Would you choose a garden or location?

BettyBoof

We're buying a house this year and the area we like best is mostly Victorian terraces which mean a small back yard instead of a garden. The odd few do have small front gardens but it's rare.

Until we moved here (currently renting one of the above mentioned houses) I was adamant I would only buy somewhere with a decent back garden but now I'm wavering.

To get a garden we'd either have to find another £50-100K (not possible) or move to the other side - or out of - town which we don't want to do. It isn't a snobbery thing, it's just that we love our current location and it ticks all our boxes in being close to schools, town and friends and has a lovely community feel. I also like Victorian houses for the internal space they offer. I should add that I mainly want a garden for the kids to play in and the occasional summer BBQ, I am not a gardener. I had planned to grow some veg but I can do that in pots in a yard if necessary.

Would love to hear others' thoughts - I know it's ultimately our decision but I find it really helps to get other people's perspectives as it can make me consider things I hadn't thought about.

Dan-Dan

How young are you ?
Go with your heart now , re-evaluate in a few years time ?

BettyBoof

A fabulous forty one! Which does put a wee bit of pressure on to get the mortgage paid off in time to enjoy a decent retirement. We can't decide whether this house should be a shorter-term move or a long-term one (in order to get that mortgage paid off as quickly as possible and to build some equity).

Are you thinking location is heart and garden head or the other way around?

Dan-Dan

BettyBoof wrote: »

A fabulous forty one! Which does put a wee bit of pressure on to get the mortgage paid off in time to enjoy a decent retirement. We can't decide whether this house should be a shorter-term move or a long-term one (in order to get that mortgage paid off as quickly as possible and to build some equity).

Are you thinking location is heart and garden head or the other way around?

I was , have you children already?

arbrighton

We have a big garden that had been neglected and it is a lot of work, and we've also had landscapers to get us somewhere close to looking ok. If the weather had been better, I could easily have been out sorting trees, hedges, veg plot nearly every day this winter

BettyBoof

Yes two young children. It's interesting you picked up on the heart/head thing Dan-Dan because I would have said that giving up the garden was me not following my heart and yet when I read back my post I can see how much my love for this area shines through! I had been feeling that giving up the garden was a big compromise necessary for us to get back on the property ladder and that maybe I was using location to help balance that "sacrifice".

Interesting perspective about the garden maintenance arbrighto, thank you. I know I wouldn't enjoy that much garden work,though we'd be saved some of it as any garden we do get would be relatively small.

bouicca21

What exactly is 'a small back yard'? Is it big enough for children to play (even if not big enough for football)? Is it big enough to put some containers, some nice outdoor furniture and a barbie?

Is there a park nearby where children can play and let off steam?

BettyBoof

I don't have the dimensions but the one we are in currently would allow for a small four-seater table, and chairs, a BBQ and some pots OR space for the kids to play - not really both unfortunately. As it stands we have given the entire space over to the kids who are perfectly happy out there with their water/sand table in summer and a bit of room to scoot.There is a fab park nearby.

MFWannabe

I would say if theres a bit of room where you are now and a fab park then personally I would go for location.
If you moved you would probably always be hankering after getting back to your favourite location and possibly not being able to move back to in the future, plus you may not like the area you move to?

oystercatcher

As the kids grow up they soon pass the playing in the garden phase and then want to be 'out' with their friends and doing stuff around town and then location is more important.

I've seen some very attractive back yards on rightmove , if you are managing happily now then you probably still will, as long as you have a little space to sit in the sun if we ever have any.

Most of us have to compromise on something house wise. It does sound like you would be happier in the town area.

Marvel1

A driveway for me.

My house did not have one, it's a mid-terrace, no front, about 2 years in, I looked out my garden, I have no grass, the kerb was already lowered, I just wall knocked down, I have now have a rear driveway.