Being able to walk to the high street vs having a garden

[tangobravo]

Which is more important to you? Budget means either a terrace without parking or garden, but walkable to a gorgeous park and the high street (good mix of amenities) OR a bigger house with a lovely garden, driveway etc but would need to drive (around 10 mins) to high street/amenities. Good schools in both areas, access to work similar in both areas. 2 kids age 2 and 4.

YANBU driving to places when needed is worth having more space and a garden
YABU driving to places when needed is a PITA and not worth having a garden for

Bigger house and garden every time. The only time I would consider losing a garden to be close to a highstreet is if I was unable to drive for medical reasons. How much time do you spend driving to the shops versus being in your home/garden

We had to make the same choice 30 years ago! We went for the terrace house , a short walk to all amenities and train station. No regrets with this decision, although we did have a small garden, rather than no garden.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere with no outside space but would sacrifice an actual garden for walking distance amenities. If there was no where to sit out at all I wouldn't buy a property.

Garden absolutely. Wouldn't you prefer to just open your doors for the kids to play out rather than always having to walk out somewhere?

Are you a person who enjoys walking, or are you quite happy to get in the car?

I don't particularly like driving and I like getting out for walks so I'd choose the one within walking distance of stuff. But I think I'd be in the minority. Most people round me who could very easily walk to the high street drive anyway.

Could there be a cycle option with the house further away? Could you cycle to the high street/ amenities etc if you're without the DC. Then you have a bit of exercise potential.

Parking would be my big consideration. I lived near town with on road parking many years ago and it was fine. Not sure it would be now with more cars on the road.

With kids that age I'd go for the garden and parking.

You would have to pay me to live in a house without its own parking and with no garden. And even then I probably wouldn't do it.

But only you know what you would prefer, so decide based on what works for you.

DC that age, definitely garden. If they were teenagers, would choose high street.

We are rural with a fab garden but I personally would rather be able to walk places. Dh and neighbour are the complete opposite and would happily garden/ sit outside and never set foot in a park/ go for a walk etc. it’s totally down to you op. Saying that no parking and no garden at all would be a deal breaker for me

edited to add my biggest fear in life is the older kids deciding to walk out here by themselves, the road is a death trap and also they’re going to have to learn to drive asap to get around if they want a job BUT it keeps them from hanging around town so pluses and minuses

Parking and having no garden would get on my tits daily. Getting in the car to amenities would get on my tits weekly. I'd go for the parking and garden 100%.

We live in London and have sacrificed the garden and parking to be here, and it’s fine! We have a patio so have some nice pots, can squeeze in a paddling on hot days and fit 4 for a drink - it’s manageable and it’s the trade off to be here because we’d have to go miles out to get more space which would impact stuff like schools and commutes. But in your case, what do you see yourself gaining out of being close to the high street? If (for example) you’re at work 5 days a week, do most of your shopping online, don’t really eat out in the restaurants much because kids at those age are a PITA, babysitter to go to the bars in a monthly thing and you could budget for a taxi but you would see the kids using the garden most days, having family over for bbqs etc then I’d choose the garden. But you know your lifestyle best!

It will depend on your lifestyle
I cant imagine not being able to dry the washing outside , a bit of light gardening, bbq, chucking the kids outside for a play etc.

Terrace, as long as it has at least a yard to hang laundry.

However, I would not like to live a car centric lifestyle.

The parking would be a bigger issue for me than either the walking or the garden, presuming you wouldn’t be doing away with a car altogether if you lived near the shops.

The terrace may be within walking distance to useful shops at the moment, but what if your favourite one closes down, or stops stocking the things you like? What if you want to buy a lot and can’t carry it all so you end up driving to a different supermarket for your main shop anyway?

I’ve lived just off a busy high street and I did like the convenience of having shops nearby but I also had a garden and parking there. I now live about 2 miles from the nearest food shop, so it’s ok to walk for a couple of items but I always pick up too much and regret it about half way home when the carrier bag handles are cutting into my fingers. Walking to the shops is overrated!

Having a garden to enjoy and your own parking spot is much more important to me.

I have no garden. I have most shops within ten minutes walk. Would not change that.

I have two parks and a common within walking distance too.

Bigger house and a garden, esp with two young children.

The terrace which is what we did as all about the location for us, we live a couple of minutes from a station that we both use to commute to London, it means no collecting each other in the car at 7.30 for a lift home to suburbs. Equally, at the weekend we can hop on train and go shopping and visit galleries, theatre etc. The location is perfect for my teenagers as well as their are walking distance from friends in the city and can go to London. That said, this City is very much one where people go everywhere on foot and most people that we know don't live in the suburbs which is a car or bus journey away for that reason. Equally, we need to be near a station for work and we do have a small yard for a couple of chairs and washing.

At your DC's age I did want a big garden though so I can see the quandary but when you have teens mine don't care about that as they want to go out and walk home down friends and parties and gigs etc.

Garden and parking. Every time. It will be easier to sell it on later as well. I lived in a flat for 18 months out of necessity and I hated having no outside space. There were loads of parks near by, but I missed a garden. Its not the same sunbathing or reading quietly in a park! As time moves on you will want that more and more. On a practical level, terraces with no parking and limited storage are hell to re sell.

Bringing up children without a garden is cruel and unusual. I know I'm being OTT but all those memories we have of teas on the lawn, neighbours' kids climbing over the fence for playdates, paddling pools, the slide... Just pure heaven. OK, there was weeding, mowing and car journeys into town when we needed things...

That's a good point, now we have teenagers who are pretty independent we can go out in the city to restaurants and music events etc. ultimately we can walk there and back and it isn't a big deal. We went to see a bad from our youth last week and they were playing mid week, it isn't a problem as not really a massive effort to travel to it.

I'd always pick the driveway and garden. Gardens aren't just for kids, I like to be able to sit out, have friends round etc

It is not that unusual where we are as have lots of big period houses converted into flats. In my City by the sea at Junior and infant school there was very much a park and going to the beach after school culture so in the summer that was sometimes body boarding. Moat people have a parent that works freelance or at home so it was the sone thing. They had much more fun childhood than me in my West London house with massive garden as we did play at each others homes but the parks and playgrounds are much more entertaining and fun for a child where I live now.

Some really good points raised here thank you! It's so bloody hard - when we visit my parents the kids just race out into the garden so my heart is telling me just go somewhere where we can have that ourselves, but our day-to-day here does involve the nice park down the road and popping to the shops etc. Bike is a good idea thank you to PP who suggested that. Perhaps the compromise is to make sure we are within quick walking distance to the station.

I've lived in both and to be honest I still miss our tiny terrace as I loved being so central to everything happening. It just started to drive me mad when DC2 arrived as we needed more space (only 2 bedrooms) and I wanted a bigger back garden as we only had a tiny yard. Now we have a decent back garden and driveway etc but still within walking distance to a lot of amenities and on good bus routes and not completely car dependent. There is also a lovely community feel where I am. However I've found now that the DC are getting older and doing lots of activities in the afternoon I'm actually more car dependent than I ever would have imagined that I'd be so Im glad I have a driveway. I do think when the DC are older we will then move closer to the town centre again.