Would this put you off a house?

[suebfg]

We've found a lovely house on a lovely estate with a couple of 'buts'. There is little in the way of a front garden, instead there is a double width driveway that runs past the house (not to the side) and leads to a double garage (which is probably only big enough for one car) which is just past the house. So it probably means there will be one car on the drive most of the time. The main reception rooms are at the rear of the house overlooking the rear garden (which is lovely).

The house is around the £500k mark.

We like the house but are concerned this might put off other buyers (if we moved in the future).

What do you think?

Most people leave at least one car on their drive nowadays. We have friends on a new estate with almost exactly this arrangement and they don't seem to have a problem.

No it wouldn't put me off, personally gardens at the front are rather wasted and I think most larger homes require 2 spaces so most places do the same to fit them in. Would you use the garage? We don't , ours is supposedly for 2 cars but they would have to be matchbox ones, my dh has everything boxed and shelved in there.
I think a nice rear garden and quiet position are more important.

Definitely wouldn't put me off. Very rare to see a front garden these days. More important to have a driveway.

I've never put my car in the garage too lazy. I think its fine. I'm only intrested that the front of the house looks nice and has parking, I prefer my garden at the back and private. My sitting room is at the back and it works well.

We'd like to have both cars in the garage but it wouldn't be big enough for both - even though it is marketed as a double garage. Yes, the advantage of this house is that it's in a corner position so has a bigger rear garden that goes around the side of the house but you lose the garden to the front. I think it's the only house on the estate though that has this arrangement with the drive past the front - the other houses have the drive set off to the side of the house.

No. I would rather have a car on my driveway or, even, on the street outside , than live on a "lovely estate".

I'd reinstate a front garden. Personally I think it's tragic that so many front gardens have been turned into car parks. It's also a fact that houses in streets which have the majority of their front gardens paved over lose value. I'd rather buy a house with a front garden and park on the road.

Hi, it's not possible to reinstate the front garden - the house was built that way as there isn't on-street parking.

If it meant my car would be in front of my window, so always visible from the house (or worse, the garage was built in front of my window) then it would put me off. Possibly not a dealbreaker but would put me off nonetheless. Are you worried from your own enjoyment point of view (I know this wouldn't even register as an issue for my DH for example) or are you concerned for resale?

But the main window looks out at the back garden, mahonga. I think it's fine. The idea of keeping all cars in a garage is really outdated, from when they used to go rusty. Now they're fine to be kept outside and really the notion of keeping your car in a little house is a bit weird. Most people fill garages up with clutter instead. So no, it wouldn't put me off at all.

I'd consider it a bonus. Front gardens are a bit of a pain, in that you feel obliged to keep them tidy, but can't really use them for anything - from hanging out washing, to just 'sitting out'.
Speaking as someone who has to park on the road, I'd love to be able to pull both cars up onto the front. Presumsably with it being parked outside the window, it might be a bit of a deterrant for car theives too?

It's not outdated, it's just houses and garages in the UK are far too small . It's not actually about rusty cars. It's very very nice to be able to park your car inside a garage, with internal access. This way, you don't get wet when you try to unbuckle kids and unload groceries. You also don't have to scrap ice off cars when it's freezing because your garage is usually kept above freezing temperature.

It's just a luxury not many can afford. So no front garden and cars on driveway/frontgarden is fine here.

My friend never uses her garage for her cars(theres 3 in the family) because shes first home in the evening but shes also first out in the morning so it would mean she was blocked in so the way they do it is she parks outside the house,the other 2 use the drive in the order they leave the home!.

Well the internal access to the house is a different thing - that doesn't sound like what the OP has and it's not what a lot of garages have. Mainly those are in newer builds I think. Have only ever had the other kind, which are little houses, and yes, generally too small. But often the ones that are integral to houses are still clutter-filled, or have chest freezers, gym equipment etc. in them, not cars. I really don't think it's a deal-breaker, OP.

Wouldn't put me off, we converted our double garage into a playroom & retained a store at the back of both garages. We park two cars in front of the playroom windows but the drive slopes away from the house so it is less obvious.

Our drive is big enough to turn around on so you come onto the drive facing forwards and drive off facing forward.

Our lounge is at the back and our dining room, although it is at the front you can't really see the cars.

The only people I know that park their car in the garage is my in-laws and one set of friends who have a whopping house and no kids. Everyone I know uses it for storage.

The only time it makes money sense to have a house for your car is when you have no off street parking and on street parking is a nightmare.

I would rather have a massive back garden. I have 2 front gardens and a side garden. It is an absolute arse to maintain the front ones.

Does the car parked on the drive get in the way of the front door (i.e. would you have to squueze past the car to get into the house)? That's the only thing that would put me off.

Otherwise, no problem.

Hi, the driveway is double width and long enough to take approx 3 cars so 6 in total. So you wouldn't have to park directly outside the front door unless you had lots of visitors. There is only the hall and a second reception room (playroom/study) that have windows to the front, the rest of the rooms have rear/side windows.

I guess there are a couple of niggles I have. I'm concerned it will put off other people if we want to sell in the future as where we are in the country, this is marketed as an 'exec' type property and I think a decent front garden is expected. Also our children like playing outside at the front where we are now which wouldn't be possible - but it does have a larger rear and side garden than the other houses.

Well that's definitely where you want your garden - where you can use it. Front gardens are just a pain as you have to maintain them, but can't use them. I know I'm repeating myself, but I'm surprised you think it's a negative.

If I like two houses equally and one had a front garden and the other not, I woukd definitely go for the front garden one.

It is a pity, IMO, that front gardens are dying out or are done minimally, with just grass. A beautiful front garden entices you in. The smells and sight influence our mood as we go into the house.

flatbread yes, I agree I'll choose one with a front garden if everything is equal. It just adds to the street appeal. However, I found houses with a decent front garden (and a back garden) are more expensive than ones without.

£500k?
Too much money to have any 'buts'.
No way would I pay that and compromise on a front garden!
Keep looking, I would.

Front gardens? It's 2012!

I would much rather have a useful drive. You can always put planters out or borders.

We have an integral double garage big enough for both our cars with automatic door and we still leave both cars on the drive. We are going to convert it to a playroom and store like another poster.

This wouldn't put me off in the slightest especially as it sounds like it is a new build, they hardly ever have front gardens these days, even the ones up in the million pound plus level.

Anyone looking on an exec estate wouldn't expect one I don't think so I don't think it would effect resale ( being on an exec estate might but that's another issue )

maxmillie ofc front gardens add appeal even in 2012!

Tell me this doesn't look nice! We drive pass that area often and I'm always in awe of those lush front gardens . Can't afford it though.

But yes, we are talking about a new build exec estate here isn't it? Don't think they have anything this lush.

Houses with front gardens are more expensive - exactly; they are more attractive, more desirable and sadly, nowadays, more rare. Just because expensive newbuild houses don't have them doesn't mean they aren't desirable - expensive newbuild 'exec' homes don't have high ceilings either, but most people prefer them! They are expensive to create and so reduce developers profits, that's why you don't see them.

If I bought a house fronted by an expanse of concrete or paving I would rip it up and make a garden. That's if it hadn't already put me off buying it in the first place.

I have a front garden and it's nice - I quite enjoy doing the gardening out there as people go past and it's the only time I ever really talk to my neighbours! It also gives me a break from any racket going on out in the back garden ( I have noisy neighbours behind us). It just gives you that bit more green space and options to make your house look even nicer from the front!