Townhouse - What do you think

Alan2020

Dear All,
I have narrowed down my search to a property at the moment and want to put in an offer. Basically the house is a 2 bed town house with a drive and garage on the ground floor, a small patio garden, kitchen and lounge on the 1st floor and 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on the 2nd floor. It is mid terrace and next to a mainline station.
The negatives are the drive is tiny and the rear garden backs onto a pub carpark/beer garden. On investigating the pub has planning permission to build a block of flats behind the house, in the pub car park. This would mean there will be another building 11m from this houses wall.

I can see this blocking some daylight from the rear windows, but since its near a mainline station which is to the back of the house I am not sure what the impact will be.

What are your opinion on townhouses? Should I be :eek: scared or is it all dandy :beer:
Thanks everyone :-)

jimpix12

Buying a home is a very personal thing, this might be perfect for someone but the opposite for someone else.

But since you're asking... And I have no idea of the price or where this comes in your budget... But there are several disadvantages of it being a townhouse (basically a larger mid terrace), not to mention that it's on a BR line, has PP for a property that will overshadow you AND it backs onto a pub (environmental health issues) I would give it a WIDE berth personally. But then I was looking for a quiet detached that wasn't overlooked, and that's what I'm basing my opinion on.

Some people say that when you see "the" house you want, you "just know"... And the fact you're asking for opinions on it perhaps says you aren't 100% confident in it?

ultrarunner

I would suggest that while the price may be right for you now (and think why it is), reselling in the future would be difficult with a busy station adjacent and flats overlooking the house.

I wouldn't personally want to sit in a garden and be able to hear pub and carpark noises

Alan2020

Thanks for the feedback, the main positives to me about the property are the close proximity - getting a train :-) and the price, within my budget! Its useful to see peoples opinion. Thanks :-)

ultrarunner

Would a house 5 minutes extra walk from the station be any more or less expensive? You would certainly not hear the trains arrive!

yvonne13_2

I would give it a miss, I wouldn't fancy having no privacy at the back as that is what you will be losing as the building seems to be very close to the property you want to buy.

Oneday77

I agree with everyone else. The place may be in budget now. However once the flats are built and the impact is there to see you may end up in an over night negative equity issue. The property could lose value very quickly and you would be stuck.
The locality and PP as it stands is dictating todays price but the physical change makes it more real to future buyers.

hazyjo

Are you referring to it as a townhouse cos it's on 3 floors, or is it literally 'in town'?

I adore the first type (3+ floors) and currently live in a 4 storey house. The layout you describe wouldn't really be any different to a 'normal house' I don't think. It's only the garage on the ground floor. Might find it a pain having the kitchen on the middle floor if have to lug shopping up a flight, but no great hardship. I lived in a 1st floor flat once and can't say it really made any difference to my life lugging stuff up an extra floor.

The thing that would put me off of the house you mention is what's behind - first the pub/car park, then the building work (how long will that take?!), then having flats behind. Definitely wouldn't be my first choice. Also would never buy next to a station. Are there shops around too? All very well thinking the house has double glazing, but do you really want to be next to a station with the noise of trains, people, parking probs, etc. Are there other pubs nearby? Kebab shop? Cab office? Are people likely to be piling off drunk at midnight? Exactly how 'next door' is 'next door'?

Jx

GAH

This house has no living accommdation on the ground floor so effectively its a split level flat.

Again this is persoanl choice, but I hate townhouses, they are small and just horribly layed out.

hazyjo

GAH wrote: »

Again this is persoanl choice, but I hate townhouses, they are small and just horribly layed out.

Definitely personal choice. Ours is large, and we love the way it's laid out Was specifically looking for a townhouse when we bought.

Jx

AFK_Matrix

I too would agree with everyone about giving it a wide berth. Personally I love having quiet at night to sleep and was looking for this when searching for my house and having a train line right next to the house would drive me nuts and put a lot of people off. I know I went to view a flat and it was lovely etc but was next to a train line so said no to it. Also do you know how many stories high these flats will be as if its like 3-4 stories then your gonna get reduced light and have people watching your house and garden - NO thanks!!! And then you have the great prospect of drunk idiots yelling and screaming and probably urinating up against your back wall/fence etc. If it was me I'd have to be mad to buy it lol!!!