Settling with compromises or waiting...

[OUB1974]

I'm finding the decision process so difficult with our current house hunt as there are so few going on the market where we live

We know what we should be able to get with our budget. We want 3 bedrooms (they don't have to be huge but no box room), spacious downstairs with room to play, decent garden and parking, and close to school. Our budget is enough for a semi that meets our requirements. There is a large estate that meets our criteria, with dozens of houses that probably match our requirements. But none for sale!

We want to move quickly, but we have sold and we are staying with family, so there isnt the urgency of having to complete a chain. When houses do come up - with compromises - I'm finding it difficult to decide whether to go for it or wait for something more suitable.

In the past 3 months only 2 houses have come on the market: 1) a 4 bed detached, only 10k over budget (and we could have borrowed it), but had a tiny garden, so we decided we didn't want to pay extra for a bedroom we didn't need. 2) was just quite tiny downstairs and although the garden was adequate, there was no room for extending and there was a huge outbuilding taking up half of it.

Now another house has come up. Perfect, period features, huge rooms, huge garden and a few yards from the school, but with no parking. I've driven around a few times and the road seems to have plenty of parking spaces, but when we started looking, one of our main criteria was a driveway. Now I'm beginning to wonder if we can compromise on this. Turning down the other houses was relatively easy, as I know something comparable will come up. But this one is really special. Argh, I don't know!

We havent viewed it yet, so that may change things. But how do you decide when to stick with one, and when to wait? I'm worried in a few months we will get less for our money, and we will end up buying one of the tiny houses as that will be all we can afford. It's so difficult to know where to compromise!

Is there scope to make your own driveway?

Have you driven by at a weekend and in the evening when most people are off work and parked outside their house? That would be a decider for me.

Also - what kind of area is it? One road away from me has lovely period properties with mostly on road parking and it can be tight but then when you add in the tourists that come to walk in the AONB it's carnage.

It's so hard. What really helped us was to keep going back to why we were moving in the first place and to make sure we were getting that. For us that happened to be an extra bedroom and a garden. The one we picked isn't anything like what I thought we wanted, but it ticks both those boxes and I've grown to love it

Sounds like it meets all your requirements except parking. How does it compare with the ones that you hope might come on? Echo what people have said about driving there at busy times. Suspect school times will busy.

Personally parking isn't that big a deal to me so I'd compromise on that.

We have just bought a house - with no parking. It ticked most of our other boxes so it was a compromise we made.
Road is quiet and MOST of the time we can park right outside but sometimes (and always seems to be the times I have a boot full of shopping!) I can’t!!
Luckily the house backs onto another lane so a lot of the other houses have made the end of thier gardens into parking spaces so that is our plan when we have enough money.
I think parking will only get worse - there are a few elderly residents opposite etc and in a few years when they have died I imagine families will move in who will have cars etc, or the teens in the road will get cars so having a plan to create parking is something I am glad we have .

Parking isn't that important to me - I have it where I live now as there is no on street parking at all (double yellows), but I'm buying one in a permit controlled zone and it's pot luck. The fronts aren't big enough for off street parking (which is fine, because it's not like having off street parking increases the amount of parking places available for everyone else).
Only you can decide if parking is something you can do without.

We rejected an amazing house due to its lack of parking. It was fabulous in every way apart from that, and it was really hard to turn it down. But I’m so relieved we did, in hindsight.

Hi OP. I personally would go with the period property. I love period properties as they have so much character. Whilst it doesn't have parking at the door, even outside on the road hopefully should be enough. I so understand for some people its important. It would be wonderful if a house would tick all the boxes but some dont. A difficult one , and one you can only decide. All the best

Thank you for the thoughts, it's a very personal thing isn't it.

I've parked there the last few days when picking up my kids from school and had no problems. I get home from work at 3 and go straight there so I'd be able to park and walk up. We need to check evenings and over the weekend. We ar reviewing tomorrow so shall see!

They are wide terraces on only one side of the road. So probably 14 houses and room for 20 cars at a guess. The other side have driveways. School parents either park along the main road, where there's plenty of space, or a road off the opposite side of the main road, rather than down this little street. Ot doesnt look like there are problems with parking and I would always easily get in on the other street, although it would mean crossing the main road (there's a crossing so not too bad).

I lived in a road with awful parking wars once - 2 sides of terraces with only one side of parking and most of the houses with two cars. It was horrendous! But this doesn't seem like that.

The houses I have been really hoping for are on the road the other side of the main road. Three bed semis with huge gardens and parking. We could afford one just about if it came up, but generally don't come on the market that often (it's a long road, about 100 houses, 2 came on last year, although some years there are more). These are the only houses I prefer to this one, although there are quite a lot suitable but maybe further away or smaller. I'm worried prices will go up.

