Please talk me out of buying this beautiful apartment

[Nstarr]

Myself, partner, plus 2 under 2. Kids need a garden right? So please talk us out of buying this absolutely stunning apartment.

-new build with loads of character and history.
-high ceilings, huge windows, spacious rooms
-luxury very high end finish similar to a 5* hotel, very much our style.
-‘Good’ local school

BUT

Maintenance fees of £1700 a year, slightly further from family moving from Surrey to Hampshire, no garden!!!

There may be plots next year with small gardens, we’re not in a rush. It’s generally just not practical. We could easily afford the 2 beds. The 3 beds are same price of a house. But a house would take £££££’s to get to that standard. Please talk us out of this ridiculous idea.

I would book an Airbnb in a flat for a week and have the experience of no outside space with young children. I’m sure that’ll change your mind!

Can you imagine yourself doing a lockdown in it?

What does the service charge cover? Mine is significantly higher than that, but includes central heating, plus pool, gym and 24/7 concierge.

Downsides of living in an apartment (I live in 1 with a pre teen).

No where to dry clothes unless I use the tumble dryer or use a clothes horse.

It gets incredibly hot in summer.

I can’t sit outside on a nice day, and there is no where for my DD to play.

It can be noisy if the neighbours decide to play loud music/have parties ect.

People come and go all day and night long. Communal doors bang shut ect.

You may live next door or near to smokers or cannabis smokers, the smell and smoke will get into your home through windows and under the doors.

Lugging shopping/groceries ect in from my car can take 2 trips.

£1700 seems exceptionally low for maintenance for what I assume from your description “new build with character and history” is a conversion of some sort.

Forgot to add. There’s no where to store outside things such as bikes/scooters.

we bought a house with no outside space when DD was 6 months old. It was lovely, lovely finish etc and a dream house while she was tiny.

Everyone said oh you'll need a garden, we thought nah, we will be fine.

And it was fine, but my kids missed out having a garden to play in when they were young (2-8 years old). We felt very trapped.

We moved and now have the most beautiful garden - so nice!

Wouldn’t touch a new build with a barge pole

There’s no way I’d forfeit a garden unless I really had to. My kids spend all day out playing football, cricket, chase or in the paddling pool during the summer. I’d move towns to ensure I had a garden if I had to (appreciate not everyone can afford to live somewhere with a garden)

And, God, who can be arsed having to get back in the lift every time you forget the sun cream or a drink or whatever? It’s an absolute no from me.

I live in a mill conversion the management company also stipulate to homeowners when repairs need to be made to maintain the property such as the balconies which needed replacing due to them rotting.

Watching my son get home from school and be out in garden shooting hoops and my daughter on the trampoline (both mid and late primary) is one of my greatest joys

Would it only be a two bed? The kids will want their own rooms at some point. With no garden and only a two bed flat, and no dumping ground for pushchairs, scooters, gigantic toys taking up space.

It won't look five star for longer than about five minutes

I live in a development in London and while I don’t have kids loads of people here do, but we have beautiful landscaped grounds and river frontage so it kind of is ok without a garden and has big perks around needing zero maintenance. Service fees are high but not crazy and there’s a residents committee and they’re legally obliged to account for service fees, they can’t just put them up for no reason.

The biggest downside will be once your kids are 4-5 and you’d be able to let them play alone in the garden, you won’t be able to do that, so playing in the grounds will still be a bit like going to the park in that you’d all need to go. Maybe you could get a ground floor flat or wait for one with a bit of outdoor space. Definitely don’t write it off though just because it’s not the norm.

But it’s not about just what you and your partner want..it’s whats best for your children!!! They don’t care about 5star hotel styling! They won’t even want to go to a 5star hotel, let alone live in one!! Kids need a garden, unless you’re prepared for 2 park trips a day.

A garden isn't a necessity, people live without it but let me tell you how ideal it is in this weather to whack the paddling pool out and let DD roam free in the nud enjoying the fresh air and water!

If you can afford it , a garden and freehold are really important things with property

What if we have another lockdown over the summer?

We have a tiny garden for two small children and are now desperate for a bigger garden. You’ll outgrow the flat much quicker than you think.

Just imagine no outside space in this heat.i have a 2 bed flat and plenty of room outside but it's not great with no garden and kids. Buy something like that when they are much older.

That's no paddling pool, no bbq, no just popping outside to eat or play a ball game.

The high-end neighbours will quite fairly think they didn't move there to have your kids for neighbours.

@Hax

A garden is extra living space for much of the year, more so with children. I would think of a flat as a temporary option for single people who couldn't afford a proper house.

Especially Apartment 1A, Kensington Palace. 😂😂

Nice flats around here cost double the price of a standard-semi or smallish detached!

@Hax why would an apartment be temporary my apartment is more expensive than some of the houses! It has more floor space for a start, two good size double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and I have a private garden. It's hardly a bedsit

A flat is only a temporary option?
It is a proper building you know, with foundations and everything🏢
it's not a tent⛺

My flat has electricity hot and cold running water gas the internet roof walls and foundations, Windows a Kitchen, bathroom it's proper thing that you can live in all your life if you want

Heating those high ceilings will be £££