necessarily even a garden, but enough for some pots and somewhere to sit. When the kids were young I'd definitely have needed green space, a park nearby is nice, but not always practical.

Theraffarian · 28/08/2023 05:49

If it’s on a village high street , does that also mean issues with parking ? In my experience children benefit most from the garden during the pre school / primary years , by secondary school you’ve missed the most used years , by then mine used it for friends to come over for BBQs , sun bathing (!) and reading , maybe the odd game of football and badminton, but not the daily use they had while younger.