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Original poster

Viewed a near-perfect house yesterday, one thing putting me off

259 replies

booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 15:13

Currently in an elevated two up two down mid terrace with two DCs of opposite sex sharing a room, DCs are 13 and 9. On street parking which is terrible at times.

We viewed a house yesterday which we fell in love with and it ticks a lot of boxes - only a few steps at the front door, three bedrooms plus a dining room and converted loft, new style kitchen and bathroom and home survey highlights no issues. It's another mid terrace, we were set for a while on a semi however with the economy and fuel bills as they are, it probably makes more financial sense to go for a mid. We are moving within a very sought after area where semis in particular get snapped up fast at tens of thousands over asking so no guarantee we would even get one if we held out i guess.

The only downside is it's on-street parking. The majority of the street are semi-detached houses with their own driveway, with just a couple of rows of terraces. When viewing yesterday it didn't look too bad - or at least, not as bad as where we live atm! Would this put you off if the house seemed ideal in every other way? I guess in the future we could look at putting a drive in the front garden, although it would be a shame to rip the front garden as it's quite nice.

OP posts:
Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 16:20

The most important thing is def space for the kids, they woukd love their own rooms especially as they don't get on very well with each other at times. I feel bad that it's within our power financially to move, but lack of suitable properties is keeping us here.

A 7pm Sunday stroll round there is a good idea - I'm looking out my front window up the street, where there are hardly any cars parked. Deceptive, as its normally rammed in the evening!

The house we like is close to one end of the street which means there is pavement with no houses facing onto our street in front of that bit (those houses at the corner are situated on the street at the top of the junction, IYSWIM). I hope this bit isn't busy in the evenings as it could hopefully mean ample parking.

OP posts:
DisquietintheRanks · 05/08/2023 16:20

It would put me off (as would the steps to the front door) but now my children are past the buggy stage it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

Newtt · 05/08/2023 16:22

booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 15:47

@Ditzyduck Yes a big part of me does think that the extra space for our family is more important than parking, I guess I worry that it'll grind my gears eventually, as my current street is a massive pain at times. @VariantHela viewing was 4pm on a Friday.

But you do have parking - you just need to move a few shrubs in to the back garden.

Nice to have a front garden, nicer to have a house big enough for the family with a drive to park in...

Blossomtoes · 05/08/2023 16:23

We have no off street parking and it’s never been a problem in the 24 years since we moved here. There’s a “gentleman’s agreement” that we don’t park outside one another’s houses and it works pretty well.

tallsmallmum · 05/08/2023 16:23

Clefable · 05/08/2023 15:28

Definitely check at different times of day, but it wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me if there was plenty of room. Some houses near ours don't have drives but because almost every house does, there's abundant street parking for those who need.

but when there are drives that removes on street parking because of the drives doesn't it? the homeowners can park on the drive but no one can park in front of the drive can they? unless they want to block themselves in with their extra car? the houses would have to be really wide not likely for terrace to squeeze a car on street between drives

Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 16:23

@DisquietintheRanks the few steps this house has is an absolute dream - current house has 27 steps up to my front door and I moved there when my youngest was 5 weeks old!

OP posts:
StarlightLady · 05/08/2023 16:24

OP, don't take converting garden to off street parking as a given. You will need a drop curb and vehicle cross over rights. Some Local Authorities are more likely to grant permission than others. You will need to talk to them.

Goldencup · 05/08/2023 16:24

VinEtFromage · 05/08/2023 16:01

@booomshackalack it's not about prioriting the car having its own space over the children having there's as some posters have suggested🙄🙄. It's about the time wasted & mental stress of not being able to park to know you can park when you get home

I don't understand this at all. I hate driveways with a vengeance ultimate self NIMBYism in my view. Shocking for the enviroment too.

babybopella · 05/08/2023 16:26

TheInterceptor · 05/08/2023 15:15

Go back in the evening and check the situation.

This. We have no parking and when I get home after work 10pm I can’t park.. partner even struggles at 6 when he gets in… so go back after 6 is my advice.

thatsnotmylifeitstoocrazy · 05/08/2023 16:27

No brainer, your dcs need their pwn rooms

Blondeshavemorefun · 05/08/2023 16:27

Parking is fundament to me

It may not be to you

You don't have parking at the moment

So you won't be worse off if that makes sense

So you would be moving to a house that has more space /kids own bedrooms and a possible to make front garden to drive

Namechangedforthis25 · 05/08/2023 16:28

booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 15:25

That's a good shout to check the situation in the evening, will do that later on thanks.

There is a garden at the front, it's a tiny bit elevated however the neighbour at the end has a slightly sloping drive so don't think it would be a barrier. I'd just feel a bit bad about ripping the nice garden out, although I guess I could maybe transplant the plants into the back garden instead.

