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

You don't need a car even if there's no shops within walking distance - just do home delivery.
If you just need a pint of milk or something there will always be a newsagent nearby - they are everywhere.
(unless it's a teeny tiny village but I don't believe that's what the OP is looking at)

Mixed reviews, OP! I think it depends on your personality.

Personally I'd much rather be able to walk to shops and station, I would hate to be reliant on a car. We do have a (small) garden, but I think the children get much more exercise due to where we live, as we walk/cycle most places

what a ridiculous comment to make. Many children grow up in flats and houses without gardens. You need to look up with cruel means!

This is exactly what myself and my partner have been going through. We moved at the beginning of the year as our landlord was increasing our rent an impressive amount. We had to decide between town centre location, close to work, amenities, public transport as I don't drive etc or outside of the town, ok transport links, farther from work, higher council tax and a garden.
We chose town centre and regretted it, especially over the summer. We had a ground floor flat and had a nightmare with unsociable behaviour, crazy parking, rubbish dumped outside our window in a very small green area, parcels always being stolen. We have recently been given an opportunity to move into a lovely property which is a little dated, outside of local amenities and not so good transport links but said yes immediately as the landlord said we can do whatever like with the place, the garden is beautiful, there's a huge park 10 mins walk away, a little but expensive convenience store over the road and our own drive. We can't wait to move

Unfortunately not - the housing stock is basically streets of terraces with small yards (too small for a trampoline or garden furniture/toys, literally space for a bike and a shed) near the high streets, or classic suburbs 10-15 mins drive away in all directions which have the gardens/driveways/more space. Very simple setup, making for a not very simple decision!

Sounds like a great opportunity, hope you have happy times ahead!

Parking and garden every time, rural or not.

Given the ages of your kids are 2 and 4 I think the garden would be a much better benefit for you than the high street.

Absolutely the one with the garden. I've lived without a garden before and I was tearing my hair out. I need an outdoor space that isn't public!

Agree that a garden is better than no garden with little kids. The park hassle will be a chore.

100% garden, space and driveway, especially if you have children

We moved from a small terrace with no parking, no outside space, across the road from a park and in the centre of town to a larger house with small garden and parking half an hour walk from town.
It was the best thing we ever did. The parking in particular was a constant source of stress. We did miss the park at first, we used to go there all the time.

But, DC are teens now, they like walking into town themselves still, getting the train etc.
I wouldn’t want to always be driving them (though I do still drive them places sometimes).

I’m now very glad we didn’t move out to one of the villages, which we were advised to do, as you can get a bigger house for your money.

Can you hold out for a compromise house, further out but still on a safe walking route?

Having lived in a house with a shit garden,my MIL used to give us grief ALL THE TIME about it. We couldn't move as we bought the house in 2007 just before the big crash and had about 20k negative equity up until 2015, but she thought regardless of that we should sell up, take on the debt and rent somewhere with a big garden

Small children. Go for the house with the garden.

Get a grip and a sense of humour. Do I say "OTT"? This isn't a personal attack on you, so stop being offended by everything and scroll on!

Do you NEED the High Street shops and amenities every single day

might you NEED / USE the garden every single day

would you really walk to a local park that often ?

DD and DP chose a house with a garden but on-street parking (Victorian terrace - it has a garage but on the far side of the house) because it is roughly 12 minutes walk to the town centre and there is a riverside park behind it (no lovely views of trees). They go into the centre frequently, for meals, shopping etc. They use the garden a lot though they have no children - have a dog. If you have a high street within walking distance you will use it frequently. As they have a dog they use the park every day.
It depends on your life-style but to have pubs, restaurants and theatres within walking distance is very useful.