We'll do a bit if driving around at the weekend. I suppose things are a bit strange at the moment as people aren't generally having visitors either. At least we would always get a space, even if on the next street. No room for a driveway unfortunately.

I do love period properties as well. But we have lived in two houses over he last 20 years - one a beautiful arts and crafts style cottage, and the other an ugly square ex council house. I have to say i preferred the latter due to the space and light and size of room!

We’ve had 2 fall through and now renting after our sale, so I feel your pain. There wasn’t much coming on and going for silly money. We held off and thinking about taking on another lease (need to move out soon) but then the estate agent showed us a great house off market. As we’re in such a good position to move quickly they took our offer without showing to anyone else. Before that we were contemplating putting in offers on others but held back as they just weren’t right on quite a few issues.

Is this house perfect? No. We’ve compromised a little on garden size for a perfect road and lovely house. But it’s good enough to know that not much coming on would make me regret buying this. See how you feel when you view it, you will know. Keep an open mind, you might love it. The parking doesn’t sound a big compromise. But also don’t be panicked into buying something if your heart is set on the other road. Even worse than feeling frustrated with not moving must be the regret of buying the wrong house. Especially as the moving process is so expensive.

Op we are going to be in the exact same situation as you! (Once our house sells)
Even down to the type of house you want!

The area we are looking at has a mix of 3 bed semis with driveways and victorian houses with no parking
But one thing we will absolutely not compromise on is parking!
We've lived with no parking and a driveway and it's just not something we can compromise on unfortunately because I adore Victorian houses

My worry is that the house prices will continue to rise and we will be priced out!

I don't have have any advice but just wanted to show my support x

It's such a worry isnt it @oohmama. We are on a very strict budget as we sold our house down south, so have cash from that, but not earning enough to get a mortgage and my husband doesnt want to take up a family offer to borrow some. So at the moment we are borderline, with some houses coming below our top budget, but the risk that the really nice ones will start going over.

These houses aren't typical Victorian semis, but about double width. I counted today and there are 12 houses and space for probably 18 or 20 cars. The house windows being on the street is also a worry, but it's a very quiet road (dead end with a small close at the end of it for turning). It's a shame there isnt another two feet to the side to make a parking spot, the other end of the terrace has one but a tiny garden.

So hard! Hopefully all will become clear when we see it tomorrow. We do have another house booked to view, but not until the 9th, and there are compromises there too (much further to walk to school, smaller garden). Why can't someone just sell us out dream house!

Sorry I meant typical Victorian terraces.

It's a nightmare
I would go and view it with an open mind
And you can decide what's important to you..

For us, we've lived with and without parking,
It was on a road with a school near and I literally had to plan my days around the school hours and that was before I even had kids!
So for us, its just not something we will even consider even if it means waiting much longer..
But there are a lot of houses with no parking and the people who live there are happy.....
I think it depends on location, public transport and that sort of thing!

Good luck with the viewing

Parking would be the first thing I’d drop on a list of requirements unless I owned a very valuable car it wouldn’t be an issue for me

Knock on neighbours door and ask how they find the parking.

Post some letters at the other houses you fancy. Worked for me recently and a lot is about timing.

I feel your pain and I’ve almost reached that stage. We sold last week and there’s only one house on the market that ticks the boxes. The main reason we’re moving is to be in catchment but we also wanted more space. This other house is on a lovely street in catchment but is exactly the same size and type as our current house yet £30k more. Seems a bit rubbish paying out all that money for the same thing.
But what if nothing else comes on the market....

Our area dried up housing stock wise but in the last 2 weeks it’s starting to wake up. Now the weather is better and lockdown ending it should go mad.

It really is isnt it @Onandoff. I have been keeping track of how many houses are coming on each week (as it's driving me crazy waiting and I feel like I have to do something!). It was fairly slow until last week, when the number really shot up (average of around 20 per week in our town, up to 30). Hoping it stays like this.

Well we loved the house! It is beautiful with lovely period features, but has been really done up and extended to a high standard. New kitchens and bathrooms and a massive garden. And the next door business allows the current owners to park on an unused drive way, although there is plenty of space in the street.

Only slight issue is there is an easement to access the front door. However, I've downloaded the title deeds and it all looks fine, although of course our solicitor will check it over (I work in a related field so used to interpreting title deeds).

Think we might be putting in an offer! X

Great news, glad to hear you liked it

Wow great news! Must be a relief after all this time.

I have never owned anywhere with parking. It would be nice to have, especially when I arrive home at the wrong time and can't park near. But ultimately, I spend many many hours in the house and only a few minutes walking to and from the car if unlucky.