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Just a guess, but I would guess that the majority of Americans use the garage for storage and park their cars outside. Cars on the street and in the driveway don't bother me, but it is a bit of an eyesore when they have the garage stuffed full of junk and leave the garage doors open.
With newer houses, and even many of the older houses, a "two car garage" is only big enough for two cars if you don't want to open the doors to get in and out. Many of those garages are not big enough for a full size SUV or pickup. So, if the family has a second car or a large vehicle, there is no other option than to park in the driveway or on the street.
It does bother me when a neighbor with a drippy car parks in front of my house so that they don't get oil stains in front of their own house, inconsiderate boogers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamies
........ The only time our driveway (which holds 4 cars) is used is with guests, though any oil drippers are asked to park in front of the neighbors........
I live in a 55+ community where people take great care of their homes. In general, homes are meticulously landscaped and some homes are on premium lots with great views. My home has a really good view, but DH and I are always looking for homes with even better views. We like buying and updating houses, and then selling after a few years.
There’s a house that is a new listing that has caught our attention. It needs serious updating and landscaping, as well as the house needs painting. While it is quite expensive for the work needed, we are considering it because we could probably sell our house for close to or more than the asking price of this property. It has the drop dead view we are seeking.
One thing, however, is that the nextdoor neighbor has two giant SUVs they park in their driveway, and also often on the street ~ curbsides on both sides of their driveway. These houses are close together. There is an HOA, but no rules about parking in garages, and the streets are public. I’m concerned that we’ll have trouble selling the house in the future if the same neighbors are there….they have lived there about 10 years. I think they are Uber drivers.
So, I’m wondering how people feel about having neighbors who don’t use their garages when the homes are quite close to eachother.
I was absolutely looking for a place with a garage. I got one. Love it. Most of the houses here have one car garage, so one of the cars stays outside. A number of the people have very large vehicles that there’s no way they can get in this 50 year old one car garage. It’s also a very safe neighborhood so it’s not an issue leaving your car out.
But after having a nearly 100 year old garage where today’s cars didn’t fit, that was a must for me. But frankly, what my neighbors do I don’t care. I find it way more important that where I live is so incredible that people are staying in their homes and maintaining them even though technically speaking they’ve outgrown them because they love the neighborhood. The reason I know that is because in my cul-de-sac three people have told me you know, we should’ve moved ages ago but this is such a wonderful neighborhood we’re staying and coping. And that means there may be five or six cars in a driveway and some cars parked on the street. But if I can’t open a jar, there is somebody always home who can help. Which is way more important to me than people parking in their garage.
But I cannot make that distinction for others. Other people it might really bother that people don’t put their cars in the garage.
But in all honesty, one of the biggest complaints I see about newer housing, because I was looking for so long, was that garage space was frequently sacrificed for other things like storage — they took part of the garage space away to make a large storage room. Had a door and everything. I saw that frequently in the over 55 community homes where they didn’t have basements. So all you could fit in the garage was a smaller car. People like really huge vehicles. According to a lot of the things I was reading online, the garages are not tall enough or deep enough to fit the vehicles that are out there. Not to mention all the toys.
The house I bought took the one car garage that was in the house made it an office, finished off the basement beautifully, and built a 2 1/2 car garage. That’s how it was marketed. I kept joking where I’m going to find half a car I don’t know. My little hatchback gets to park in the middle of this huge garage. And I’m perfectly OK with that. It is not filled with junk or crap. My husband was a hoarder. It took me 2 1/2 years to clear out the house in the garage after he died, my sister just went into care and her house has to be sold, and it is taking five of us about two months to clear it out. I have promised my niece and nephew they are not going to have to deal with this when it’s my turn. I intend to keep that promise.
I'll never understand why so many people choose to park outside even though they have a nice garage. I know some people who do because they have too much stuff, but why not build a cheap shed for the stuff so your car can be in its home? I like having my car in a garage: safe from hail, thieves, bird feces, and vandalizing teens.
That being said, I don't care where my neighbors park, as long as they don't block my driveway. I believe that people should be able to use their property however they want, as long as they're not breaking the law or infringing on their neighbors. If the neighbors want to park on their grass, paint their house an ugly color, or let their yard turn into a field; they should have the right to do so.
I worry more about living next to somebody I don't get along with. I've heard too many stories about people who are miserable because of a nasty neighbor that harasses or fights with them.
I also worry about somebody doing something in their yard that threatens our health and safety, like using strong chemicals or explosives near my property.
I don't worry about somebody doing something that I think "looks ugly and might hurt my property value." Houses should be thought of as "homes" rather than "investments." If parking outside makes somebody feel more at home, they should be able to do that.
I'll never understand why so many people choose to park outside even though they have a nice garage. I know some people who do because they have too much stuff, but why not build a cheap shed for the stuff so your car can be in its home? I like having my car in a garage: safe from hail, thieves, bird feces, and vandalizing teens.
That being said, I don't care where my neighbors park, as long as they don't block my driveway. I believe that people should be able to use their property however they want, as long as they're not breaking the law or infringing on their neighbors. If the neighbors want to park on their grass, paint their house an ugly color, or let their yard turn into a field; they should have the right to do so.
I worry more about living next to somebody I don't get along with. I've heard too many stories about people who are miserable because of a nasty neighbor that harasses or fights with them.
I also worry about somebody doing something in their yard that threatens our health and safety, like using strong chemicals or explosives near my property.
