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Original poster

Is it important to be able to walk to local amenities?

35 replies

julietbat · 17/05/2011 16:10

We're thinking of putting an offer on a house we really like but we are unsure whether the fact that it is not near any shops, etc (they're not really far away but we would have to drive a couple of minutes) is something we will regret.

We have been living in a suburb of a medium size town and I have been able to walk to the doctors, local shops, etc with dd (3) and ds (18months). One of the reasons we want to move is to have a bigger garden and the house we've found has an amazing garden. We've pretty much worked out that if we want the size house and garden of our fantasies (that we can afford!) we're going to end up having to be a bit more rural than before. Which we're fine with. Our only concern is maybe we should be holding out for something that is in a village proper rather than on the edge of one.

Are we worrying about nothing? Or will the fact that I'll have to drive my dcs to school, friends houses, local shops, etc and will never be able to pop to the shop for a newspaper or pint of milk really bug me after a while?

Thanks

OP posts:

ChitChattingagain · 17/05/2011 16:47

I'm afraid that depends on you, and also whether you can park easily where you need to go for all those things. At the moment I can't go anywhere without driving, except the train station. We're about to move and I'll be able to walk to the nursery, school, local shop, etc. I'm really looking forward to it. However now my DH has to drive to the train station!!

Consider how easy it is to park, whether you have to pay for parking, and how often the car parks are full. I sometimes have to wait awhile for a carpark at the GP, which is a bit of a pain if I'm in a hurry. But for a lot of things I have found places where I can park quickly and easily for no fee, and often shop/cashpoint etc within eyesight of the car so that my DSs can stay in the car and I don't have to get them out each and every time.....

PrettyCandles · 17/05/2011 16:52

Depends entirely on you. It was very important for us to be within easy walking distance if school and amenities, yet TBH I find that I'm not bothered and am as likely to drive as to walk. The one thing that is still important to me is walking to and from school, for many reasons, but particularly the social aspect of walking with other families.

ChippyMinton · 17/05/2011 16:53

It is important to me - we can walk to pretty much everywhere, which was great when the DC were smaller. Less hassle than getting everyone into the car, and they can take bikes or scooters.

However, as my DC are older and can ride bikes, it wouldn't be a problem to move a little further out.

Original poster

julietbat · 17/05/2011 17:10

Thanks for your replies. Walking to primary school is something I've always considered important, I think it is probably that issue more than anything I'm having trouble with. Ideally we would be within walking distance but I don't think we'd be looking at the size property and garden we are now, in a village for the same price so I think we've got to decide whether to plump for location or home environment.

OP posts:

Original poster

julietbat · 17/05/2011 17:13

And good point about the parking issue. Will have to research that. There is nothing more stressful than being unable to park with a car full of kids who don't want to be there!

But it's such a beeootiful house...

OP posts:

Pictish · 17/05/2011 17:15

It is for me, yes.

I live in a semi rural location, in an old house with a large garden....it is nice and secluded, but the shops are only five minutes away on foot. Thank goodness. I'd hate to have to drive for cigarettes a pint of milk.

ChristinedePizan · 17/05/2011 17:15

I couldn't live anywhere like that but I moved from London so it was important to me to have my amenities close by as it's what I'm used to. What about your kids getting about as they get older? Are you going to have to schlep them everywhere by car or will they be able to get a bus/cycle places? That's what really puts me off rural locations

Pictish · 17/05/2011 17:19

Me too Christine. When we were househunting we viewed a couple gut achingly gorgeous rural properties.
But no - no matter how wonderful those two houses (and gardens) were, I didn't want to be stuck so far away from everything with the kids....particularly as when they get older they will want to go and play/hang out with their mates, and the only way it would've be4en possible would be for dh and I to be a taxi service.
We thought it might be a bit isolating for everyone.

Original poster

julietbat · 17/05/2011 17:22

We would only be half a mile or so away from shops, school etc. but because it would be down country lanes it's not really walkable. But certainly I would hope the dcs would be able to cycle when they're older and they'd also be able to access the bus quite easily too. Which makes me wonder if it would be ok in the long term because it's only while they're little it would be a problem.

OP posts:

tyler80 · 17/05/2011 17:28

I'd be happy with anywhere that was easy cycling distance to a local shop but not too bothered with more facilities beyond that. I grew up somewhere where we had to get the bus/drive to school, doctors etc so doesn't bother me. The only aspect that would concern me is the increasing cost of car ownership/petrol etc.

Pictish · 17/05/2011 17:28

Why are the country lanes unwalkable?

lljkk · 17/05/2011 17:37

You have to ask, Pictish?
I mean, some are ok (mine is ok, just have to beware), but many are very scarey, especiall with small children in tow.

It is important to me, OP. 5 months ago someone I know moved to a village with only a tiny shop, only 3 miles out of town centre... her car promptly blew up (expensively). She now completely hates the road/drive in. She needed to move out there for a bigger garden, but is finding the negatives much worse than she expected.

Pictish · 17/05/2011 17:39

I grew up in the country.

What is scary about them?

