Speaking to neighbors before buying the property ?

Mickygg

PasturesNew wrote: »

If somebody turned up at my door bearing cupcakes I'd think "pretentious middle class twits ..... they'll be trouble".

By finding out if your neighbour thinks or shows signs of this, I would be concerned as its a pretty immature way of looking at this.

Tygermoth

Before considering buying i always ask the neighbours. It's put me off making a big mistake.

Had done my research but local knowledge is everything - Knocked and asked the neighbour for a lovely house i was about to make an offer on. She told me the road was used as a drop off for school kids to use a cut through some playing fields (it wouldn't have been on my radar as the school was some distance away - but not via foot) it was a VERY popular as saved the parents getting caught up in the one way system.

Came back at school kicking out time and it was a riot, cars across driveways groups of kids sat on garden walls waiting for collection. Yelling, running and noise. Mums parking like they we abandoning the vehicles and blocking people in left right and centre. There were families, cars, dogs, prams, little kids everywhere! The noise though, its hard to describe just how loud it got! It lasted three quarters of an hour, twice a day. As i was on permanent nights at the time so the house was a bad match.

As viewings were in the evenings and my drive rounds wouldn't have been at these times i would never have known!

Davesnave

Looking at this another way, if I'd known what my neighbours were like prior to purchase, I might have decided to pass on this one, which would have been a mistake.

moneyistooshorttomention

That's the thing Dave - provided the neighbours aren't actually H*lls Angels and/or holding raves at intervals - then troublesome neighbours can usually be dealt with imo.

It may take having to learn to be rather "firm" when they try it on to play silly b&ggers and/or learning rather more than one ever wished to know about relevant laws:cool:. Yep...to both things in my case - but sometimes one can see there just doesn't seem to be a better (or even equivalent) place available in that price range. So one can note whatever "signs" are available to note - and still feel it's the best bet to buy that particular house anyway (ie one "nosy" and clearly thinking they're "in charge" and one chav household nearby). I could see they wouldnt be easy to deal with - but didnt know just how bad mine would turn out to be. But the house was the best option on the table in my price range...

But - hey....I guess look on the positive side. It helps stave off dementia if one has to do a crash course in reading up about the law:cool::cool::(:cool::cool:

hazyjo

I've never knocked at a neighbour's door - but have often bumped into one as I'm viewing or looking round. (Touch wood) I've been lucky so far. Couple of noisy ones, but they were all nice people and I'd never have known by knocking that they would play the occasional loud music or scream at their kids.


I always ask about them and view at different times of the day.


I do think it's a good thing to do though The one I want has a very elderly person one side and a couple the other side whose family have owned the house for years (and a local restaurant). Doubt I'll knock but will keep an eye out for them!


Jx

K4yl5

I'm looking for a flat at the moment and have spoken to as many neighbours as I possibly can whenever I go to place an offer.

This is mainly due to having moved from rental accommodation due to neighbours as well as having friends purchase a property and regret buying (then having to sell again) shortly after.

I always introduce myself first and tell them I’m looking at buying the property next door / across the way. Then I ask if they have 5 mins to tell me what they like about living there. (Never ask if they have time first as it makes you sound like a sales person). I will ask questions relevant to what I deem important for me in my home.

I have never found anyone to be hostile towards me and the most recent property I offered on, the neighbours promised to chill the champagne for when I moved in!

I think it’s great for building relationships with your new neighbours, you can get a better feel for the area and find out the issues rather quickly! You’ll be surprised how honest people will be. It started when my new neighbours introduced themselves before they bought the flat next door to where I live now. It sets you off on a good foot and you may find you have additional pair of hands to help you move when you do found the property you want!

Good luck!

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

..... troublesome neighbours can usually be dealt with imo.

I think that's too optimistic a view, given the number of times people on this forum have been told their only real solution to neighbour problems is to move.

Staking-out the place at different times will often reveal noisy, troublesome families and that sort of thing, but many tricky neighbours are perfectly 'normal' looking on first sight, as are the houses they live in.

Sadly,even sitting-down to tea and cake may not give one many clues. Been there, done that, but I agree it's worth a try.

Rosemary7391

00ec25 wrote: »

I'd think food poisoning and "forget" to eat them whilst chatting, then feed some to the neighbours cat and see if it died first before eating the rest once it was established they were "safe".

and yes, that applies to brownies and girl guides doing door to door cake sales too

If that's true I think it's quite sad

Pyxis

The last time I bought somewhere, I hired a person from a local 'detective agency' to suss the place out for me.... what the street was like, the neighbours, etc but also things like whether the locals had police records, how often the police had been called to the street, thing like that., and whether there had been any complaints about noise to the Council..... all the sorts of things it would have been difficult for me to find out.

It was very reassuring, and money well spent.

Murphybear

jimbog wrote: »

Knock on the door and say you are planning to move in and could you just ask:

what the local schools are like ?(doesn't matter if you have no kids - one day you might)
is there a neighbourhood watch?
are there local doctors/dentists they would recommend
stick with non contentious points and people are more likely to 'open up'.

The answers don't matter

Asking what the neighbourhood is like might be seen as negative.

You could knock on the door (with or without cupcakes) and ask what the neighbours are like :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Seriously though, it is a good idea. It is worth doing, if you can, for rentals as well. Our next door neighbour is a sociopath from hell. My OH knocked on his door a while ago and asked very politely if they could turn the music down, half the street could hear it. The response was a torrent of verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse. He owns his house, we rent. We have found somewhere lovely, a converted barn on a farm. We met the landlord while viewing and my OH had a long chat with him. He was happy to rent to us, we move in a few weeks.