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Original poster

Would no parking be an issue for you?

61 replies

Officedepot · 04/01/2013 17:03

Considering a house which is on a lovely quiet alley / footpath type thing (rather than a road). It is great as the house is not overlooked at all and nice and peaceful feeling. However there is no driveway / garage and you cannot park directly outside house as it is on a pathway rather than a road. However there is a quiet residential street just across the road that you could park on, so literally just seconds away from the house.

Does not bother me, but do you think it would be an issue re-selling the house? It is in an area where a lot of elderly people live (who might not necessarily drive anyway) and also the house is very close to shops (2 minutes' walk) and close to bus stop (1 minute walk) and close to train station (2 minutes' walk) so could attract someone who might not have a car.

OP posts:
ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 04/01/2013 17:53

YOU are looking at buying it, others will too.

You say you are 'fine with this' - have you actually lived like this before or do you just 'think' you'll be fine with it?

I'm living somewhere with street parking only right now and I tell you never, ever, again I will not move until I can park my car on my driveway (or we move back to London and don't use the car daily).

Narked · 04/01/2013 17:54

I wouldn't consider it - struggling with car seats, shopping, dogs etc. People with older DC might.

Strictly1 · 04/01/2013 18:00

I wouldn't consider it myself - sorry.

tiredteddy · 04/01/2013 18:01

We moved south to Surrey from bucks. It was more expensive for less but to live closer to family. We bought a mid-terraced house that the front door is directly onto the pavement of a quite busy road. It also had no garage/ allocated parking. You can park 3 cars at the end of the row in a disused entrance to an estate and park on the opposite side of the road in a long lay by that fits 10 cars? You get used to it. We needed to compromise. Have been here 5 years and its fine. If you love the house you'll get used to it too. Tis stuff matters to some a great deal and others not so much. The houses in my row sell for similar prices to other houses with parking but worse area/ different school catchment. It's pros and cons.

shrimponastick · 04/01/2013 18:07

It wouldn't suit me.

current house has a driveway which we can park two cars down, at a pinch three if we shift them all over. However any visitors have to park on the street, which is often full of other households' cars as most don't have a drive. It is a bit annoying when your visitors can't park outside the house.

My previous house was a terrace and was on street parking. There is a school up at the end of the road, so if I came home at 3pm I wouldn't be able to park outside my own house, as the street was full of school run cars. Also lost a few wing mirrors, gained scratches and a car once crashed into my car whilst parked up.

also car insurance can be cheaper if you have a driveway to park on, rather than on street.

ARightOldPickle · 04/01/2013 18:07

I wouldn't consider it - last time we moved a driveway was on our list of must-haves and we didn't look at any that didn't one. Our previous house had street parking, this one has a long driveway and garage and its great to drive home in the dark and wet and know exactly where I'm going to park!

Baubleswithdiamonds · 04/01/2013 18:26

Depends where you are - in London it's not always an issue as OSP is a rarity in many areas and many people don't have a car.

Saying that, you would struggle to resell a family house without allocated parking. Our house has OSP in a area where most of the houses don't and it's seen as a major plus by tenants, even though we are also near shops/transport etc.

Original poster
Officedepot · 04/01/2013 18:31

The house is tiny Victorian terrace

Tiny house so either an individual person or a couple would live there. At most a couple with a baby.

It's £125k and in a nice village in the Midlands

OP posts:
WholeLottaRosie · 04/01/2013 18:32

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LadyLetch · 04/01/2013 19:08

Sorry, I wouldn't look at a house without a garage. I need somewhere to store my crap!

nocake · 04/01/2013 20:01

My friend has just sold her house that has no parking directly outside. The nearest parking is round the corner. It did put some buyers off but she priced the house accordingly (i.e. less than a similar house with parking) and eventually got a buyer. Every house will sell at the right price.

PolterGoose · 05/01/2013 09:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oodhousekeeping · 05/01/2013 09:49

I'm quite happy not to have allocated parking, we don't at present and have 2 cars. But we can stop on the road outside the house to unload then park in the next street. This may be an issue in your case.

AlwaysOneMissing · 05/01/2013 09:57

We would not consider a house with no parking either. Though actually, we were considering an investment property, buy to let, and had seen a great place but with no parking. The responses on this thread have made me realise it would probably not be a wise investment if it would put most people off.
Let us know what you decide to do OP. Good luck.

HecatePropolos · 05/01/2013 10:03

What about the people in the street where you'd be parking? Some people can get really nasty.

gingermcflea · 05/01/2013 10:03

Wouldn't worry me at all. Our house sounds very similar to what you're describing. Have to find a carpark nearby then cross over and walk up to

gingermcflea · 05/01/2013 10:07

Posted too soon...
Anyway, ours is similar and I'm fine with it. But I know many people have expressed surprise at the lack of offstreet parking. and said they couldn't/wouldn't live without dedicated parking, so I'm guessing I'm in a minority who wouldn't care.

Gooseysgirl · 05/01/2013 10:09

Wouldn't view it... Rented a house with with no driveway a few years ago, only on-street parking, absolute nightmare... Used to race home from work every night to get a space near the house. It's a deal breaker for me, especially now we have a DC. I think you would have to price accordingly when selling, but as others have said I would negotiate a lower price when buying to offset this.

notcitrus · 05/01/2013 10:50

Sounds fine for that sort of house and location. Potential buyers are going to use public transport, and only have max 1 car, so any inconvenience would balance the greater privacy.

I used to live on an estate in a courtyard next to the road, so could stop in the dustcart bay to unload if needed, then there was some parking at the end of the courtyard and loads at the back of the estate. We did end up doing most supermarket shopping online but that was as much to do with the stairs to our flat as the parking. It really wasn't much of an issue, but neither of us drove to work.

Most people on this thread seem to be in areas where most people have driveways and two cars - the question is what will people looking in your area think? The transport links are ones people will pay a lot for, and many of those won't care about parking if it makes the house a bit cheaper.

soverylucky · 05/01/2013 12:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tyranasaurus · 05/01/2013 13:00

wouldn't bother me, have lived in a terrace with difficult on street parking and was fine. Perhaps have a walk around the area one evening and see how many people have cars

RyleDup · 05/01/2013 13:14

We bought a house like that once. It was such a pain and the neighbours in the other street were constantly leaving notes on my car, telling me not to park in their street Angry. It was pretty stressful. Having said that, when we came to sell it, loads of people came to view and we sold it quite quickly. So if its a really nice/ quirky house, (as ours was) I doubt you will have a problem.

fussychica · 05/01/2013 14:57

Would put me off because you can't guarantee a parking space in the "quiet" street around the corner. But if it's the norm for the area that's different.

detoxdiva · 05/01/2013 15:43

As someone who lived for 4 years without parking I would never do it again. We parked on a nearby street and it was a total pita in the rain, when shopping, getting stuff delivered etc etc. We were swayed by the beautiful old cottage but didn't think practically and it took us much longer to sell as a result.

laughinglikeadrain · 05/01/2013 15:48

i wouldnt buy a house without off street parking..... because i cant park properly and it stresses me out. even when the drive is empty dh will park on the road and leave the drive for me.

I KNOW i should learn to park properly..... but if this is my solution (and it works for everyone when im less stressed) then there will be others who are put off too.