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Original poster

What's more important: house + location or garden?

31 replies

purplefig · 02/07/2019 13:39

I'm currently pregnant with our first and starting to think about what we'll need from a home in the future. In your opinion, what's more important: a house and location, or having a garden?

We currently live in a spacious three bedroom terraced Victorian terrace. It was a state when we bought it, but we've just about finished renovating it and I love how it looks and feels now. It's in a town I love and just around the corner from a children's centre, great primary school, shops, restaurants, swimming pool, yoga studio etc. Plus, there is the opportunity to convert the loft into a 4th bedroom / en suite.

My only issue with it is, it doesn't have a garden and from the threads I've read on mumsnet, it seems like having a garden is hugely preferable with young children.

There is currently a tiny north facing courtyard which we could expand (we need to knock down a poorly built, useless extension) that would make it a slightly bigger space. Maybe 5m by 5m. We are considering turning it into parking though, as currently just have on street parking.

While we don't have a garden, we are a five/ten minute walk from multiple beaches, a lovely public garden and a few children's park.

To get a garden in our area we'd have to move further out, meaning it wouldn't be a short walk into town. Plus we'd likely have to downsize the house and probably go for a modern house, which isn't my preference.

What would you do in this situation? Move to a house with a garden? Convert small courtyard into parking? Make courtyard as nice as possible?

OP posts:

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 02/07/2019 13:49

I'd make the courtyard into a play area if I were you.

Medianoche · 02/07/2019 13:50

With small children, a bit of outside space for some water and sand play is good, and lots of outdoor space for running, exploring and ball games etc. It sounds like where you are now ticks both those boxes. Parks and beaches can have a lot of advantages over a private garden in some ways, not least you’re not tied to doing the maintenance yourself.
There’s a considerable cost to moving even if you go to a property of the same value. If you love the house you’re in, stay where you are.

EyesOpenWide · 02/07/2019 13:51

Stay where you are. You’re a 5 minute walk from beaches, public gardens and parks.

Location wins every time.

QuantamBaby · 02/07/2019 13:59

Stay where you are - location is so important

I'd try and make the courtyard into a play space rather than parking. When they are young it's really valuable having somewhere they can play for a little while without having to get everything sorted to go out to a park/beach. In a small space like that you can have some pots of plants, maybe a few wall climbers and then a little outdoor kitchen or a sandpit.

Original poster

purplefig · 02/07/2019 14:02

Thanks for the advice everyone. I want to stay where we are, it's just I have no experience of children and got a bit swept up in the "children must have a great big garden to expand all their energy in" rhetoric.

Obviously that would be great, but I think at our budget we have to compromise and I think I'm leaning towards our house + location, than the faff and expense of moving to a smaller/modern house with a garden.

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername I like this idea a lot - there's definitely enough room for a small child to have a bit of fun outside, and it does get the sun in the morning through to lunch time.

@Medianoche good point about cost. We lived in a house with a garden years ago and it transpired that neither of us are garden people and keeping it tidy wasn't fun.

@EyesOpenWide thanks. I think I needed to hear this!!

OP posts:

Original poster

purplefig · 02/07/2019 14:03

@QuantamBaby yes I really like this idea. We'll have plenty of time to get that sorted too.

Thanks everyone - I feel freshly excited about our house!

OP posts:

FreeFreesia · 02/07/2019 14:03

Make the courtyard into a garden. There are times when you just want to let them enjoy a water play/garden/the snow with a coffe in hand and without it being an outing, especially if you go on to have a second DC.

HandsUpHere · 02/07/2019 14:04

You have a park nearby and everything on your doorstep and a house you love. In your position I would not move.

madcatladyforever · 02/07/2019 14:05

It's a tricky one. If I had to compromise I'd say garden as my current 100 foot garden is getting a bit much for me now. I need something more manageable but I'm happy to make the garden from scratch as it's my hobby.
Location is non negotiable as I can't live near other people and the house doesn't have to be perfect but I can't stand modern homes so it's got to be 1940's or older.

madcatladyforever · 02/07/2019 14:06

I think you do need some kind of a garden - even courtyard as long as it's outdoor space. My sister made the mistake of buying a large house with no garden and the children were not happy. They need something however small.

StateofIndependance · 02/07/2019 14:08

I agree. Stay where you are. It's nice to have a bit of outside space and of course a large garden is wonderful but most of us can't have everything. You'll appreciate all the amenities you have nearby even more when you have small children. I spent a lot more time in local parks than in my own garden. You'll get to know people and the park is more sociable. Plus moving is bloody expensive.

Seeleyboo · 02/07/2019 14:24

Stay where you are. I had a balcony on the 1st floor as a kid and loved it.

krustykittens · 02/07/2019 14:29

Another one saying stay where you are. It sounds like you love the house and apart from having a big garden, it ticks all the boxes for you. I would turn the courtyard into a play area so you don't have to leave the house every time they want some fresh air. Moving costs a fortune and I am sure you would think of better ways to spend the money!

