Should Mid Terrace Houses Be Avoided?

  • Mid-terraced homes are a popular choice in the UK.
  • Read about the pros and cons here before moving into one!
older terraced houses during springtime in the UK

Like any other type of housing, there are advantages and disadvantages to living in a mid-terraced house. Whether you’re buying or renting, you will find that most mid-terraced houses in a given area will look very similar and have almost the same layout.

This, thankfully, makes deciding on a home to buy much simpler than it would be otherwise. Terraced houses were built together, which is why so many of them seem to be carbon copies of each other. Some have more rooms than others, but that often sacrifices other space in the home.

Defining a mid-terraced house

Quite simply, a mid-terraced house is a house that can be found in a row of joined houses that is not the house at either end of the row. The houses that start and end a row of joined houses are called “end of terrace” houses.

For a house to be a terraced house, it must be joined onto more than one other home.

Why mid terrace houses can be advantageous

They’re cheaper to buy or rent, certainly. Mid-terraced houses are not as sought after as other types of housing (such as semi-detached houses), and because there’s so much less space, it’s difficult for real estate agents to put a huge price tag on them.

That said, the lack of space does not mean that a family can’t easily live in a mid-terraced home. Most mid-terrace houses have around two to three bedrooms and are often seen as the perfect starter home for new buyers. They look smaller on the outside, that’s for sure!

Having less space makes the house cosier, too. You’ll find yourself trying to detract from the space by taking advantage of every nook and cranny possible. Storage solutions will become your best friend, and there will be nowhere for you to hide anything. Though, perhaps that’s a bad thing!

For more social homeowners, you are more likely to get to know your neighbours, too. Terraced houses are designed back-to-back, with a pair of houses sharing an alleyway and a garden area with a wall splitting the properties.

There is a huge sense of community in streets that have terraced houses. You’ll find that, even if you don’t get to know all of your surrounding neighbours on a personal level, that they’ll still look out for you and be willing to take in your mail when you miss a delivery.

Speaking of those shared spaces – because you’ll be sharing walls by having another house on either side of your own home, you will experience less loss of heat than if you had moved into a detached house.

Gardens are often longer, too, rather than wider. It can make for some interesting planning, but you’ll have plenty of space to play with.

Reasons that mid terrace homes should be avoided

You will find it hard to park your car every day. Even with a permit, there will never seem to be enough parking space on your street. The cars will seemingly multiply, even if no one new has moved in recently.

Terraced houses weren’t built with privacy or sound-proofing in mind, and you will see your neighbours several times a day, whether you want to or not. This will often be through your kitchen window, which makes walking through your home somewhat awkward.

More privacy can be quickly gained by using strategically placed curtains or netting, particularly in your living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The reason that terraced houses have frosted glass in their bathrooms is because so many of them are directly across from their neighbour’s bathroom!

Speaking of the ground floor of terraced homes, get ready for some strange garden layouts. Not all mid-terraced houses have beautiful, long gardens. Depending on where you decide to move, you could end up with a tiny little paved area with no shed or outdoor storage.

In addition, say goodbye to the idea of having a garden at the front of your home. Terraced houses aren’t built with luxuries in mind, and many of them have doorways that open straight out onto the street. Cars are parked at the side of the road, and no one has a garage of any kind.

terraced homes in London with flats in the background
Older terraced homes sometimes have no front gardens or parking areas.

Though your home seems bigger on the inside, it will quickly begin to feel cramped if you have any children or pets. The ceilings may be high, but the rooms are small, and you can trip over everything and anything if you aren’t careful.

You will need a keen planning mind to keep your household from falling into a state of disarray.

Now, let’s talk about the biggest reason people don’t like living in a mid-terraced house: Noise.

No matter what, you will always be able to hear your neighbours. Whether it’s their child crying, their dog barking, an argument, or the sound of music being blasted through the walls. Occasionally, you might be blessed with a quiet neighbour, but you’ll always have two neighbours to deal with.

We suppose that something to be thankful about would be double glazing, which can keep a lot of the noise pollution to a minimum. But please, buy a doorbell, because every knock you hear will startle you and you will think that it’s someone knocking on your front door.

It’s usually your neighbour’s door.

Final thoughts

For the couple, individual, or small family that are looking for a cheap home to buy or rent, a mid-terraced house can be the best solution. They are, undoubtedly, the cheapest homes on the market. There isn’t much space, but you can make the house suit your needs.

The biggest downfall is the noise, but the best benefit is the sense of community you will find while living on your street. Surely trading noise and small rooms for kind neighbours and cheap rent/buying prices is worth it?

We think so!

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