https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 07 May 2026 17:03:25 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846965 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:14:20 +0000 honeybear 846965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't let my LO play in an area that is not in my line of sight, and I wouldn't be comfortable with him in the yard while I was inside, even if I could see/hear him (too easy to turn your back in distraction, you know?). I would imagine that you could easily create a set-up that would allow you to have a spot outside to sit (like a table with an umbrella) and your child space to play in one of the side yards. At least, that's what I would do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846946 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:09:06 +0000 lawbee11 846946@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This would not be a deal-breaker for us. You can't see our backyard from our kitchen and you can see a little bit of it from our family room, but there's some you can't see. I think as long as it's fenced and there isn't a pool then it wouldn't be a deal-breaker. If there was a pool and I couldn't see then that would probably worry me much more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846918 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:00:41 +0000 mrbee 846918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What's the school district like? That's the determining factor for me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846896 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:52:13 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 846896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a pool, so the girls will never be able to go out by themselves anyway! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846735 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:53:13 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 846735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Alot of the houses we looked at had weird lots. In fact the one we own has a split yard. Our kids will be allowed to play on the side I can see from the house. The other part will be reserved for chaperoned activities. For me, it was a semi- dealbreaker. By the time my kids can play outside by themselves they will likely be little explorers. I want to keep an eye on them and mak r sure they dont wander. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846722 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:48:32 +0000 MamaBehr 846722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids are never in the yard by themselves, even though it is fully fenced and I can see a huge chunk of my yard. DD is three years old, and I would feel really uncomfortable with her in the yard by herself, this wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. I don't know when I would feel comfortable with her out in the yard by herself, five maybe?<br /> So, if the house is perfect in every other way, I say go for it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846716 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:45:18 +0000 MsMamaBear 846716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't, but I'm a single mom, so I'm super paranoid. My backyard is fenced, I had it built before you-know-who was even thought of, thinking of the future, lol, but I think I'd still worry with not being able to see my daughter. Maybe when she's older I won't be too afraid.LOL! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846704 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:37:32 +0000 looch 846704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just bought a house on a corner lot, it has fenced in pool to the left and the street to the right. We put up a fence and added a gate to the deck so our son can go outside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846702 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:36:18 +0000 heffalump 846702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think that would be a deal breaker. Right now I don't let LO out by herself anyway, and when they get old enough to play alone it hopefully won't be so scary if you don't see them every second. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846685 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:25:17 +0000 Adira 846685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @Weagle! Ours is like that too - the biggest part of our yard is more to the side and you can't see it from anywhere - there's only one window on that side of the house too! And it's not fenced in. When they are young and playing outside, I'll just be out there with them, probably in an Adirondack chair with a good book, haha. And when they are old enough to not need constant supervision, I'll be okay with just having to go outside to peak at them on occasion. Or more likely yell "WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT THERE???" :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846678 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:20:30 +0000 immabeetoo 846678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@weagle said what I was going to! So ditto to that, I'd go for it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846629 Tue, 11 Jun 2013 06:44:56 +0000 Weagle 846629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ours is like that. You can't see anything from the kitchen, but you can see the front (not fenced in) yard from the living room. I'm not too concerned. While they're younger I wouldn't leave them outside alone anyway. When they're old enough to go outside alone, I think I'll be okay not having my eye on them constantly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846521 Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:42:15 +0000 fuzzypeaches 846521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: Thanks... that's what I'm thinking. I'm so stressed about not buying the "perfect" house lol. I've never had kids yet so I don't know how paranoid I will be! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846520 Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:40:03 +0000 sunny 846520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't really have a good answer for you, but I suspect that if you feel uneasy about not being able to see your kids in the side yard, you'll just have them play where you can see them. Maybe some patio type activities like sidewalk chalk, cars, water table, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/house-buying-dilemma-side-yard-and-no-backyard#post-846511 Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:22:43 +0000 fuzzypeaches 846511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi ladies with children! </p> <p>We are looking to make the move from a condo to a house so that baby peaches has somewhere to sleep - but we live in a super expensive/crazy house market (Vancouver). We finally found a great house in a great area for a reasonable price... but it has only a tiny backyard (just enough for small patio) that extends into two bigger sized side yards on either side. </p> <p>For those ladies with children - if you had a yard that was fenced but you couldn't see them from the kitchen/family room, is this a deal breaker? Weirdly, the house has security cameras in the kitchen that show the yards, but obviously that's not the same. </p> <p>Help. House buying is killing us. </p>