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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:
DaphneDeloresMoreheadRidesOn · 05/08/2023 17:54

Sorry posted too soon.
if there's nothing likely to prevent you parking near your house I'd say go for it, especially as you already have on-street parking

daffodilandtulip · 05/08/2023 17:55

Never. There are five terraces in my street and everyone else has drives. There are constant fights about parking.

Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 17:55

@Boomboom22 there are relatively few terraces in this part of my area, but the mid terraces that I managed to see don't have drives, just the end ones.

@Crikeyalmighty we probably could stretch to a semi with drive as long as it was a basic, unconverted semi with a dining room that we could use as our bedroom - third bedroom in majority of semis are less than six feet wide. This house we like has more space, if the same space were in a semi it would be out of budget.

@Amidlifecrisis I guess it depends on whether the semis have multiple cars, if they do then they will likely park in front of their house also. I'll get a better sense of this tomorrow hopefully.

OP posts:
Purplecatshopaholic · 05/08/2023 17:55

Given the ages of your kids and they are different sexes, the top priority for me would be separate bedrooms asap. Parking would be down the list.

mrsmacmc · 05/08/2023 17:57

Sorry with it being a terrace and additionally no parking that would be a deal breaker for me to walk away and keep looking.

Crikeyalmighty · 05/08/2023 17:57

@booomshackalack it would be a no brainier for me- go for the space

PriamFarrl · 05/08/2023 17:57

I lived for a long time in houses without parking. It was annoying but not the end of the world. In Brighton I considered it a win if I parked within two streets of our house!

However in our last house it was really annoying. Rows and rows of terraces and everyone parked on the street. We had a theatre near by and if there was something on there then you simply couldn’t park. I remember one day coming home after a late shift and I simply couldn’t park. Not in my street, not the next street, nowhere within half a mile of my house. I spent half an hour circling the area until something came up.

Having parking, or at least being on a street where it was easy to park was a priority for this house.

I agree with a PP. Go on street view and you can cycle back through different years. Have a look to see what it’s like.

livethislifetoday · 05/08/2023 17:58

@CoffeandTiaMaria

What do you think I'm not serious about?

Maybe it won't affect you, but anyone driving a company vehicle or wanting a brand new car after 2030, or wanting to be more sustainable, and are in a position to plan for it - should!

Fightwithmyface · 05/08/2023 18:00

Op, anywhere with off street parking will likely have once had a front garden.
Your issue is a non issue. Get the house, it sounds lovely. If the on street parking gets you down, apply for permission to put in a driveway. Most houses are wider than a car so you can retain some of the front garden with clever design.

CarlaH · 05/08/2023 18:01

Our council will only allow cars to park in a front garden if it is big enough for the whole car to fit on comfortably. No overhanging the pavement is allowed so a front garden would have to be quite large.

Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 18:02

No hospitals or theatres etc nearby thankfully! Even though we have good transport links here we can't get rid of the car - DH works miles away doing 12 hour shifts, 715am start.

OP posts:
JaukiVexnoydi · 05/08/2023 18:02

Our last house was a mid terrace with onstreet parking and while it was a pain, it was ok and we coped.

We then moved to a semi with off-street parking and it has been so lovely that I don't think I could bear to go back to the days of crawling up and down the street trying to work out if I could fit into a shortish space. But I dare say if I had never got used to the luxury I would still be able to cope.

One factor I would consider is whether there is any chance that you might be able to invest in an electric vehicle within the duration of you living in your next house. Having an off street parting space us important if you want to be able to charge your battery!

BarbaraV · 05/08/2023 18:05

You can't tell this time of year. People are away on holiday. Dealbreaker for me.

SloraceHughorn · 05/08/2023 18:14

We were in a similar situation (pre DC though) and went for the house, I'm glad we did. For us having a nice house in a lovely area more than makes up for the slight inconvenience of occasionally having to walk a bit further from the car. It has put us off buying an electric vehicle though, so that's something to consider.

MelroseGrainger · 05/08/2023 18:21

I don’t understand the issue…if the house owner had already turned the front garden into a driveway, you would think the house was 100% perfect. But having an easy option to be able do it yourself if you consider it necessary later is a potential deal breaker?

I just don’t get it. If you buy it and there’s not enough parking, you put a driveway in. If you buy it and there’s no problem parking your car on the street, you have a great house and a great garden?

Tangled123 · 05/08/2023 18:23

I live in an area where driving is pretty essential. Nearly everyone I know owns their own car, is doing lessons or lives in a home with drivers.

I have a car and my husband has a work van that he can only use for work and his own car that he’s had our whole relationship. Both of us use our cars at least 5 days a week, so parking was hugely important for us when we were looking for our house. We also wanted somewhere visitors could park. Eventually we got what we wanted but it cost the maximum of what we wanted to spend.

I personally wouldn’t have comprised on parking, and I’ve always lived in homes that had enough of it, but I don’t think it’s a big loss for you if you don’t have it already and it ticks all your other boxes.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 05/08/2023 18:23

I moved because of parking, it made life absolutely miserable. However, you have an option to make your own, so if the house is otherwise perfect, I would totally go for it.

CClaire · 05/08/2023 18:26

I think you’re always going to have to compromise on something.

Original poster
booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 18:30

MelroseGrainger · 05/08/2023 18:21

I don’t understand the issue…if the house owner had already turned the front garden into a driveway, you would think the house was 100% perfect. But having an easy option to be able do it yourself if you consider it necessary later is a potential deal breaker?

I just don’t get it. If you buy it and there’s not enough parking, you put a driveway in. If you buy it and there’s no problem parking your car on the street, you have a great house and a great garden?

It's not a guarantee we can convert the front garden so need to be more sure of the parking situation beforehand, just in case. The house will likely have an offer accepted on it come Monday, unless it goes to closing, so I doubt there would be time to contact the council about it. If they would even speak to me about it in the first place, that is.

OP posts:
MelroseGrainger · 05/08/2023 18:32

booomshackalack · 05/08/2023 18:30

It's not a guarantee we can convert the front garden so need to be more sure of the parking situation beforehand, just in case. The house will likely have an offer accepted on it come Monday, unless it goes to closing, so I doubt there would be time to contact the council about it. If they would even speak to me about it in the first place, that is.

Show quote history

Ah, I see. Good luck whatever happens!

NewNovember · 05/08/2023 18:35

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 05/08/2023 15:38

Fine with it. I have a drive, I park on the street by choice.

That's just selfish.

Ozzbozz20 · 05/08/2023 18:35

This would matter to me now only because I have a baby and a toddler who I have to bring into the house as well as the endless bags that come with having young children! 😂 but if they were older and able to walk freely/ help carry bags etc, it wouldn’t bother me too much! Depends how sociable you are too? If you are likely to have lots of friends over, host Christmas etc. it may be an issue then. But otherwise, snap it up!

Ripleysgameface · 05/08/2023 18:37

Depends on the road! I really wanted a driveway because my job is a lot of loading and unloading the car.
We had to compromise with on street parking but 9/10 I park right outside my house as the road is quiet and I use my car during school hours.
After 6pm it can get a bit tight.

NewNovember · 05/08/2023 18:39

I would take the house but make the front garden a drive asap. I see zero benefits in a front garden children don't play out in them they just waste time and money.

Sugargliderwombat · 05/08/2023 18:40

Nah we don't have a drive and it's fine. Check Sunday evening (when everyone is home). That's the only time we have trouble x