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Original poster

Which house?! Teeny tiny garden or shared driveway?

29 replies

TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:44

We currently live in a 2 bed split level maisonette with direct access to nice lawned, small garden- we’re in a SE London Borough, zone 4/5.

Would love to stay in immediate area but only really 2 beds that are (barely) affordable.

Looking for 3 bedroom house- we are myself & DH and 2 DC primary aged.
Just seems to be barely anything on the market and most of that is just not affordable or realistic for us, prices seem to have risen exponentially since last summer.

So I’ve spotted 2 houses in the same road in a town next door to us- one is on the market with a well know high street EA, but strangely not listed online or on Rightmove.

The other one is not on the market but I can see it’s now empty & skip on the front lawn- looks like it’s in process of renovation, may come onto market in near future…?!

They are both 3 bedroom semis.

House 1- double driveway, but noticed the back garden is barely there; it’s a paved/patio are, looks smaller than our own modest garden. Price around £625k

House 2- massive looking garden from what I can see from my RM stalking, but overall looks v run down, also noticed there is a shared driveway which puts my DH completely

Which one would you go for?
There is on street parking in the road although I’ve noticed there is also a primary school so I imagine it will get v congested at specific times of the day!

We're on the market but not yet under offer so this question is totally pie in the sky for now but would appreciate any thoughts/advice.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:46

I'll try to find some old RM links to help!

OP posts:
Londongent · 21/04/2022 10:47

House 1 because house 2 is not on the market and may never be

Barkingmadhouse · 21/04/2022 10:47

No2 - I could not imagine have next to no garden. A shared driveway isn't ideal but it probably going to have a smaller effect on your life on a daily basis than having no garden would

Dumblebum · 21/04/2022 10:48

I don’t really think you can decide to go for a house that’s not on sale. Simply because it’s being renovated doesn’t mean it will be for sale

Hmm
BlanketsBanned · 21/04/2022 10:51

What area are you looking for. 2 or 3 bed houses in that price can be bought in Bromley and the surrounding areas

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Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:53

We're planning to drop a note into House 2 and also others in the same round/surrounding areas

OP posts:
Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:53

This is obviously all just speculation & wishing thinking!

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Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:54

We asked EA to view House 1 but we were declined as we're not under offer yet...

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Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:55

@BlanketsBanned

What area are you looking for. 2 or 3 bed houses in that price can be bought in Bromley and the surrounding areas
Yep we're looking in Bromley borough, for 3 bedroom property
OP posts:
GiBlues · 21/04/2022 10:57

House 2 it has a large garden and if the shared driveway does cause problems you can create extra parking where the grass is in front of the house

fruitbrewhaha · 21/04/2022 10:57

So house 2 was on the market in 2019 and didn't sell?
You can always try.
But maybe it did sell and it's the new owners now doing it up.

BlanketsBanned · 21/04/2022 10:57

There are lots of houses in Bromley, a few in Beckenham, Farnboro for under 650k. Whats your budget.

FleurDeLizz · 21/04/2022 10:58

It’s a real pain in the arse living near a primary school - I wouldn’t choose to do it again

LuluBlakey1 · 21/04/2022 10:59

I would hate that driveway but that back garden could overcome it possibly. That's a great garden- huge potential. Can the driveway be sorted?

Londongent · 21/04/2022 10:59

Bromley, Hayes, West Wickham, Beckenham, Shortlands area?
Do you need schools, train links?

Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 11:00

Our budget is around £600k

Up to £625/650k if we decide to take family up on money gift offer

OP posts:
TenThousandSpoons · 21/04/2022 11:00

Shared drive is fine. Most 3 bed semis in my area have a shared drive between the non-joined houses.
Tiny garden would have a much bigger impact day to day especially as the kids get bigger.

Pyri · 21/04/2022 11:03

TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 10:52

Am I reading this right - this is a house that isn’t on the market but there’s a skip in the front so you think it might be…?

Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 11:05

@Londongent

Bromley, Hayes, West Wickham, Beckenham, Shortlands area? Do you need schools, train links?
Kids are already in local primary near where we currently live, would probably keep them there

Although I'm starting to have fantasies of living in same road as their primary school!

I WFH most of the time so train station not a biggie for me

DH needs to get to Charing Cross so it's same train line he uses now, but further down the line

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Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 11:07

@Pyri

Am I reading this right - this is a house that isn’t on the market but there’s a skip in the front so you think it might be…?
Not at all- it's clearly NOT on the market currently, but we are wondering whether it might be in future, can see it was listed in past couple of years...does not seem like it sold then
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Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 11:11

@FleurDeLizz

It’s a real pain in the arse living near a primary school - I wouldn’t choose to do it again
We already have the kids in a primary school but now I'm having fantasies about living in the same road as their school!Grin
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LindaEllen · 21/04/2022 11:19

I don't understand why you're making a thread about whether you should opt for a house that isn't even up for sale. Sorry, but what the fuck? We've just had a skip on the front because we were having the bathroom done - we're definitely not selling!

Original poster
TurquoiseDress · 21/04/2022 11:26

There is barely anything suitable on the market at the moment so I'm looking beyond just what is on Rightmove/online portals

We're going to drop notes soon, am totally not shy about doing this- nothing to lose!

DH absolutely hates shared driveways (I posted about that some time ago!) so that's why I'm asking for opinions- shared driveway or virtually no garden, which one would people go for (theoretically)

OP posts:
Hallyup89 · 21/04/2022 11:37

House 2 is a 4 bed, not a 3 bed. Would it still be within your budget if it were to come on to the market?