I don't worry about somebody doing something that I think "looks ugly and might hurt my property value." Houses should be thought of as "homes" rather than "investments." If parking outside makes somebody feel more at home, they should be able to do that.
Sheds cost money, need space and require often approval/permitting.
Explosives come into play when you move next to an active quarry.
"Whether they're bothered by it or not is so individual...."
I will disagree with you while telling my one "individual" anecdote. Where's the disagreement exactly?
The "disagreement" is in your post where you said, " The vast, vast majority of people won’t really even notice this" (referring to people who don't park their cars in their garage). I think that most people WILL notice that, particularly if their neighbors are not parking several cars or other vehicles in their garage.
I'll never understand why so many people choose to park outside even though they have a nice garage. I know some people who do because they have too much stuff, but why not build a cheap shed for the stuff so your car can be in its home? I like having my car in a garage: safe from hail, thieves, bird feces, and vandalizing teens.
That being said, I don't care where my neighbors park, as long as they don't block my driveway. I believe that people should be able to use their property however they want, as long as they're not breaking the law or infringing on their neighbors. If the neighbors want to park on their grass, paint their house an ugly color, or let their yard turn into a field; they should have the right to do so.
I worry more about living next to somebody I don't get along with. I've heard too many stories about people who are miserable because of a nasty neighbor that harasses or fights with them.
I also worry about somebody doing something in their yard that threatens our health and safety, like using strong chemicals or explosives near my property.
I don't worry about somebody doing something that I think "looks ugly and might hurt my property value." Houses should be thought of as "homes" rather than "investments." If parking outside makes somebody feel more at home, they should be able to do that.
A lot of people would disagree with your viewpoint. In fact, for MOST people, their house is their LARGEST investment. Personally, if I'm going to pay considerable $$$ for a nice house in a supposedly nice neighborhood, then I don't want my neighbor's yard and driveway to look like "Sanford and Son's" junk yard.
Maybe I'm being unreasonable to think that way, but if you don't have enough house or basement space to store your junk, then rent a storage unit for your junk and put your vehicles in your garage. If you've got too many vehicles for your garage, then add another garage (if you can) or buy a different house. JMO.
BTW, my garage also has sliding screen doors that are difficult to near impossible to see through from the outside to screen my cars and stuff from view by my neighbors. I just think that it's the right thing to do so that my neighbors don't have to look at my stuff when I have the garage doors open. Fortunately, my neighbors do the same. It's a nice neighborhood when the neighbors treat others the way they would like to be treated themselves.
To me, not having cars on some of the driveways makes the neighborhood look sterile and unfriendly.
It sure can. My dad lived in a 55+ community for over 35 years. HOA rules prohibited parking outside the garage for more than an hour. Nothing to be parked in a driveway overnight without a temporary 24 hour permit. Couldn't even leave a patio gate or garage door open so neighbors didn't have to gaze at all your unsightly personal belongings. Guests were required to park in a few designated slots at the end of each street.
Sure, the place did look tidy, but as you'd drive around, everything looked unlived in, vacant, like some RE developer's model (neighborhoods in the 1966 movie Fahrenheit 451 came to mind), not a living breathing neighborhood. Hardly anyone walking, many didn't work so didn't leave the house, no one "lived" outdoors even in S CA's nice climate. Didn't mean the place was quiet. Days were filled with noise from HOA landscapers keeping every plant under meticulous control: leaf blowers, weed whackers, lawnmowers, pruners. Either that or home repair power tools. At night nothing other than someone's yappy anklebiter dog.
To top it off, all the townhomes were nearly identical in appearance. Personalizing was restricted to the inside of the house. One street looked pretty much the same as the next. I was always turning down the wrong street or getting lost when I visited. Now I certainly wouldn't want cars up on blocks on lawns, streets blocked by junkers, screaming kids playing hoops at midnight, etc. but this whole area gave me the impression of some kid's school assignment cardboard diorama with little paper doll people. Eerie and unwelcoming.
Last edited by Parnassia; 07-30-2023 at 01:41 PM..
We live in a neighborhood where most houses have 1 car garages and for decades we've been literally the only house on our block that keeps a car in the garage.
The "disagreement" is in your post where you said, " The vast, vast majority of people won’t really even notice this" (referring to people who don't park their cars in their garage). I think that most people WILL notice that, particularly if their neighbors are not parking several cars or other vehicles in their garage.
Oh yeah, they notice. My garage door was open for about a week and a half because I tried to fix it, my nephew in law tried to fix it, and then it took several days before we could get somebody else to replace it the garage door opener. Not the garage door. Several people in my neighborhood wondered why I was leaving it up, or if it was broken. I told them it was totally broken. Well, technically, the repairman fixed the issue, but what he said was that doing what he did is absolutely going to cause a larger problem. And he said the magic words I can save you a bunch of money if you go to Home Depot pet and buy the one that’s on sale right now and I’ll put that in for 300 bucks. Sold!
I am actually looking to move. I love living in the country but common sense tells me I can only keep up this place a few more years. It's very hard to find workers, so I can't just hire it all out.
I want a large lot. I do not care if neighbors park in their driveway. I would buy a house if there were a few random cars parked in the street. That wouldn't bother me. But if it were one of those neighborhoods where there are a lot of cars parked in the street, deal breaker. I have a friend that lives on a street where it's hard to find a parking place. Everyone has a car and their kids have cars. I usually can park in her driveway, but there was a time when she was letting a neighbor park his boat in her driveway. Insane.
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Solly says — Be nice!
