Would you buy a house with stairs to the front door?

Loopy28

I am currently considering an offer on a house I love. However, my parents have said I should be concerned that there are stairs to the front door (the house is elevated)

They say that it will put off any potential buyers with small children/push chairs or elderly buyers or those with a disability and therefore could be an issue for us when we come to sell.

The stairs do not put me off as it is just me, hubbie and 16 yr old.

The property has only been on the market a month so too early to tell if they are having difficulty selling yet.

Thoughts/advice very much appreciated

Kimlock

How many steps? Are they steep?

Personally, it wouldn't bother me that much. I'm in the process of trying to buy a house which has some stone steps (about three) leading up to the front door. It does have a handy hand rail at the side though.

I can understand why it might be a problem for someone with a baby/small children or the elderly.

Just bear in mind that you will have the extra hassle of salting/ deicing them in the winter though!

ellie27

We are buying a house, 2 sets of 4 steps each to get in front door. I have 2 toddlers and it certainly doesnt put me off. Anyone with a baby would not be lifting a pram in the front door anyway, either it is left in car or taken round back. Remember babies are only babies for such a short time! I wouldnt think it would put off young families at all. 40 steps to the front door.....thats different

WestonDave

Every house will put someone off! A house in a quiet area will deter those who want to be at the heart of the social life of the city and vice versa.


Some areas its hard to find anything with level access because of the terrain.

missprice

How many steps?how wide?

Yes if I had young children I would not buy any house with many many steps. 4 or 5 possibly.

Now however with no small children, it would not bother me.

Loopy28

Thanks for your reply, there is a good 11 or 12 steps. I would say they are about as steep as a set of stairs in an average house. There is a handrail but it is not like it is just two or three steps.

Wyndham

I have steps up to my front door, a full flight of them. Fine for us, but it's a bit ironic that it is a bungalow which someone may buy if they were 'less mobile', but may be put off by the steps. But we loved the house generally, and there is always something with any house.

The elevated position makes it easier to spy on your neighbours

Elsewhere

My best friend lives in a house which has 29 steps up to the front door, then another 14 inside to the living room and kitchen (the bedrooms are downstairs). They reckon they got it cheap because of this.

It's a fantastic house with panoramic views all across Torbay, and at the moment it keeps them fit hauling all the shopping etc up the steps. However, they are both in their 60s, so suspect they'll be forced to move eventually, or have a lift installed!

It's possible that this particular house wouldn't put off families with small children as the garage is at street level and pushchairs etc could be stared there.

mcmanlyn

I've always wanted a house with steps leading up to it. No idea why, it's just something that I like the look of, makes me thing the house is more grand somehow

It will probably put off a section of the market, but like me there may be people that would actually want this.

StaffieTerrier

I live in a house with 14 steps from the drive up to the front door. It doesn't really bother me, apart from when I have bags of shopping. I try to carry as much as I can in one, rather than making multiple trips.

Cyberman60

In these days when so many houses are built on flood-plains, an elevated house could be seen as advantageous.