Buying a house - concerned about neighbours

speedbird123

Hi All

We have found a lovely house that seems so perfect for us in every way. However, the 100ft gardens on either side of the property are seriously overgrown (years of neglect). This is owing to the fact that the neighboring properties, and a few others on the street, are large houses that have been carved up and converted to one bedroom flats, The flats themselves appear to have been rented out as short term tenancies and the tenants clearly have no interest in the gardens.
Would this put you off buying this otherwise perfect house, as your family home? Could this affect the future resale potential of this house?

Many thanks

Doozergirl

There's no real prospect for the gardens to improve (unless some decent management is put in place) and one bedroom flats aren't the sort of places that people stay long in. You're going to end up in the middle of a transient community.

If the house is far away from the neighbours for them not to be too troublesome, you don't mind gardening/replacing fences and you're not too bothered about community, then it's worth thinking about.

Davesnave

I think you have to look at this perfect house and consider if it's only available to you because of an issue that's put it in your price range. It's better than others you've viewed, but the setting is part of the package, not something seperate.

When we were viewing properties, those that appeared to offer the best bang for our buck always seemed to come with something off-putting; not necessarily untidy neighbours, but a factor we'd have no control over. It was hard to walk away when the house itself was screaming 'value,' but getting the setting right was our most important consideration.

In other words, we have to feel that we fit in, as we've always valued our near neighbours. Not everyone is like us though, so if neighbourliness doesn't apply, look at the wider area and try to ascertain if it is 'on the up' or going in the other direction.

moneyistooshorttomention

I'd take the view personally that, if there's nothing actually "wrong" with the gardens (eg being used as a rubbish tip/dogs loo/etc) then I could just put something up to block out if I wanted (eg trees along the border).

You never know - sometimes neighbours can get encouraged to start in on their gardens. Was pleased to find recently that one of my "ordinary" (as opposed to nfh) neighbours has obviously been paying a fair bit of heed to what I'm doing with my garden so far and has plans to copy me and is asking about my plants:D

lindens

Alarm bells would ring and i would walk away i think
Lets assume the house has been carved up into 4 flats - if i intended to stay here a while i would want to sit in the garden and enjoy it. If however they were more bedsits and for a transient population, those residents may only stay a few months an no-one ever tends to the garden,
The residents are ever changing - they could be good neighbours - they could be noisy/disruptive/druggies etc - you have no control over this. If more of the houses surrounding you are like this you will find it very difficult to sell on.

speedbird123

thanks - it's actually 5/6 flats per house. i did wonder that we just don't know who might move in next.

DonPatch

In my old house we had neighbours that kept their gardens tidy, all had low fences and can see each others gardens.

Then both sides moved and both houses were bought and had multiple occupation. Then a few more in the street.

All those gardens are a mess apart from one. It looks a complete state and no matter how nice the house is you will notice it when you sit outside, hang the washing or have a barbeque in between two mini jungles. I'm a pretty chilled person, but after a while it began to grate on me everytime I went in the garden. I'm no gardener but if you are able bodied how hard is it to mow a lawn every now and then.

It might not be an issue to you, I lived on a main road which I liked and others hate, but I would view again and just have a little sit out there.

Davesnave

speedbird123 wrote: »

thanks - it's actually 5/6 flats per house. i did wonder that we just don't know who might move in next.

Well run rentals with communal gardens would be set up with a basic gardening service covered by the rent. A landlord who doesn't care and tenants who feel likewise is an indicator that things aren't all they could be.

Margot123

You are already questioning it, so I would say walk away now before you search for reasons to make it the 'perfect home'.

Things like decoration, your own garden etc can be changed and be fun to do. There's nothing you can do about 'the other side of the wall'.

Rambosmum

The gardens wouldn't but the fact I'd have several neighbours changing on a frequent basis would.

Slinky

Nope, I'd be running away pretty fast from this one. The mere fact you've got 5/6 households potential for noise from both sides would put me off.