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.

Flat living is extremely popular for families outside of the UK

Those with balcony’s and connubial garden and swimming pool you mean?

@Alwaysawake45

‘Kids need a garden’ seriously?! Kids need a safe and loving home. Many children live without a garden and are not ‘suffering’ because of it. Flat living is extremely popular for families outside of the UK, and children aren’t any worse off through because of it! Buy a place that you love, flat, house, canal boat, whatever.

And a lot of those flats have balconies and communal gardens or court yards, are far better built/insulated/soundproofed than UK rabbit hutches, many of those places have quite strict rules about inconsiderate behaviour like loud music and parties, they're freeholds or very long leaseholds without these ridiculously high services fees that can rise at a stroke, etc etc etc

Flat living in the UK totally sucks and is a completely con.

I lived in an apratment was massive though when i was 16 was ok for me but two little ones no

also how can a new build have history doesnt make sense

Thank you all for your virtual slaps round the face. These are all things we really needed to hear and some replies have even helped us put our property search as a whole, into perspective. We shall commence with the ceremonial burning of the brochure.

Ah can we have a look? Before we brought our semi with a garden we put an offer in in central Bristol. Brilliant location, stunning flat we both absolutely loved it. We lost out to a cash buyer and we were gutted. 2 weeks later we found this house which is 10000x better and thank god we've got a garden! I wasn't fussed at all on one until I had one!

Link for the curious?

I'm betting its this one
www.rightmove.co.uk/property/106363625

That apartment is just like a holiday rental I stayed in last month. Lovely for a weekend but I wouldn't want to live there, not enough space. £550K and no garage! Where would you keep the bikes / sledges/Christmas decorations? I bet it has no loft either.

It's 100% that development in Aldershot, I wondered that even before seeing the link. In fairness it is a lovely building, but have a walk round parts of that area that are not new and indeed Aldershot high street before making your decision.

Excuse my ignorance as a non Brit, don't come across these properties, but what's the problem with no garden when there's all that green space? Can't the kids run around?

I think it's beautiful and looks large too. I'd go for it.

what's the problem with no garden when there's all that green space? Can't the kids run around?

My problem is that I can't be bothered to get changed out of my pyjamas at 8am on a weekend morning. I prefer just to open the door, release the little beast and sit there watching them roam with my coffee.

Plus the kids are tiny and need watching, this is much easier in a small contained garden that you can make safe than a massive communal space.

Please believe me when I say anything with Maintenance fees will cause you issues in the future.
We thought we had a dream home 10 years on we realise our mistake.

Everyone knows that flats with grounds come with service charges.

In London the charges would be 10x what the OP quoted.

@Jellybabiesforbreakfast

what's the problem with no garden when there's all that green space? Can't the kids run around?

My problem is that I can't be bothered to get changed out of my pyjamas at 8am on a weekend morning. I prefer just to open the door, release the little beast and sit there watching them roam with my coffee.

Ah fair enough, I thought maybe the grounds were off limits. But yes chasing small children would get old.

A "luxury" apartment with an open plan kitchen/living room would put me right off.

I could just about living with an open diner/kitchen, but the living room? Who the hell design these things. Shame because I quite like the rest.

To add, that would be perfect in Central London, in an area where I could afford house + garden, it would be a no brainer until the kids are grown up.

@bakingbernie

Please believe me when I say anything with Maintenance fees will cause you issues in the future. We thought we had a dream home 10 years on we realise our mistake.

You have to make sure you do your due diligence. A lot of people who own leasehold properties really don't understand what they're buying.

I’d get it in a heartbeat. I love apartments (live in one with two boys). We are such an active family. Always out in the park, at sporting events etc. I’d never have time to use garden. I love the simplicity and security of living in an apartment

I have lived in a first floor apt with a 5 year old and it was a fab place to live if I was single and no kids but it was a nightmare only lasted about 7 months moved out and into a 4 bed house for the same price woth a garden it was like a breath of fresh air imagine been in it for the lockdown with no garden ... any house can be decorated the way you want and 1700 a year is a lot of money

It's only going to stay hotel standard for a short while, it'll quickly look lived in and then all the £££ for what? A place without a garden! Wait and get what's really right for you and in the right location

First, maintenance fees go up and up, never down. Second, no matter how lovely the apartment may be, it does not have outdoor space, which is one of your prime needs. I think, as much as you loved looking at it, it would become a trap very quickly. You would spend a lot of time walking to parks and play areas, wishing that you had waited for a place that more met your basic needs. Willing to bet, here, that in 3-4 years you would be resenting this choice.

**I would think of a flat as a temporary option for single people who couldn't afford a proper house.

Wow, mumsnet is its own little world sometimes. I would think of buying a flat as a decent option for anyone who prefers not to or cannot easily buy a house. I also think of buying a flat as a norm in many parts of the world that aren’t as obsessed as us with owning our own little patch of grass.

We recently moved from a house with a garden to a flat without one, and it's honestly fine. I actually prefer it as we can hang out at the park as much as we like, but we don't have to cut the grass or water the flowers! I remember those summer days in the garden, then coming back into the house to see muddy footprints from the back door to the bathroom, whereas now the reentry to the house can be a little more managed. We do have excellent local parks though.

Out of your two options I would pick the house, as it sounds like there's going to be so much more space, and kids don't stay little for very long.

I'd be wary of the current level of service charges if this is a new build. Older developments have a pot of money built up for unexpected repairs and so on, so you might be facing unexpected bills or fast rising service charges. You're much safer in an established development.
Also why on earth would you sacrifice the possibility of having a garden? As others have said, many people have realised the value of owning outside space during lockdown.