Another "What`s it worth" type question

[saat]

Evening all. I`m wondering what people`s opinions are of the importance of access to a back garden, and what effect that has on property prices. For instance, two terraced properties, identical in every way, but one has access to the back garden only through the house (Patio doors in living room). The other has a gate at the end of the garden, leading to the street, via an alleyway. How would people rate the importance of independent access, and how would that be reflected in the price you`re willing to pay?

TIA.

Mark

[Terry W.]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

If you have previously lived in a house without independant access to the rear garden, you will know how inconvenient it is. Bringing rubbish bins through the house (or having to leave them looking unsightly in the front garden), having to bring all garden type rubbish through the house, only having one entrance to the house particularly in wet weather are all inconveniences that you will try to avoid in future house purchases.

Alternatively, you may well be happy to live with the above if it means a lower house price.

My own opinion is that it would knock a couple of thousand off the price, compared with a neighbour, if you didn't have a rear access.

Terry W.

[Guy King]

The message from [e-mail] contains these words:

Personally I'd consider it indespensible. I wouldn't consider somewhere without access to the rear except through the house.

[Al Deveron]

Me personally? Not a lot. No more than £5000 perhaps, if all else was equal. Other factors would have more bearing on my choice of the two properties.

Al D

[Autolycus]

It could cut both ways: if the alleyway is where all the local druggies hang out and nip through the gate or over the wall for their nefarious purposes, it could knock thousands off; if you're planning major garden works, or a shed/workshop in the garden, it could add to the attraction of the house. I bet many wives would get fed up with hubby wheeling his bike through the lounge.

[Londoncityslicker]

Doesn't really affect the price. Just affects pros/cons and thoughts between different houses.

I see it two ways. It's a bit of a security hole which needs to be thought about. Good padlocks, security lighting and even alarms will put the average burglar off. But still provides easy access to criminals who wont be disturbed once into the passageway and round the back of the house.

On the plus side it's also a useful route to the garden and to the shed. So very useful for taking out the rubbish or storing push bikes in the shed without having to cart everything through the house. Also very useful if you are doing any work on the house. The workman can trudge through the side.

But i dont think it'd affect the price.

A.

[Christian McArdle]

I've lived with both.

The main advantage of rear access is moving dirty garden waste. The second best thing is being able to move large furniture into back rooms that won't fit through the house.

However, despite this, I now prefer my current house with no rear access. The security aspect is very reassuring. Basically, the sort of low life scum that breaks into houses are usually too lazy to even come to our road, generally prefering to terrorise their impoverished neighbours. Even if they did, they certainly wouldn't bother getting their fat McDonalds and crack laden arses over 3 separate fences just to get into the back of our house. The front of our house is very visually exposed and right under a bright street light.

Christian.

[Douglas de Lacey]

It certainly did in my case. My house had been extended the full width of the property; there *is* access to the back garden via a lane. Despite the extension, it was significantly cheaper than the other house in the road we looked at. Couldn't understand why till our surveyor produced a very sniffy report about rear access.

To begin with (since the lane was quite overgrown) it was a little bit of a nuisance, and wifey did get cross at the bike in the hall. Now however the lane is quite a feature, and my main access to home (so the bike stays outside). There are still minor irritants, especially getting deliveries (eg of building-type materials) which are needed at the back.

Douglas de Lacey

[saat]

Thanks to everybody who replied to me with their opinions. Certainly lots to take into account when thinking things through.

Mark