Would you rather a flat in nice area or house in rough area?

[Weaselgoespop]

First time buyers, limited budget. Can get 2 bed flat in "nice" area however means no garden...

Alternatively, can get a 2 bed terrace with garden in less affluent area...

Interested to hear which others would choose? We have a 2 year old DC who I would prefer to have a garden but not sure if that's reasonable enough to risk the less nice area!?

Flat would be freehold if that makes any difference

That's not always true.Freehold is generally better than leasehold

If im being honest, very. A lot of unkempt gardens, feral kids, alcohol and drug issues etc..

flip a coin

Then, if you are disappointed with the result, you know, you wanted the other one.

Depends how rough.

i have a garden and do really need to downsize but very reluctant to give it up

The good area flat, what are school catchment area for primary and secondary schools? How near are the parks? We know lots families with younger kids and they prefer park and running in the playground with other kids. Also, try and get an allotment space for your DC to grow vegetables or flowers.

Quite surprised you're asking the question given this extra information. Not only because of your ability to sell on, but your quality of life while you're there.

Sounds like you have already made up your mind @Weaselgoespop You want the flat in the nicer area.

Personally I would never buy a flat, but that's just me. I know a number of people who have bought a flat and really struggled to sell it. (For all the reasons listed by previous posters.) Much easier to sell a house. Obviously lots of people buy and sell flats though, so do what you think is best for you.

I am in a flat and wish my two year old had a garden but I wouldn’t move to an area with druggies and criminals just to get him a garden I would feel scared the house would be burgled

Flat. I wouldn’t want dc around that, you’re confined to your house and garden really then, and schools presumably may not be as good.
a garden is great obviously but sounds like with the flat you’re close enough to outdoor space and at least you can get out and go on nice walks n things.
I didn’t know prior to this thread that flats don’t hold their value, all my friends that bought flats first in naice areas made a good profit when they sold up

Based on what you’ve described, I’d go for the flat. We gave up a flat in a nice area for a house in a not so nice area, and regretted it for the eight years we were stuck there. Now in a lovely area, but it took us longer than we would have liked to get there due to multiple unforeseen reasons along the way.

Neither.

My friend moved from a flat in a nice area to a rough part of London (Archway) - I personally think it’s a bad decision as they are amongst lots of estates and area is rough and deprived. Every time we have visited it didn’t feel safe and we even saw an aftermath of a stabbing in broad daylight the first time we visited (they have a nice house though but not worth it IMO)

If you don't mind me asking, did you regret the move do to similar reasons I have listed?

I actually really like this idea for all future decisions in life 😂

whats the compromise? I wouldn’t buy a flat unless there were no other options at all but I would not buy in a rough area, but i would in a less affluent area, poorer doesn’t mean rough. I would be looking at other options too

How bad is the bad area?

Dog shit, constant weed smell, rubbish piled in gardens, lots of noise - definitely the flat.

Or just less naice than the flat location but with mainly decent but less affluent people living there? Go for the house.

Have voted house with a garden based on the area not being very rough, just not as nice an area.

It depends.

If it's a flat with expensive service fees and ground rent, then no. If it's a house in a rough but up and coming area, yes absolutely. Also if the houses in that area have historically increased in price.

Hope that makes sense!

What is rough area? Midlands type of ghetto or just any estate up and down the UK of which there are 1000s and they are hugely popular? What nice area for a flat? A city centre flat or a flat in a block of flats in between houses and you still don't know who will live in the block with you

I’ve voted house so that your child has a garden. But with the disclaimer that if the area is dangerous, as opposed to just scruffy/ not upmarket, then no.

Where are the areas

And which is it, rough or just less affluent, these 2 things are very different

Have you done a few drive bys? Sit in your car pretending to read a book or something at different times very close to the house.

I live in social housing. Yes, the reputation is often true. You can have decent people but so very many behave differently. The number one most miserable experience is NOISE. Look at any neighbour thread here and it's noise.

With the house, look at the people ( yes I'm judging). If you see front lawn tin foil BBQs, stood out chatting in pyjamas regularly, run run run 😆. I'm half joking.

Some people will be out at all hours in gardens thinking it's ok because it's 10.50pm. Would you be close enough to hear and feel that? This noise risk is the problem id worry about.

With a flat, you could have noise issues from that. I'd want to know exactly how well that's insulated and is there a noise risk there. Service charges were a nightmare when I owned a flat. Really annoyed me.

I would say you can cope with no garden if your child has a green space to go to. We grew up in flats at one point. My best memory was the park and the kids I met there, because we had no garden. It's more work than letting child play free in garden alone but if you have energy and capacity to do regular park visits id be more inclined to go with the flat.

I wouldn’t risk a terrace if it’s really rough. 2 sets of neighbours you’re sharing a wall with and if they are rowdy or intimidating it will be a nightmare living there.

Never in a million years in that case then.