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Original poster

Is it wise or unwise or not an issue to buy a house opposite a park?

34 replies

bexster5 · 12/02/2015 21:40

My first thought about houses near parks used to be - how lovely! What a great view!

Now I think - Hmmm teenagers / drunks...

Is it a bad idea to buy a house that looks onto a park but has a road between it and the park? Are there any safety concerns? Or is there just nothing to worry about?

I realise precise details of the park would probably help here for a true answer so I'm just looking for generalisations...

OP posts:
Pinkje · 12/02/2015 22:08

We lived in one once. The only issue was cars parking on either side of the street making getting out of our drive difficult, but that was only on really nice summer days.

vinegarandbrownpaper · 12/02/2015 22:13

Wise.
Searchlight.
Perving.

deraila · 12/02/2015 22:35

We live near one.

There is a big clump of houses, then a footpath, then an A road. So not exactly as you describe.

I notice noise when there is a firework display, parking issues when a big event is one and the biggie... lots of dog sh*t around my lane as people walk through my area to get to the park.

Apart from the latter, its not too bad. Im about 600- 700 m away from the park. How far away would this house be?

deraila · 12/02/2015 22:45

More accurately, about 300m away from perimeter of park and 600 ish away from a busy area of the park.

Original poster
bexster5 · 13/02/2015 06:57

Thanks for your replies.

I don't know if that screenshot helps but the house is pretty close. The road is not an A road. I suppose it's much like a normal residential road but instead of having more houses opposite there is the park.

So, so far I think mostly positive?

Is it wise or unwise or not an issue to buy a house opposite a park?
OP posts:
18yearstooold · 13/02/2015 07:05

My house faces a park, we are about 50yds from the entrance, small wall you can step over boarders it

OMG the dog crap!

I'm forever having to move dog poo from outside my gate

We get groups of teens sitting on the wall opposite the house, this is a recent thing as they seem to have discovered I have a teenage girl and she finds it quite intimidating

This time of year it's pretty quiet, in the summer there are kids playing quite late but no drugs or dogging issues that i'm aware of

EveDallas · 13/02/2015 07:10

We live directly opposite a park. There is a kids play area and a football pitch too (Sunday League). It's great, in the summer we hardly see DD, no problems with drunks or teens. We see lots of families out there at a weekend playing French cricket and the like. The only (mild) issue is the football, because the players park along the road, but all the houses have driveways anyway.

TheUnwillingNarcheska · 13/02/2015 07:35

We live on a street that faces a park, not as big as yours and we haven't had any issues with it.

It all depends who uses it. We have dog walkers, young families who call after the school run or before the school run. Teens playing football, sitting with their mates and talking. But no anti-social behaviour stuff and we have lived here 5 years.

The best advice is to drive to the house tonight if you can, park up nearby and walk the street. It is what we did after we had offered on this house. We checked the hedges to see what litter was being left behind, there were no beer cans or cider etc, just coke/fanta/sprite stuff. We have a shop relatively close by.

The biggest issue we have is foxes making noises like someone is being murdered and the birds waking us at 4am in summer, but you get used to that and sleep through it eventually Grin

Original poster
bexster5 · 13/02/2015 08:05

That all sounds pretty positive still!

TheUnwilling - that's good advice re drive by I'll get DH to do that tonight - and as for birds we live by the seaside so are used to screaming seagulls anyway :/

OP posts:
flowery · 13/02/2015 08:08

We live opposite a park and river. It's lovely. Didn't occur to me that it might be an issue.

mrsminiverscharlady · 13/02/2015 08:10

Or knock on a few doors (not vendors' neighbours) and ask them how they find it.

LondonGirl83 · 13/02/2015 08:51

We lived near a park once and it was great.

christinarossetti · 13/02/2015 10:12

We back on to a park. It's great.

Will be even better when the children are a bit older and they can go there by themselves (no road to cross).

Only good things to say.

Zinxie · 13/02/2015 11:25

flowery where is that? I'd like to live opposite a lovely park and river!

specialsubject · 13/02/2015 11:31

it's February - the late night shaggers and screamers may be at home in the warm. It is the long summer evenings which may be more of an issue.

TheWildRumpyPumpus · 13/02/2015 11:37

We have a gate from our garden into a park/village hall rec, it's brilliant! we are in a small village so other than kids on bikes, Sunday football and dog walkers it's very quiet.

wobblebobblehat · 13/02/2015 12:16

Surely it depends on the park?

If it's leafy with a river and rolling hills then great. If it's the poor end of town with broken swings and teenagers swigging out of cider bottles then I'd give it a miss...

You need to check it out at all times of the day and night. Maybe check with the local Police?

TheUnwillingNarcheska · 13/02/2015 12:22

I'd choose birds over seagulls any day but it does make me think oooh holiday if I wake up to seagulls.

We had it as a specific question for our solicitor to ask the vendors ie has there ever been any issue with the park.

Get your Dh to question dog walkers who use the park. They visit it daily so are usually full of information about it.

People use the park to let off enormous fireworks though around bonfire night, I suppose that is the only negative, but my children aren't toddlers so this doesn't affect us oh and the council come round early even on weekends to maintain it (grass cutting, tree trimming etc)

BauerTime · 13/02/2015 12:34

The issue for me would be safety of teenagers. Even if it was a main road I wouldn't like my teenage daughter for example to have to walk the perimeter of a dark park on her own or be tempted to cut through. But I say that with my local park in mind.

There is also a small park near work where homeless people congregate in the evening (and I'm guessing sleep there) and there is clear evidence of drinking and drug taking even though the park is well kept. I wouldn't live opposite that one!

I don't think the parking would bother me for Sunday football and big events etc as long as the house has a drive, but the dog shit would put me off if it's a real issue there.

I guess you need to judge the park.

bilbodog · 13/02/2015 14:03

we live opposite a green space where we all walk our dogs, kids play football and people run at weekends. Its lovely. They have had to do some community work to make people clear up dog poo more in some areas around but I haven't experienced any particular problems. I love it.

CoffeeBeanie · 13/02/2015 14:09

I agree with PP, be bold and knock on a few doors and ask the locals.

There are really nice parks, and some where you'd have no peace.

We lived opposite one and it was truly lovely, and locked over night.
Atm we live close to another park in the next road and that is fine too.

I viewed a house ages ago where I was told by locals that there is always trouble and police turn up weekly.

CocktailQueen · 13/02/2015 14:09

We're by a park. Benefits (kids can go there unsupervised, great for ds to let off steam) far outweigh any disadvantages (older kids playing late in summer, some drinking in park, noise from footy matches in summer). The car park is on the opposite side of the park so we're not bothered by cars. Yes, there is dog poo and that drives me mad - but you get that everywhere.

CocktailQueen · 13/02/2015 14:10

Could you visit the park at different times of the weekend (but you won't get an idea of what it's like in the evenings now!) Agree with other posters - could you knock on some doors and ask residents?

MILdesperandum · 13/02/2015 17:00

I'd be wary. We have not long moved from a house next to a park which was a real pain. Noisy teenagers littering/shouting/drinking/shrieking at night and dog walking defecating during the day. It is so nice now to be on a quiet road. Look at the crime stats for the postcode and be wary if there is a large spike in ASBO type call outs for that street.

Original poster
bexster5 · 14/02/2015 08:17

Thanks for all your thoughts and advice. We are going to take a proper look today...

MILdesperandum I'm probably being stupid but I did an Internet search and couldn't find crime stats by street. Only top level district crime stats. Don't suppose you know where I could find what you're talking about please?

OP posts: