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Original poster

What's most important - location or garden?

37 replies

MysteryCat · 12/08/2012 15:59

Just after a bit of advice. I'm expecting my first DC and currently house hunting as we need somewhere with an extra bedroom and somewhere ideally a bit closer to my family.

We've seen one house that we really like and it's in an ideal location - close to town centre and local parks, near family and friends etc. but it doesn't have a garden - just a tiny backyard. This wouldn't bother us normally but I'm just wondering if it could be a problem when DC comes along - i.e. is it better for children to have a proper garden to play in? The houses in our price range with gardens are a bit further away from our families. I'd love to know what parents think - is the ideal location, close to family and friends more important than a garden - or vice versa?

OP posts:

financialwizard · 12/08/2012 16:41

I would rather drive an extra 20 minutes to family and have a laid to lawn garden if I am honest.

I have an 11 Yr old DS, 13 Yr old SDS and a 2 Yr old DD

RedHelenB · 12/08/2012 18:01

How far to get to the park? In all honesty I think gardens are overrated due to the amount of rain we get here & once my kids hit 5 they wanted to play out rather than in the garden.

AgathaFusty · 12/08/2012 18:24

Go for a garden - great for you child/ren to play in. Good for you to sit in with a glass of wine/BBQ/whatever too. Once your baby arrives and going out at night involves babysitters etc, you might be glad of somewhere to sit in the evening that doesn't involve a TV or computer.

Bunbaker · 12/08/2012 18:32

Garden every time. Although location is important for schools, public transport etc.

growingweeble · 12/08/2012 18:37

For the first two/three years, I feel location is more important. It's so nice to be able to just walk around with a baby/toddler and not get in a car and worry about parking. But, when they get bigger, garden trumps location... and then probably when they're older teenagers location trumps garden. So, I think it depends on how long you expect to stay there.

Purplehonesty · 12/08/2012 18:41

Oh garden definitely. We lived in a house with a postage stamp garden and on sunny days we were constantly looking for places to go just so ds could run around.
Now we have a big garden with all his toys in and it's fab to tire him out. Even on wet days it's on with the wellies and outside.
Plus bbqs with pals with kids etc is a great way to socialise.
I would rather drive to see family, which we have to as we moved half an hour away to get a country property with big garden than have to drive to find outside space.

RugbyWidow7 · 12/08/2012 18:53

We moved in when I was pregnant and didn't think much of the lack of garden. It has really bothered us though as our ds doesn't get to play out there much as it's so tiny, I can't buy him swings or a trampoline which he loves and importantly for us, we don't hold bbqs for friends as there isn't the space.

It does drive us mad so we're looking to move.

LadySybildeChocolate · 12/08/2012 18:55

Garden, sorry. Imagine what it would be like for your child to have to leave their snowman at the park? Summer won't be a great deal of fun either.

Rhubarbgarden · 12/08/2012 19:02

Garden. No contest. My dd (age 2) is constantly outside, in all weathers. She would have cabin fever stuck inside, and you can't always go to the park - it's useful to have them run around in the garden while you get on with household chores.

Fizzylemonade · 12/08/2012 19:14

Garden, every time.

I have two boys who practically live in the garden. I can leave them playing whilst I get on with stuff inside. They are 9 and 6 now.

Admittedly that is a few years off for you but we bought ds1 a swing for his first Christmas when he was 6 months old and he loved it. He could sit in it whilst I pegged out washing.

Then we got a little slide for him and a sand table, later a climbing frame.

I don't want to have to wait for a swing to become available, or have my very small child climb to go a much bigger slide than he really should be on.

Having family close is good but if they are a little distance away you can walk to them or no doubt they would come to you. I lived 100 mile from my family and we still saw each other.

RCheshire · 12/08/2012 19:38

Garden.

jollydiane · 12/08/2012 19:43

Garden. There is so much fun to be had in the paddling pool, building snowmen, playing football and the absolute pleasure of eating out. I would check the orientation of the garden. West or South facing a best.

