Worrying about House/Area - Made a Mistake?

seven-day-weekend

Hermia wrote: »

I think you need to take a deep breath and not worry about things unless they actually happen! I live in the country and there are areas around here that are picture postcard utopias, but they still have dodgy people and the odd crime. In a way they can be worse because it's much harder to deal with an unsociable neighbour who is a former judge/vicar/chairman than a tenant who can be evicted!

I have lived in 'nice' areas and nasty ones and have had problems in both.

BTW do you think you are reading to much into the actions of people who worry you? For example, what do you mean by "glaring into my windows"? If a nicely dressed person did exactly the same thing would you be noticing so much? I think a lot of people stare at houses as they pass just because they are curious or bored. I know I love having a look at houses in the rich part of town because I enjoy looking at their decor!

I agree with the above post. I'm sure people have got better things to do than 'glare into your windows'. They are probably just lost in thought whilst going about their business or maybe even admiring your house!

I think you need to live in a place in the middle of a field, but even then probably the cows would moo in the wrong manner.:)

I think you are looking for problems. You could even be like my late m-i-l who moved nineteen times in 21 years - every time because of the neighbours. It makes you wonder whose fault it is that they have such awful neighbours everywhere they live.

Just enjoy your new house and stop looking for problems.

Person_one

Loads of people stare into other people's windows just because they're nosy and they can't help themselves. I used to live on one of the 'main' roads of a pretty little tourist village. People would have a good peek into the windows as part of their day out! We never got burgled.

PasturesNew

It's always scarey when you move into a new house and wonder if you've done the wrong thing.... you're perpetually looking out the windows seeing 'trouble' at every shadow.

It'll pass, once you've been there some time and become used to the area and all's been well.

Selling/moving isn't an option as you'd go into the next place with the same fears .... and the anxiety of having moved for these reasons last time.

You just have to 'get a grip' and tell yourself your house is lovely and safe ... and make it your home.

As for people looking in - it's what people walking past do - I bet you do it when walking down a street. They're not looking in as such, they're just having to look in one direction or another while walking down the street.

PasturesNew

Person_one wrote: »

Loads of people stare into other people's windows just because they're nosy and they can't help themselves. I used to live on one of the 'main' roads of a pretty little tourist village. People would have a good peek into the windows as part of their day out! We never got burgled.

I'll second this .... my sibling LOVES it when people in lovely houses leave their curtains open and have lights on in the evening as she can see inside.... not to rob it, but to admire it as if it were an open glossy magazine. During winter evenings when we're driving about I am even told to drive slowly so she can have a good look... I've even turned round and gone back so she can have another look.

BigAunty

I am selling a property that I've lived in for two years and a lot of the viewers are very suspicious and inquisitive why I've put it up for sale so quickly! I am usually grilled in detail about it, asked where I am moving to, what the neighbours are like and in one case, specifically asked 'Are you moving because there's something wrong with the house'.

There's only innocent reasons for my sale, nothing dubious, so I think you'll find your viewers very nervous at your quick decision to leave if you decide to sell up within the next year or so.

To deal with people peering in, get some kind of screening like blinds or that opaque sticky film, for example. I've lived in a city where flats are very close to each other with good views into them (tenement flats) and I think the occupants just get used to the goldfish bowl mentality and don't fret so much about privacy. People rarely drew their curtains or blinds except for bedrooms.

I live in a house and 9 out of 10 people automatically tilt their head to look in my living room as they pass.I do have shutters but I'm not actually bothered by their nosiness which I see as almost instinctual curiosity rather than something intimidating.

catkins

Me and OH moved to an ex council house in London and 2 days later Stephen Lawrence was killed literally round the corner. My mum was on the phone telling me I should move and it wasn't safe there.


I can't deny that I was worried but me and OH loved the house and it just wasn't practical to move.


We stayed in that house for almost 10 years and never had any problems at all.

Morglin

KatieDee wrote: »

Hello everybody,

We bought our new home in March and so far, have not experienced any major problems. The road we live in is quite nice (large houses) but just a mile or so down the road is a fairly run down area.

I just spotted a man, shirtless, walking down my street with a crowbar in his hand, screaming absolute nonsense. He either has severe mental health issues or is off his face on some kind of drug. Somebody has called the police and they're currently standing with him, I assume trying to talk him down and find out what's going on.

Seeing this man has really worried me...there are a couple of other things that I have underlying anxieties about, such as the flats next door which are currently home to lovely, older tenants. Although not a concern now, I'm worried about what will happen when new tenants come in. This is where the man was hanging around and it made me think this might be the kind of tenants they're letting in.

I think I am worrying over nothing...but my anxiety about this is absolutely through the roof and I'm going between being "okay" and getting quite upset about it. I adore the house, our street is lovely but I don't want to be looking over my shoulder the entire time or spending my time worrying about what might happen.

We've only been in for a few months and would probably lose some money for moving so early but I'm starting to regret this purchase a little bit. Not the house because it's beautiful, but the wider area in general. It's so downtrodden and depressing. We spent a lot of time in the area before buying, visited the house day and night and didn't really see anything then.

Has anybody been in a similar situation? This is really just a bit of a glorified rant but I've received a lot of support from this forum and I would really like some opinions on this.

To be honest, you can get loony tunes anywhere, even in the best of areas.

If you are living next door to sheltered accommodation, then many councils are (to save money) making them simply blocks for non child residents, over 40, which does mean all those in need are eligible (however, there are some mad old people around as well, so age is no guarantee lol)

If no one is bothering you, then I would just ignore the rest.

Lin

Morglin

catkins wrote: »

Me and OH moved to an ex council house in London and 2 days later Stephen Lawrence was killed literally round the corner. My mum was on the phone telling me I should move and it wasn't safe there.


I can't deny that I was worried but me and OH loved the house and it just wasn't practical to move.


We stayed in that house for almost 10 years and never had any problems at all.

I lived in Eltham for over 25 years, and it was lovely before, during, and after the Lawrence saga.

Lin :beer:

catkins

Morglin wrote: »

I lived in Eltham for over 25 years, and it was lovely before, during, and after the Lawrence saga.

Lin :beer:

Yes I was very happy living there and miss it. I no longer live in London but would move back tomorrow