Would you buy ideal house if opposite a school? *rightmove link*

[fancyaflatwhite]

A house that looks ideal for our needs in many ways has come on the market. The caveat is, it is directly opposite a school.

It does have its own driveway, but would the school parking issues/idling cars/deliveries etc make living there a right pain.

Has anyone got experience of living quite so close to a school?

I live across from a primary, it’s a cul-de-sac, it’s fine. If someone is idling engine outside my house I go and ask them to turn it off.
One neighbour was really ticked off though, so he applied and won to get double yellow lines for almost all of our street.

It does have its own driveway, but would the school parking issues/idling cars/deliveries etc make living there a right pain.

Well, yes, but only for half an hour in the morning and afternoon, and only for about half the year. What jobs do you have, when are you in and out of the house? Do you have your own school runs to do? The school traffic wouldn't affect me in the least as I leave for work at 6am and return at 6pm on non-WFH days.

Also to add, I don’t think I’d buy next to a secondary.

I would say it is going to be a nightmare but you need to see it for yourself.
Can you arrange to visit the area and observe at school start / finish times to get a proper feel for it?
Also what is it like at lunchtimes, do the students leave the school and if so where do they go?

It looks a gorgeous house but be prepared for the road to be clogged up with traffic at certain times of the day when school starts and finishes. I would visit it during those times to see how bad the situation is. Only you can decide if it is a deal breaker or not.

If you have children that would attend the school that might make it slightly more bearable.

It’ll be busy between 830-9 and 3-330 Monday to Friday during term time. Will you be at your house during that time? I live opposite a school, it’s no problem, I quite like it. I wouldn’t have liked it if I was still doing night shifts (nurse) so I would say it depends on your jobs and lifestyle?

Primary or secondary? I think that makes a big difference.

I did, it was great, a 30 second school run. However we were on a busy B road with double yellows so no problems with cars blocking us in, the surrounding estates struggled more with that I think.

I think it depends on when you are likely to be at home. If you are at work during the day it won’t really matter, but if for example you would be spending weekday afternoons. enjoying reading in the garden it might be a bit noisy. We lived opposite a church without parking and Sunday mornings were the only time we struggled to park.

My house directly overlooks a primary school and is right by the pedestrian entrance and it’s absolutely fine (I would post a pic but it’s prob too identifying tbh). Yeah there’s a bit of noise during the day, especially in better weather with windows open and more use of outdoor space, and a bit busy at drop off and pick up, but it’s no bother. I think for primary it’s fine but would probably have a different view for a secondary.

Secondary schools tend to have staggered pick up and drop off times round here so that would influence it. Also, my kids primary school used to have people coming up to an hour earlier to get a parking spot right outside and the road would be horribly congested for up to an hour and a half morning and night. An ex used to live near a school and he'd get people parking over his drive and sometimes even on the drive as they'd 'only be a few minutes'.

Personally, it would put me off.

Beautiful house! It has a huge driveway so I wouldn't think twice about living opposite a school.

Yay, I clicked and know the area (live around the corner). This road does get very busy at pickup (primary) but I think you would be far enough back that it wouldn't be so annoying. It is a tough one to judge as they have temporarily closed another main road into town recently so a lot more traffic is using that road at present, so a false picture. Beautiful house.

I would buy opposite a primary school - in fact I live on a road with a primary school and it has never been any problem at all.

I would not buy opposite or very near a secondary school. One was built at the far end of my street about 5 years ago, and the kids cause endless problems especially in the afternoon. Pushing each other into the road, tipping over bins, lurching around doing wheelies with no concern for the cars they crash into. Kids that age are a pain in the arse en masse.

Our house is the nearest road with parking to a primary school. It's fine. No problem at all.

I live by a primary. They are trying to bring in one of those traffic restrictions where people can't drive down between 7.30 - 9.30, 2.30 - 4.
If it gets approved it's going to be a massive pain in the arse for residents.
That would be my main worry.

We moved into a house almost next door to a primary school earlier this year.

we are on a tiny cul de sac and the HT has to send one email a year or so to warn people not to park here because it causes difficulties for all of getting out. But there’s rarely more than 1 or 2 culprits.

we virtually never have to get in/out at school times so it doesn’t bother us at all. We hear the school bells and the kids playing outside. Our kids do actually got to the school but we aren’t worried about our feeling changing once they no longer do.

if you have your own drive it will be fine. You may need to occasionally tell people to not block you in or idle outside your house but at our school the vast majority of parent drivers are respectful

Pros. Really quiet in school holidays.

Good transport links

Cons sometimes rubbish thrown into your garden.

Traffic

Kids.

Its only a primary, it will be busy during drop off and pick up, quiet in the evenings, weekends and wnd holidays and there is a large front garden. I wouldnt let the school put me off plus you might want to send your kids there.

These restrictions are never in place for residents! Visitors only. They are there to encourage parents to walk their kids to school.

Wow that is a very nice house, and reasonably priced for Hertfordshire!

Just go and see it at school drop off/pick up. Our primary school have really clamped down on people parking by the school gates so by ours it isn't that bad, it'll be school dependent id say x

I live on the same road as a primary school not directly opposite but very close. It’s not a problem for me at all. Traffic is slightly worse between 8.30 and 9 and 3 and 3.30 but due to the school having a small catchment area most people walk to school anyway.
I would suggest you visit at school time. It’s a gorgeous house.

Primary or secondary? We’re quite close to a primary and it’s nice hearing the kids play during the week. It’s very quiet at weekends.
our secondary had numerous events and sporting activities at weekends though so I’d be wary of being opposite one.

It looks like a nice house.

Would your children be going to the school? Where I live, being near a school is a plus because you are actually certain you will get in with very tight catchments!