Would I regret buying a house with a sloping garden?

[SlopeyGardensRUs]

Hi,
Have been looking for a house for a while and found one that ticks absolutely all my boxes.
Except it's on a hillside.
Back garden is mostly flat then slopes steeply at the bottom. I have a plan and can deal with this.
Front is quite large, has the potential to be lovely, but has 20 ish steps from the roadside down to the house.
All the houses in the neighbourhood are either the same or the reverse, ie steps up to the front door, back garden rising behind the house.
In my version back garden has an amazing view over the rooftops and valley.
It's a highly sought-after neighbourhood and houses never sray on the market for long.

I've visited, really like it and can see myself there until I retire, but probably not beyond.

Can all slope-dwellers please tell me what it's really like?

Do you love it or loathe it?

I'm not a slope-dweller but the fact you have a mostly flat back garden and great views sounds lovely to me.

No, ours is quite slopey at the top part (it is large and has flat areas too), but the slopes bit means we can look out over our cottage and see the forest and trees beneath, I love it and it looks beautiful. I realize my opinion is very biased though!

Check the flood risk maps. Steps down to a front door often means risk of flooding.
I don't generally like slopey back gardens but I bought a house with one once. Mine sloped upwards in the back and it made mowing the grass very difficult so I used to pay someone to do it.

I am crap at visualisation, so does the slope run down away from your house?

Only because I would worry about flooding it any slope ran towards your house.

You could share the link...

Great minds

In our case there is no flood risk at all because of the angle, water would sort of have to flow sideways up, but it is definitely something to bear in mind.

I love mine OP but it's 40 steps UP so no flood risk ( thats to the front door) many more in the back.
We had it terraced and I absolutely love it.

I now have a sloping garden, with a slope down from the road to the house which continues down the back garden.

We have the most extraordinary evening views of sunset; they make my day better for many evenings of the year, and I’d keep this on my wish list for future houses.

It’s a pain every time I have to push the mower back up the hill though!

One question is the road surface and permeability of the front garden. When we were renovating the drive, we had a sudden summer downpour which poured down the garden and came within centimetres of flooding the front door and swamping the damp proof. We only ever had the problem while the ground was compacted from the build, and now have lots of garden soil and gravel, but it did make me think about flash flooding (we’re high on the hill, no streams nearby, but a decent sized road). There will only be more of the extreme weather though, so worth asking.

No flood risk up on the slope, only down in the valley.

Current owners put an extra gutter in at the bottom of the steps and have never had any issues.

No sign of damp.

@DallasMajor when you open the gate from the road the go down a flight of strps to the house. This part of the plot is flat, as is most of the back garden. Then about 2/3 of the way down the lawn there's a small retaining wall and it drops away steeply. Think of a plunge pool!
There are steps down one side leading ti a flat strip and a hedge.
No young children, no pets.

No, because I am dyspraxic and would struggle.

@StrongGirlsLift We have the most extraordinary evening views of sunset; they make my day better for many evenings of the year

This is what I'm thinking!

I have a back sloping garden. Front is large and flat also. Back is large, flat and quite a slope to the bottom and then patio. You wouldn’t walk up the slope but the access to the garden has a gentle, gradual incline. It’s never been a problem.

Which direction does the back garden look out over? Would you see the sunset that way?

It's just something I never would have thought of doing.

Younger, sensible, cautious me.

Older, enjoy life while you can me is thinking of the sunsets over the woods on the opposite hillside.

Wine in the summer. Hot chocolate and a rug in the autumn.

Back garden is west facing.

It would depend on the orientation. My huge garden is on an NE facing downward slope and were it not for the hill we’d have sun all day but the reality of the hill means the whole garden is shaded by the house after about 6pm. Can be very depressing in the middle of the summer .

cutting the grass is also a pain in the arse but it’s 100 meters long so would be without the slope.

I’m a slope dweller 🙌 never heard it phrased like that but so going to refer to it this way from now on!

No issues with floods for us, our slope is 2 directional at the bottom of a hill. Our house leans into it so we go up steps to get in the front door but exit flat to the back garden. Inside we have steps in rooms on the right side of the house where the slope is sideways if that makes sense.

The garden is a pig to mow and the kids couldn’t have a swing set or trampoline without lots of cost to level an area but there’s a park over the way and we made a swing in a tree so that was fine. Our neighbours behind and nextdoor are higher than us so we’re a bit overlooked which is the main downside but trees have helped screen us. Houses at the top of our hill are worse imo as they have multiple terraced gardens or just a sort of cliff face so rooms can be dark but doesn’t sound like that a problem for the OP.

the biggest daily issue is I run and setting out is horrible because it’s uphill in all directions. Winter can be tricky in icy conditions too. But the house etc no issues at all. Join us on the sloped side!

Steps down from road to front door - fine in summer as a fit and healthy person. In winter when there’s ice and you’re elderly, not so good.

We’re built into a hill as well - back garden slopes up. Mowing is a pain - so we have regular gardeners now. Long term we plan to move somewhere with a flat garden though as we want to be able to potter about in the garden when we’re old and a bit decrepit. However if yours is flat mostly that’s a bonus. But think about when your steps to the door are icy.

Front garden is east facing. There's a small patio area by the front door, not really visible from the road because of the border hedge. Would be perfect for morning coffee and a cooler alternative to the west-facing patio in the afternoons. (But I have plans for that).

Back garden is W-SW.

Without being rude, those of you who love your slopes...what age bracket are you? I'm "fifty and fit" and think I've got a good 10-15 years before the front steps become a challenge, but I may decide to relocate then anyway.

Cross post with the aged slope-dweller warnings!

Yes, icy steps are what worries me. There is a handrail though, and I suppose you just salt/sand them?

🙌@ShambolicDresser 😁😁😁

I am 59 and DH is late 60s. He sometimes runs up the incline and I tell him not to, just in case.

The front garden has steps down to the house, we had wooden banisters, made out of sleepers built. That works well and looks nice.

These houses and gardens can be quirky, which adds to their character. You just have to respect their layout and move accordingly.

I have never considered my slope, as a PP has said. So that is an endorsement. But the surrounding beauty is another thing.

I find it absolutely charming, @MNLurker1345

Do you plan to stay on your slope long-term?

I've lived in several houses with sloping gardens, including my current, and it's never even registered as something to think about.

A few neighbours have done split levels but they are very much in the minority, most people leave the slope. I can't see it impacting house price or how quickly it sells.

We have this scenario.
it’s mainly fine although the steps up to the garden are steep we have a patio area at the house level for bbqs etc.
i love our views