Advice on Vacant house next door

ChewyyBacca

The rental mkt has been very quick here, and we didn't even get to see some properties listed, agent said they already have 10-12 viewings booked and arent taking any more viewings, two days after listing went live on RM and zoopla! For the viewings which we managed to get; our first three properties we lost to others who viewed before us and were prompt to make an offer.
So finally found a decent property, it has its kinks, but manageable. It has a decent garden, which is our priority right now.
However, the property next door, seemed like a haunted house, the front garden was overgrown. There was an ominous-looking camera in. When asked, agent could not comment on it, and later on phone, she said that LL doesn't know about it either since LL never visits the property. Agent will be the one maintaining the property.
My question is: what are the pitfalls of living in a property next to an unmaintained one? What are the signs that are deal breakers?
We really want to move there but don't want to move and then regret, if it is too much to take.
Pictures here. Windows have plastic sheet precariously hanging, overgrown grass/weed be seen here.
Advice/suggestions welcome.

oystercatcher

Might be worth asking neighbours what it's like there. It could be in the process of being 'done up' ready for nice new neighbours . On the other hand there could be rats, mice and /or undesirable people wandering around and possibly visiting 'your' house!.

Carrot007

I'd expect it worse that that is it was unoccupied. So it's probably going to be neighbours from hell.

Agent probably knows everything as does landlord, run away fast.

coachman12

Carrot007 said:

I'd expect it worse that that is it was unoccupied. So it's probably going to be neighbours from hell.

Agent probably knows everything as does landlord, run away fast.

I fully agree. Why would anyone even consider living next door to a house which looks like something from a "B" horror movie ?
There are plenty of other houses to buy with nice gardens--and with nice gardens on either side too !

msfaye

Could be hoarders living in that house. 

We viewed a house two months ago, the owner is a hoarder. The condition of his house and the garden is absolutely unimaginable by most people, much worse than your pics. We didn’t offer on that house in the end but we felt so sorry for him and really wished that we could help him out in some way. 

Crashy_Time

Surprised there is not a line round the block to live in it demand being what it is....according to some posters anyway.......

Davesnave

The picture is too small to be of any use, because from where I'm sitting, the house doesn't look especially  un-maintained, though the garden does.

The agent is not your friend, but potential neighbours are and some will know the history here. You can lessen the risk by talking to them, which is something you ought to do anyway. It's a fallacy that neighbours from hell all have tatty houses and gardens; they might, but here you want a good prospect that things will improve in the medium term and compensation in the price.

Friends of ours bought next to an empty property and couldn't have afforded a house with 10 acres otherwise. It paid off in about 5 years. For them, competing in a very tough, restricted market, it was worth the gamble something positive would happen within, say, 10 years, but for a fairly common semi-dee or terrace, the risk needs considering carefully

ChewyyBacca

I am not buying the house next door, I plan to rent it out. It will be short to medium term stay, at most 2.5 years.

mattant

I lived next to a house like that for a while, it was bought but the buyer never moved in so just left it for a few years. The main issue was people fly tipping in the garden and no one removing it because it's the owners responsibility. In the end there was about 3 sofas, a bed, a fridge, etc. Thankfully the owner sold it on and has now been cleared and currently being renovated again. 

oldbikebloke

ChewyyBacca said:

I am not buying the house next door, I plan to rent it out. It will be short to medium term stay, at most 2.5 years.

well then the fact nextdoor appears to be currently unoccupied is a plus point, because it means you will have one less neighbour complaining to you about your tenants from hell 

ChewyyBacca

oystercatcher said:

Might be worth asking neighbours what it's like there. It could be in the process of being 'done up' ready for nice new neighbours . On the other hand there could be rats, mice and /or undesirable people wandering around and possibly visiting 'your' house!.

Yeah, that seems like a reasonable option. I will go and talk to the neighbours.
Possibility of the presence of rodents scares the life out of me. Though, they are attracted to places where there is ready food available. So hoping that the place isn't rodent-infested.
Vagrants or local youths frequenting the front garden for their ''recreation'' also worries me, though the ominous camera, seen clearly, peering through the bedroom window, might help. But again, the regulars might get used to it.