Big house with tiny garden - would you buy?

[hattyyellow]

We are rapidly running out of space in current home. Have seen a house in a nearby village, just in our price range, with so much space. But a tiny garden, half of which is filled with driveway (although it's a really quiet rural village, off street parking really not an issue so you could lawn it a bit more..)

DH grew up with small house and big garden - we grew up with bigger house and small garden - never bothered me as we had open land nearby to run around on. How do you reconcile these different things? We have a good relationship, but this is starting to strain it a bit - as we are squished in to our current place and can't afford a bigger place with a big garden..I work from home which currently means sitting at kitchen table when kids are at school and then sitting on our bed when they're at home as we can't fit a table in our bedroom!

Sorry this is two questions in one! But really interested to hear any views. I've booked a viewing for this one, hoping it might win him over...

I think access over the garden would be a deal breaker for me.

I viewed a house like this once and it put me off. Your neighbours could turn out to be arseholes and you can't stop them been in your garden, could leave gates open, etc for kids/dogs to escape.

oh what a shame. I take it that it is a no go now? Can you link to it?

Oh, that is a shame - shared access over a small space is not a good way to go.

Hopefully the next one you see ends up being the right one for all of you.

Dont touch it - my cousin has a similar situation - bitterness with neighbors day and night

I think there is a problem with a spacious house on a tiny plot. If it has not sold this is probably why. You could be stuck with it. I think family houses should have a family garden. Not a huge garden, but enough space for play and eating in some privacy. It sounds like the space is at the front and side which would also bother me. What is at the back?

Sorry. Just read your update. Shared access is a real problem. Avoid. There will be a house for you somewhere.

This kind of property is becoming ever more common. Lovely big house with the garden chopped off and a second house built in the garden.

Usually a cash strapped elderly resident who does not want to move out of their home so sells off the garden or builds a granny flat next to the existing property then tries to sell the main property or give it away to their children to avoid IHT. It ruins the main house and just devalues it.

Avoid. No one will buy it off you.

Big house with a small garden in our area is frequently turned into rental flats because families would shy away from such a house and only flat renters don't really care. You have been warned about the difficulty in resale.

We had an intermediate terrace (3/4 bedrooms) with a small steep garden and it was a devil to sell, which we eventually did after 10 years of putting it on the market 2-3 times, with one sale that fell through. We weren't in a hurry but the moment we got a buyer, we moved heaven and earth to make sure we did not lose the buyer.

I think you will find it much harder with a 5 bedroom house because that is a forever house and people who buy forever houses tend to want the gardens, even if they don't spend a lot of time in them.

Yep. After a final last attempt discussion of potentially negotiating right of way changes with neighbours we have admitted defeat. Hoping the spring will bring a better option. Thanks so much all for your help and thoughts and happy new year!