Pictish · 17/05/2011 17:39

Genuine ask by the way - I'm not being flippant.

tyler80 · 17/05/2011 17:43

Lack of verges and cars driving 60mph would be my guess

ChitChattingagain · 17/05/2011 17:45

Well some of them have absolutely no room to walk alongside the road, you have to walk on the actual road (usually narrow) with poor visibility so car's can come around the corner very, very quickly to be confronted by you there. Scary....

Pictish · 17/05/2011 17:52

Hmmm that's true...and it's certainly not ideal is it?

I grew up living down those lanes myself...and we just got used to listening hard and jumping out of the way. That was the norm for us. Never thought anything of it.

Fair point though.

MoreBeta · 17/05/2011 17:54

juliebat - neither me nor DW drive so it is important we have either amenities within walking distance or a good regular bus route very closeby.

Our current house in on the edge of a medum sized townand we can walk 5 minutes to doctor, coner shop, news agent and restaurant. About 15 minutes to town. All our shopping gets delivered.

Previously though we lived in a village about 15 minutes bus ride from town but again having a corner shop and a good pub and a bus route were crucial.

In your case, it totally depends on the lifestyle you want. Will you want to be a taxi driver to your soon to be teenage children? Believe me, at age 9 and 11 our DSs have outgrown the garden but thank goodness we live just minutes from school. In fact we regard that as a luxury we are willing to pay for and frankly I dont want a big lawn to mow that no one plays on.

hocuspontas · 17/05/2011 18:13

Being within walking distance of schools, public transport and shops and other amenities is really important to us and would be probably top of the list when looking for a new property. Having to fight for a parking space twice a day on for the school run would depress me for starters! Also make sure you don't fall between two catchment areas or schools that admit on distances.

sparkle12mar08 · 17/05/2011 18:17

It's critically important for me, either that or a good bus route, as I don't drive. We live in a fantastic small town with some brilliant facilities and I can walk to all of them within 20 minutes!

For me it's about not just living in a house which could be anywhere if you have to drive everywhere, but living in a community. I want to be part of something, not just have a house somewhere.

Original poster

julietbat · 18/05/2011 09:41

Thanks everyone, you've definitely given me food for thought. I mean it's not anything I haven't thought of before but hearing it from you all is making me think hard about what we want from our life. Fighting for parking on the school run makes me shudder (although it is a very small school so hopefully wouldn't be too bad?!), taxi-ing our children when they're teenagers doesn't thrill me, although some friends who live out in the sticks say they prefer it because at least this way they always know where their kids are!

I suppose the problem is unless you have pots of money you always end up compromising on something and this house is essentially perfect except for the compromise on being too far to walk to anything. And we now have to decide if that compromise is too big to make. Other places we've seen (and this place was our 38th viewing!) have had so many more compromises we'd have to make, which is why we got so excited about this one. But I really don't want to be moving again in the near future so this has to be right.

I HATE HOUSE BUYING!

Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 18/05/2011 09:44

With the cost of fuel set to rise higher and higher, I'd say it's very important.

PestoShearsSheepInSummer · 18/05/2011 09:51

Another thing you might want to consider is whether the new house is located in an area that your DC's can safely 'play out' with their friends. I say this because we live at the top of a no-through road and it has been a godsend whilst the dds have been growing up. They can safely ride their bikes, roller blade, skate-board etc etc and play with the other children who live nearby. Now they are older they can also venture further afield as there is a playing field nearby and a bridle-path.
Although, it is good having a big-ish garden to play in, the other opportunities of being able to explore further without having to be taken there with an adult, is well-worth thinking about when considering location.
HTH

culturemulcher · 18/05/2011 09:58

julietbat I was in exactly your position 3 years ago. We took the plunge and opted for a large house with very big garden, but on a country lane which means that even though the local shops, school and swimming pool are all within a 20 minute walk, we have to drive.

The road has a tight bend, and no pavement. I occasionally walk when I'm on my own, but when I'm with the DC I wouldn't risk it. It was definitely the down-side of the house and we thought long and hard about it before we bought.

Turns out, it's not really such a pain. There are lots of country paths we can take from our house, so going for long weekend walks straight from our front door isn't a problem (they just don't lead to the shops!). It is a bit of a pain getting the car out when I just want a pint of milk, but it doesn't happen very often.

Given that I'd have to get the car out anyway to take the DCs to school, it meant that I considered (and went for) a much better school outside our catchment area. That's worked out really well. Parking near the school hasn't been a problem. I leave 5 mins earlier than I need to, so always easily get a space, and the DCs have 5 mins more to run around the playground and chat to their friends before school. We make sure the DCs get plenty of exercise (dance / gymnastics classes, lots of time in the playground and countryside walks at weekends) to compensate for their lack of daily to-and-from school exercise.

The rising cost of petrol is an issue, but with the youngest DC about to start school I'll be able to take on more work, which will easily outweigh the extra. I just wish we'd had the foresight to buy a diesel rather than a petrol car before we moved.

Sorry for the long post. As you say, there's always going to be some kind of compromise, and for us, the house made up for not being able to walk. Plus, having the huge garden means that all their friends like to come here to play!

Quenelle · 18/05/2011 11:49

It's very important to me. I didn't realise how much until we moved to a new village which doesn't yet have any shops. There is a lower school and playground within walking distance but that is all.

I now know why the saying goes Location, location, location. It is the most important aspect of where you live.

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