If everything else works not a deal breaker for me - especially if there is space for a car in your front garden and you can try to drop the kerb in future

Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 16:30

@tallsmallmum there are only two rows of terraces, each with four houses, on the street. Majority are semi-detached and there's space in front of each of these for two medium size cars to park, I'd say. But of course, if a lot of the households have multiple cars that doesn't help me much.

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 05/08/2023 16:30

No it wouldn’t put me off over otherwise perfect house. Harder when they are babies with no drive. I’ve had drives and no drives and yes it’s easier with a drive but not a deal breaker for me

limons · 05/08/2023 16:32

Off street parking was a deal breaker for us, but I suppose it depends on how prevalent it is in houses in your budget for your area. If you know there will be other houses with parking I would potentially hold out, but if you know it's a premium for where you are and means other sacrifices you don't want to make, then it may be worth overlooking.

RoobarbandCustud · 05/08/2023 16:35

We use on street parking, quiet road, space sometimes available outside house, sometimes 10-40m away. It's a bit annoying if we have heavy shopping or big delivery - neighbours kindly fine with us perching across their drive while we unload. It's fine. I'm not willing to rip out the cottage garden at the front.

MrsJBaptiste · 05/08/2023 16:35

Deal breaker for me.

I wouldn't buy a house unless you could park two cars side by side on the drive. I could not live with swapping my car and DH's van around every morning and evening.

PurpleBananaSmoothie · 05/08/2023 16:36

On street parking doesn’t bother me. We rented a flat and it had on street parking and parking was never an issue. My mum’s old house was a row of semis, each with a driveway for one car (two technically but it was too tight down the side of the house). Most houses had multiple cars, most had extended over their drive. Some had converted their gardens but some hadn’t. The drives were full and the street was full, so parking there at 8pm on a Friday evening was an absolute nightmare. Definitely check it out at different times but be aware that this is school holidays so a lot of people are on holiday (which is why your street might be deceptively quiet).

lanthanum · 05/08/2023 16:38

Have a look at different times of day, and look to see how far away you might have to go if all the spaces are taken. If there's plenty of space in the next street, then a minute or two walking from car to house is no big deal with older kids. If you might be driving round for fifteen minutes to find a space, that's rather worse.

Also talk to the vendors or neighbours, and also bear in mind that demand for parking can change. We were selling a house with no parking, and were quite happy to respond to enquiries honestly - we didn't have a car, and friends had always been able to find a space when visiting, BUT new neighbours next door had a car which the previous occupants didn't, our potential purchasers obviously had at least one, and a long-empty house over the road was on the market - so there was potential for there suddenly to be 3/4 more cars competing for space.

CointreauVersial · 05/08/2023 16:42

In my experience there's always one compromise you have to make when buying a house - you are extremely lucky if you find one that ticks every single box.

Why don't you knock on a neighbour's door, say you are considering buying the house up the road, and ask them for their honest opinions on parking (you won't necessarily get honesty from your vendor, who will probably assure you that they have no problems...). There might be a local street that usually has spaces.

Canisaysomething · 05/08/2023 16:45

It's kind of pointless asking others what their deal breakers are online as they may either live in a more affordable area or have more money. I live in a really nice area and most local normal families have to compromise on something to afford a family home.

Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 16:45

@limons a semi would be great however for the same space and a driveway, we would be looking at a lot of competition and silly prices we probably wouldn't be able to compete with. The third bedroom in the majority of this style of house is tiny (less than six feet wide). This house has a bigger third bedroom, which means we wouldn't need to use the dining room as a bedroom, which we were prepared to do if it meant the kids getting their own space.

OP posts:
QuickDraining · 05/08/2023 16:46

Depends on the terrace, but I've seen beautiful old terraces ruined with drop curbs, and even some where they just bin the wall and don't bother with a dropped curb and hang their arses over the pavement. It's lawless in some places. Those that remove a space from the road and just make it awkward for others - you normally only gain one. Heck the ones our road don't even use them. I think they are merely there to stop others. And if you have inconsiderate neighbours like the guy that goes out in the middle of the night slamming his doors outside your bedroom window, you get a bit fed up with it! We never thought it would be a deal breaker, but on our road parking is ridiculous. Room for a car each and yet many houses have two, not to mention visitors. You also get others that don't live here that just dump vehicles. Having said that sometimes there is rhythm and it works. I'm sure it could be worse!

The plan is to one day escape the terrace and find a house with a driveway. I'm pretty sick of the hassle. Each their own. It's part and parcel of much modern terrace living. Seventeen steps sounds like an absolute bind. Everything is relative.

Qbishy · 05/08/2023 16:48

The problem with taking a look in the evening, or seeing what the traffic is like in the morning, is that it's August. Things are always quieter in August, especially in the morning - no school run.

Personally I would be ripping the estate agent's arm off to get it, after all your updates.

Rainiestsummer · 05/08/2023 16:49

Your 13 year old must be desperate not to be sharing with the younger brother/sister. I don't think it's fair to wait around for the perfect house.