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Original poster

Would a small garden put you off buying?

69 replies

Minta85 · 11/08/2020 17:53

We’re considering buying a house that has lots of great points (detached, parking for two cars, ten minute walk to town). But the garden is small, though not overlooked. How much of a problem might the garden size be when we’re trying to sell the house in the future? It has a small patio and lawn - big enough for a trampoline and for sitting in but too small for a football game or big family gatherings.

OP posts:
Original poster
Minta85 · 11/08/2020 19:25

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. It’s reassuring that garden size wouldn’t put all potential buyers off. The house is in a small town surrounded by countryside and some villages. Lots of London commuters live here. We’re keen to stay within walking distance of town so would prefer not to live in the villages. Most houses round here have gardens but the ones coming on the market are further from town / area not as nice etc. We’ve been watching Rightmove round here for 5 years now and the market isn’t great. It seems that often you can have the house or the location but not both!

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Kindlingwood · 11/08/2020 19:28

We bought our house because it only had a small garden. Kids are a bit older and we hate gardening. We bought a house with a yard. Kids like playing in garden at grandparents but I really cba woth gardening in any form.

PickAChew · 11/08/2020 19:30

Most people have gardens too small for a football game!

The boys were a teen and a tween when we bought this house and I'm middle aged and creaky. If two houses were otherwise equal, we'd have been put off by a bigger garden.

bathorshower · 11/08/2020 19:33

You've described our house! The reality is it was about £50k less than a house with a largish garden would have been, and we bought it a decade ago. Assuming the location is good, you will be able to sell it if you price it right. Neither of us enjoy gardening (at all), so a small garden was right for us.

wagtailred · 11/08/2020 19:35

You need a huge garden to kick a ball around as the balls go over the fence a lot otherwise.
I think a lot of people like a smaller garden as its easier to look after.

JellyBelly78 · 11/08/2020 19:38

Do you know which direction it faces?

KitKatastrophe · 11/08/2020 19:41

If you are happy with it, other people will be happy with it too. Maybe not everyone but some people would prefer a smaller garden and presumably the price is slightly lower to reflect this.

Original poster
Minta85 · 11/08/2020 19:43

We think the garden is west facing.

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Elouera · 11/08/2020 19:43

It depends whether you have kids? Like gardening? Would potentionally want the extra garden space to extend the house? And mainly, whether the garden matches the house size. For example, if its just a 2 bed, then you could have a smaller garden or courtyard in proportion to the house. Whereas I'd expect say a 5 bed house to have a decent, larger sized garden.

We were house hunting, and although we don't have kids, the garden size was a major consideration for us. Mainly because of re-sale, and majority of people expect some outdoor space if its a family home. how much though, is personal choice.

Dinosauraddict · 11/08/2020 19:45

I have dogs and a DS so it would put me off I'm afraid (and as a London commuter I'm probably in a similar area to you.

CoffeeRunner · 11/08/2020 19:56

The garden of the house you’re looking at sounds a very similar size to ours. We have a 6x4 shed, a trampoline, a smallish patio area (big enough for 4 or 5 people & a BBQ) and then a flowerbed maybe 3ft wide along one side.

It is absolutely perfect for us. Neither of us are gardeners & even if we were we really wouldn’t have the time for a big garden.

SweatyAndyFromWoking · 11/08/2020 20:45

I'd consider a smaller garden in order to be able buy a detached house with parking. What are other detached gardens like in your price range?

Original poster
Minta85 · 11/08/2020 21:16

Other detached house gardens in our price range tend to have bigger gardens but a different compromise. Typically the location (in one of the villages or not as nice an area) or only parking for one car.

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Original poster
Minta85 · 11/08/2020 21:17

*other detached houses, not gardens!

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JellyBelly78 · 11/08/2020 21:18

West facing is good, means you’ll catch some aft and evening sun.

DameLucy · 11/08/2020 21:23

West is Best. So the saying goes ...... 😊
I have huge North facing which I love but if I was buying again would look for South/West or West. Our previous house was South facing and it was awful. Always trying to position the bloody parasol!

OfUselessBooks · 11/08/2020 23:34

We are house hunting at the moment and the garden situation is making me very depressed. None are big enough but we do need to choose a house and the one with the least tiny garden is probably the favourite. I feel like my two boys need to be able to run around in it. Having said that, it surprised me how tiny some of my friends' gardens are.

sbplanet · 12/08/2020 09:51

How long will you live there? If it's not a problem for you why should it be for someone else? Especially if you make the most of the space.

Valleydad99 · 12/08/2020 10:15

I love our small garden. Even during lockdown. Used to have a literal field for a garden and it was far far too big for two busy people. Now have a postage stamp garden and it's perfect for a little bit of outdoor privacy with little maintenance.

Just been through lockdown with it and it's been nice having the bit outdoors but even now we don't do too much with it. We're not green thumbed.

Zhampagne · 12/08/2020 10:41

If the house is right for you now then buy it; it will be right for another family when you come to move. You can tie yourself in knots worrying about resale. Just approach it as a home.

Ninkanink · 12/08/2020 10:43

A small, private garden would be perfect for me. My children are grown up so I don’t need garden space to entertain them, and I prefer a low maintenance outdoor space. We have a small courtyard garden and I love it.

Original poster
Minta85 · 12/08/2020 12:55

More excellent comments, thanks everyone. Especially noting those of you who say we should buy the house if we like it and that someone else will also like it when come to sell in the future. We’re hoping to be there for a good ten years, maybe longer. We don’t have children but live somewhere where most people do, so I guess I’ve been worried that we would be buying a house that wouldn’t appeal to most of our future target market.

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ZigZagPlant · 12/08/2020 14:50

It seems that often you can have the house or the location but not both!

Precisely. Whatever the budget there’s always a compromise somewhere.

iamthrough · 12/08/2020 14:57

Every buyer has different compromise points. You're considering this house because of the good points you've mentioned - so in the future there will be another buyer like you - who is happy with a smaller garden. Anyone specifically looking for a bigger garden might compromise on other points - maybe increase their budget or compromise on location for example.

Assuming you are going to live in this house for a good few years - don't worry too much about future market appeal - buy it or don't buy it depending on what YOU want to live in. :)

Juanmorebeer · 12/08/2020 15:10

This would be a draw for me but I hate gardening. I think most people want a garden that is more proportionate to the size of the house amount of bedrooms etc