Terraced House - Honest Opinions?

Caporegime
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Dominating rooms with symmetry
I live in a pre 1900 terraced house, our street only has 6 houses each side though. The decision was made as for the floor space we got far more than we would have for a new build, the area is fine, still get full sync 80/20 internet and the house still has a lot of its original features with high ceilings and bay windows :) I wouldn't move to a property now without them.

The extension out the back goes all the way to the back street, which gives us a nice sized kitchen, then a utility room and then a good sized garage as well. Walls are thick enough that we don't hear much through them although one of our neighbours is rarely in and the others are OAPs.
 
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Soldato
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Here and There...
We own a mid terrace in a nice area and the neighbours are not an issue we have rear access so that isn't a problem. The area we live in is dominated by Victorian terraces, 1930's semi's with a few Victorian detached properties. I prefer the Victorian terrace over the 30's semi as the houses are bigger and I prefer that to the off street parking and bigger garden they are about the same price for a nice one as the terraces circa 300k. The detached properties in the area are more and I would be tempted if money was no object (we could afford one but We prefer the freedom of a small mortgage and higher disposable income) they are still compromised small gardens generally no off street parking and often elevated positions so steep steps to the front door. Area is key for us we could buy a big detached property with all the bells and whistles elsewhere but when you like an area you need a pressing reason to compromise so we haven't yet!
 
Soldato
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Lived in quite a few places, flats, a few terraced houses, one semi and now a detached. Detached is best but the others have the + points too, well, flats do if you can get one on the top floor especially :).
With terraced houses it depends a lot on the neighbours and also what work they may have done to it. I've recently been staying four nights a week in a Victorian terrace in Brisol and in the bedroom I had I found it pretty noisey. I could hear the water going through the pipes to the bathroom in the house next door and their discussions and occasional drunk arguments. Even if you live in a decent sound insulated terrace, all you need is an idiot next door with a dog they don't keep quiet and it'll be rubbish, but of course even in a detached house which is close by you'd still hear a fair bit of noise too.
IMO best thing would be to visit the property at different times of the day. Agents will find that annoying but hey ho, if spending big ££££££ you want to be sure it's the right property to buy.
Flats and mid-terraced house can be cheaper to heat.
DOgs are the worse thing IMO. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere there's always someone close by that has a dog that likes to bark, and bark, and bark sometimes, and usually in the garden too. No matter what you live in, there;s no escaping :p
 
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Soldato
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If you can't afford or don't want to buy a semi or a detached the question is a bit moot isn't it?

Terrace is okay, you probably know all the down sides. It could all be ruined by one neighbour and that would be the same for any property type.

Indeed. (but it's moot, not mute ;))

Age/build plays a big part too. I've gone round to neighbours before (not necessarily adjoining neighbours) and politely asked their opinions. Always worth a shot.
 
Soldato
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Rented one back in the day as a student. Had one angry MOFO at the door at 1am once as I was right in the middle of an epic HL2 DM session with the PC connected up to my stereo.

Who needs the interruptions? Bought a detached house as soon as I graduated :D
 
Soldato
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I live in one, but the houses either side have been knocked down to give me a lovely driveway and garage, so doesn't really answer any questions!

Although street noise is fairly bad, would assume it's the same on most terraces and having a high footfall of passers by
 
Soldato
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Pros are possibly cheaper heating costs, unless your end terrace.
You might have two noisey neighbors to deal with. Is it shared access to back garden?
Is the loft space walked off, my friends had a mid terrace and someone was travelling via roof space dropping down when he was out and helping themselves to his stuff.
 
Soldato
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Lived in a mid-terrace most of my life and not had a problem. That said, it isn't a new one it's Victorian and those buggers built things sturdy and to last. Not had a problem with noise on either side, only thing I can hear is the neighbours dog when it's going mental and barking at nothing in the yard.
 
Soldato
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Lived in one with my girlfriend /wife (same person :D ) in Bristol for about 5 years. I found it fine.

On one side was a rental, which had a couple with a puppy for a short time. It cried during the day, but I was at work so rarely heard it. Later, it was bought by a young couple. They were great.

The other side was multi-let. Initially to women only (along with their terrible music) and later to Polish guys. The Poles were fine, although the young couple on the other side of us, mentioned above, seemed a bit annoyed with them. We thought they were being a bit unfair, really. The Poles would have maybe 3 or 4 reasonably civilised house parties / BBQs per year, and otherwise were pretty ordinary.

I think you need to just go into it with the right mindset. It's terraced living: you will have to put up with hearing something from your neighbours, as they will of you.

I started to get a little jaded with the parking in the end, so we made sure to get a driveway when we moved.
 
Soldato
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Wiltshire
Also not the biggest fan of being in the garden at the same time ,as the walls are so low, you might as well be in the same garden too :D

Tell me about it, shortly after we moved in our neighbours decided to remove the crappy 4ft wire fence, (oh that's good saves me having to do that I thought) until I came home one day and noticed a few 4 ft fence panels erected, baffled as to why you wouldn't take the opportunity to improve privacy for both of us.
 
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OP
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Hi again, thanks for the continuing discussion, we're hoping to see it Saturday - for what it is worth its a pretty wide house on a small terrace (not like rows and rows of tiny little terraced places slotted in)

It has its own access to the garden and a double drive way so parking / garden not an issue.
 
Permabanned
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The only real problem with a terraced house is that so much depends on your neighbours. If you get the neighbours from hell you are up the creek. But the chances of moving in next to me are pretty slim so you should be OK!
 
Associate
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I have lived in a terraced for about 5 years (first house), like many have said. It's really down to the neighbours you get. Luckily both of mine have been good.
Mine is 1930's house. Solid brick but the walls arent too great, I can hear one side quite often, and the lack of side access is a pain with a wet dog or garden supplies.

Other than that, I've had no problem. Would certainly choose it over a new build any day!
 
Soldato
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In the middle
Tell me about it, shortly after we moved in our neighbours decided to remove the crappy 4ft wire fence, (oh that's good saves me having to do that I thought) until I came home one day and noticed a few 4 ft fence panels erected, baffled as to why you wouldn't take the opportunity to improve privacy for both of us.
First thing we did when we moved in is stick a 6 foot fence up. :D
TBH concerning neighbours you can have just as much grief in a semi detached, and even most of the new build detached around here are built so close to each other they might as well be semi's.
 
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