Duplex as a family home?

Has anyone here any experience of living in a duplex as a family home? I currently own and live in a 3 bed semi with my husband and 2 children. I've been looking at bigger houses in our area for a few months now and would never have even thought about considering moving to a duplex. Many of the forum post I've read seem to talk about buying a duplex as a stepping stone until you can afford a house.

We could afford to buy a bigger house instead but I've found a duplex in a really great location beside a really nice park (so not worried about losing the garden). And am starting to think, why not?

I'm concerned that this might be a bad move. Do many families tend to live and stay in this type of living? What would make this possibly unsuitable(or suitable) for us? It looks like the development would be mostly owner-occupier so there shouldn't be many issues with people not paying their share of the management fees (I think). I know there are concerns about noise but I'm not too worried about that (or should I be?). Am I missing anything? Am I crazy to be considering this instead of going for a house?

Hi there
One of the things that would put me off a duplex would be having a flight of steps up to my front door. This would be very difficult for anyone with young children, using a buggy. Imagine coming back from a walk and the baby is asleep, how do you get inside without waking the baby up?
Similarly, it would make everyday tasks like grocery shopping a bit of a pain. It could also be difficult for grandparents to visit if they find using steps difficult.
C

"Am I missing anything? Am I crazy to be considering this instead of going for a house?"

Yes.

My daughter plans to move as she has started a family and wants a garden, no steps, parking availability, no maintenance............

Also, Carmel's reply is on the mark.

Never crazy to consider all your options.

There are several families living in duplexes in my area - it certainly seems they can make it work (one family even went so far as to put a trampoline onto their third floor balcony). Stairs and buggies are a difficult mix and that is probably the biggest difficulty you'd be facing.

If you are considering it, be sure to pay careful attention to what storage is available and have a look around any estate you look at to see if there are already any families living there - ask them how they find it.

We lived in a duplex for 5 years, ( still own it and have it rented out). Once big advantage was space it is much bigger than any house we ever lived in what you lose in garden you can often gain in space.

Disadvantages; steps brining in groceries,

Designated parking space; we often came home to find someone parked in our space and I had to lug kids and shopping across from visitors parking; its not often someone will park in your own driveway.

Our steps where shared with the next door neighbour who constantly left his rubbish bags outside the front door for days at a time, and cigarette butts everywhere.

Our neighbour underneath seemed to like Sunday night parties, the noise was pretty bad.

I could go on and on, but I think we got really unlucky with our development. If you get the right estate with well-established owner occupiers, a duplex can be a more affordable option than a house.

also, you have less control over a duplex as it's part of a shared block (which also probably has service charge implications) so extension / attic conversion potential is unlikely, might not be an issue now but could be longer term

Interesting replies, and probably explains a lot why housing is so expensive as well as low-density in this country, with many of the negative side-effects of it.
Personally don't think there's anything wrong with a duplex as long as one accepts that it is more or less an apartment, with all the objective or subjective drawbacks of the same.

not all duplexes are on the 2nd floor - the duplexes in my old estate were ground floor, with gardens and no steps. The apartments were top floor.

GenerationXer said:

We could afford to buy a bigger house instead but I've found a duplex in a really great location beside a really nice park (so not worried about losing the garden).

I'm concerned that this might be a bad move. Do many families tend to live and stay in this type of living?

Click to expand...

Our house has the kitchen and living on the first floor so I'm well used to bringing up the groceries, but I wouldn't fancy two flights. Our kids use the garden a lot, also needed for the dog and cat. When our children have flown the coup I'd prefer to live beside a walkway/park and have no garden to mind, but then again I like having BBQ's. Also I refuse anymore to live with another building beside me unless it's got top notch sound insulation. Also don't want to meet anyone else everyday if possible, not being unsociable, just like my own castle.

Thanks so much for all your replies. A very good point about meeting neighbours every day, I never thought of that. Our current neighbours are really noisy (mostly screaming matches and the kids are woken up with a wall hammering from the parents rather than an alarm) although we only have the one side attached. I'll keep an eye out for families, there are also some town houses in the development, although on casual glance I didn't notice any car seats in the cars around. There's a balcony that could be used for a BBQ (I usually host a family one once a year), I must ask if this is allowed!

One big draw for me is that it's cheaper than a house of the same size (probably because of all of the above) so we will be able to take out a shorter term mortgage and be mortgage-free earlier and maybe be able to retire sooner but I don't want to take on a whole load of heartache in the mean time!

A few more things I have on the list to ask about: Sinking fund, maintenance fee breakdown (and what it covers), anti-social behavior, water pump, locals interaction with management company (e.g. residents association), owner-occupier numbers.

I'm going in with my eyes wide open now and will seriously weigh up the pros and cons. Thanks!

I live in a ground floor duplex....and love the illusion of a garden without upkeep! No noise from neighbours. Haven't even seen one in 12:years.