JoJoSM2 · 02/07/2019 14:34

It sounds like there'll be compromises to be made either way so I think I'd stay put. There's a bit you can do in a 5x5 courtyard for a small child. Having to get in the car parked quite far away could be a nuisance but it sounds like you won't need to use the car much at all.

AnotherEmma · 02/07/2019 14:39

Stay where you are! The location sounds great. The house sounds great. You don't have a garden but you do have a courtyard and you're very close to outside spaces - perfect.

If I were you I would enlarge the courtyard as planned, do not turn it into a parking space, keep it as a play area and an outside space to hang washing (boring but important with kids!) If you have a patio or similar, it's perfect for ride-on toys (provided it's a reasonably smooth surface ie not uneven flagstones or cobbles). Add a small sandpit and/or water table and you're good to go!

MoobaaMoobaa · 02/07/2019 14:41

definatly stay where you are. You have everything on your door step including a beach!

A court yard garden will be fine. it lets them out in the fresh air(whilst you are busy tired or just want a cuppa outside) they can have paddling pool, and sand pit, messy play ect. try a squeeze a small table and chairs too if you can though.

AnotherEmma · 02/07/2019 14:43

PS I have a massive garden and a toddler. DH and I are not "into" gardening and we struggle to find the time, energy and inclination to maintain the garden. DS plays out there sometimes but we don't make as much of it as we could. It's another thing on our neglected "to do" list

Blue5238 · 02/07/2019 15:29

If you are 5 mins walk from beach and parks stay put! Sand and water table, small table and chairs, small paddling pool for hot weather etc will be fine. When children are bigger if you really feel they need outdoor exercise on the doorstep get a trampoline and live with the eyesore of it taking up much of the garden.

Original poster

purplefig · 02/07/2019 15:29

@FreeFreesia yes that's a good point, it would be nice to just have access to outdoors without having to pack up all the various things required for an outing with a baby/toddler.

@madcatladyforever interesting about your sister. Yes I think I've neglected the courtyard as it's not a proper courtyard, but as you say it is outside space.

@StateofIndependance totally agree most of us can't have everything. Well worth remembering. And I'm sure you're right about appreciating local amenities all the more.

@Seeleyboo oh that's fab! What did you do/have on your balcony?

@JoJoSM2 it can be a pain, but DH has got a new job where he can walk to work and as you say, I don't need the car for day to day life, so actually we don't end up needing it too often.

@AnotherEmma thanks for addressing the car parking issue. I think you're right, a small courtyard is more important than parking right now. Can always be turned into parking later. Really interesting perspective on your large garden too, I think we'd be the same as you and your DH.

@MoobaaMoobaa Oooo yes we could definitely fit in a small paddling pool. The dog would love that too! And it would be so handy to have a washing line.

OP posts:

Closetlibrarian · 02/07/2019 15:33

We have a large garden and tbh DCs (6 & 3) rarely just run around and play in it. They want us to go out there and play with them/ push them on the swings. We've got other play equipment at the bottom of the garden but they hardly ever use it unless we go down there with them.

I think a 5x5 courtyard is absolutely fine, especially as you're walking distance to some great sounding outdoor space. I'd stay where you are. Kids are more likely to play on their own in a small outdoor area while you potter about inside/ outside than play in a big garden on their own.

Paddingtonthebear · 02/07/2019 15:40

Where you are sounds great, I would stay there and make the most of the courtyard space you have.

You can change everything about a house except it’s location!

CoolShoeshine · 02/07/2019 15:59

5 x 5 garden sounds nice, you can make it like an “outdoor room” or extension of the living space as they like to say on home programmes. I would try and make it so that you have glass doors or at least a window with a good view out onto the garden so that you can do chores indoors whist watching the dc’s outside. It’s a bit of a pain if you always have to go out with them. It would be nice if you could make it a nice space for adults too, eg a bistro set, good lighting and some flowers in pots, so you can use the space in the summer whilst children are in bed.

Original poster

purplefig · 02/07/2019 16:06

@CoolShoeshine that does sound lovely! It's not that size at the moment. I'd guess it's about 5m long, but just 1.5/2m wide. To get it to be around about 5x5m we'd need to knock down extension (happy to do that as it is a dodgy leftover from previous owners....the floor isn't even level). So it'd be sort of L-shaped if we did that. There is a door out from kitchen direct on to decking that is tiered atm. It will need some work - but deffo could be a usable, albeit tiny, space.

OP posts:

MikeUniformMike · 02/07/2019 16:10

make courtyard as nice as possible.
Seaside location sounds wonderful.

AnotherEmma · 02/07/2019 17:39

A word about decking. We have some and I hate it. It's slippery when it rains and death trap when it's icy. Requires maintenance (yearly pressure washing and oiling) which we don't do so it looks awful. And ours is raised so when DS was still unsteady on his feet, I had to supervise/help him to climb up and down. A ground level patio would have been so much better. If we ever get around to our garden makeover (!) the first thing i will do is get rid of the damn decking and replace it with patio.

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