MissHairspray · 12/08/2012 19:59

Garden. We've got a 3yr old and 19mth old and are currently trying to move house for that reason. Great when you want them to have some fresh air but can just not face spending 20mins sorting out spare clothes/snacks/suncream/finding shoes/chasing toddler round to put on said shoes etc etc. Plus v nice to sit and have a glass of wine in on an evening.

Snoopersparadise · 12/08/2012 20:10

I live in a flat and it has never been a problem. I would choose location. But then thats what I am used to!

Even a little back yard is enough to have a bit of a play in. That would do as far as I'm concerned.

Slainte · 12/08/2012 20:14

Garden. My DD (19 months) would stay there all day if she could, she hates being inside, so it's good to have somewhere safe, with all her toys out there.

Idlegirl83 · 12/08/2012 20:15

Garden, definately

Kveta · 12/08/2012 20:16

garden.

treadonthecracks · 12/08/2012 20:19

Garden

tricot39 · 12/08/2012 20:24

I shall thow a curve ball in - look at the schools too.
We didn't when we bought our house pre-kids and now regret it - we will have to move. If you are buying a home for family this will become a major preoccupation from when they are about 2.5 years old! Trust me!

We are thinking about moving nearer to family and want a town centre location - that has selected the city for us.
The secondary school (DS is not yet in primary) is setting the search area within that city.

Our budget looks like it will be stretched so we have similar issue to you - some sort of compromise on the internal or external space - in our price bracket. DH has so far rejected gardens which he says are "small" but I think he is slowly realising that we can't have it all. We will not do without a garden but I don't think it will be massive either when we finally find a house that works for us.

A garden with small children is great as you can get on with stuff in the kitchen and let them play outdoors. If you don't have that luxury they will be under your feet while you make the tea - however from what you say you will have a "yard" - how big/small are we talking? Small might be OK if the other boxes (SCHOOLS!!!!!) are ticked!

mylovelyladylumps · 12/08/2012 20:27

Depends on how long you plan to stay there, location is important especially for school catchment area, while off for you yet but if you're planning to buy and stay then something to consider, I have a v.small garden more of a courtyard but have got a sandbox and toddlers trampoline so ds is happy enough and park is around the corner

susitwoshoes · 12/08/2012 20:29

depends how far the nearest park is, and how long it would take to get to your folks if you went for house with garden. I'm in inner London so gardens can be tiny or non-existent; we are lucky that we have one, though not child-friendly at all - but we're a 2 minute walk to the nearest park and have spent so much time there and made friends there - and no problem making snowmen (far more snow than the garden would get!) with friends we bumped into there. We've made the garden better for DD (now 2.5) but still go the the park loads (her nursery is next door to it), gets us (me) out of the house with a chance to have a chat with another grown-up. (Oh, and despite being in the same city it takes me an hour and a half to get to my mum's but I still see her pretty often - would be lovely to be closer but would be lucky to afford a house, let alone one with a garden, in that neck of the woods!)

hanahsaunt · 12/08/2012 20:37

We are moving out of the city (first time ever in 20 years of having left home) to get a house with a garden and our 11yo and 9yo are both excited by having somewhere bigger than a postage stamp so that they can have a trampoline and play football. Will be great for the 2 littlies as well. Really looking forward to it. Good for entertaining as well.

louisianablue2000 · 12/08/2012 20:41

Agree, look at school catchment areas. Although I suspect an area with big gardens might have better schools than an inner-city area so hopefully gardens = schools for you.

LynetteScavo · 12/08/2012 20:42

I lived in a large town house with just a very small back garden (no lawn), and although it was next to a park which we went to 3 times a day, it would have been lovely to have a garden to let DS play in - so we moved to a house with a garden when I found out I was pg with DC2 - and now my DC just want to play out in on the pavement . I love my garden, but it is large and I struggle to manage it. (blimey, I sound old! )

But, yes a garden is more important in the long run, IMO.

teatimesthree · 12/08/2012 20:45

I am going to go against the grain and say location - especially wrt schools or you will have to move again. Perhaps it makes a difference if you are planning to SAH though. I work and tbh we don't use the garden that much and keeping on top of it is just another chore. I'd much rather be close to work/family/amenities.

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