Offer on house accepted (finally!) but potentially tricky neighbours. What to do?!?

ameciar

Thanks for all your comments, they are very helpful. From our perspective (as far as we can judge it), the problem is that it is a borderline case. We don’t think it is completely disastrous, otherwise we would have walked away already. But there are at least indications of anti-social behaviour, which could seriously affect our quality of life, especially if it were to get worse. And it may also make it very difficult to sell up in a less crazy market, where buyers may be more careful and choosy…

We would not be sharing a wall with the neighbours, but the house is on a tightly packed street so it would still be very close.

There have been a few sales on the street recently but no huge turnover.

The property sold significantly over the asking price and very quickly - there was little to no scope for second viewings.  According to the estate agent, there were 10+ offers and the final bids were quite close.    

I guess the way forward is to get more information. We will try to speak to the neighbours. We will also check with the estate agent/seller what they know, but I am not sure how forthcoming they will be…

Thanks once again for your help, and wish us luck!

jonnydeppiwish!

Why not? Those lovely neighbours who said the neighbours were odd are just as likely to turn out to be nightmares.

Getting_greyer

They could be scumbags. They could be nice but not care about middle class hand wringing stuff about keeping up appearances.

Dedicate a couple of days to a stakeout.  If they answer the door at 2 pm in onsies and a can super T then maybe leave it.

Slithery

ameciar said:

But there are at least indications of anti-social behaviour...

Please explain what these 'indications' are...

Lyd00

BikingBud said:

Lyd00 said:

Kids growing up to become teenagers in our area has been a big problem and has made me want to leave. Definitely try and suss them out a bit more, especially if you want it to be your forever home 

I would be more concerned about kids that didn't grow up to be teenagers!

Sorry yeah good point! Should have pointed out that they all turned into badly behaved teenagers, none of them have or intend to go to uni. Some have started driving and drive at stupid speeds around the place. Anti social behaviour at night including cannabis smoking. 

jonnydeppiwish!

Lyd00 said:

BikingBud said:

Lyd00 said:

Kids growing up to become teenagers in our area has been a big problem and has made me want to leave. Definitely try and suss them out a bit more, especially if you want it to be your forever home 

I would be more concerned about kids that didn't grow up to be teenagers!

Sorry yeah good point! Should have pointed out that they all turned into badly behaved teenagers, none of them have or intend to go to uni. Some have started driving and drive at stupid speeds around the place. Anti social behaviour at night including cannabis smoking. 

What’s wrong with not going to university? Maybe they don’t want to waste £60k on something that won’t help them in life? 

 A lot of snobbery around this thread at the moment.

Bonniepurple

We joke that we tend to bring the street down, with our lack of interest in gardening, our old cars (2006 and 2010), our forgetfulness in bringing the bins in immediately the bin lorry has emptied them, our teenagers who shout and slam doors.  We also look out for our neighbours, and helped our old ones out with general stuff.  Just because we might forget the curtains and we drive older vehicles doesn’t make us antisocial!

Go and talk to the potential neighbours.

Doozergirl

jonnydeppiwish! said:

Why not? Those lovely neighbours who said the neighbours were odd are just as likely to turn out to be nightmares.

This.  Our first neighbours in our old
house looked perfectly
presentable but they were proud racists, their own daughter hated them and yet they were more than happy to tell everyone around us that we were a problem, including the people that bought their house!  

Their house was perfectly presentable, he was always sweeping his drive and cleaning the car so it means very little.  

The new owners became good friends, another neighbour apologised to me outside the supermarket for judging us and the developer next door has just described us as 'golden' and 'more patient than any of the other neighbours', yet we have been the most inconvenienced, sharing the biggest boundary and have the closest new houses. We're not perfect, but we have kind hearts.  

I would say hi.  As long as they're not attached so I don't
have to worry about maintenance issues affecting our side of the building, I'd form my own opinion rather than someone else's.  

Things change over time too, such is life.  

TripleH

It might well be that 'you' are expected to conform to the standard set by the rest of the street and present a certain image to fit in.

They could be nice people and are acting as a form of rebellion against the 'neighbourhood norms' by presenting a cosmetic image.

When I worked in London, most people at the company were so posh I developed a strong Yorkshire accent subconsciously I suspect as an act of rebellion. Before then I'd get teased a little for being posh. These people may be the same.

I live the life I feel comfortable with and would personally hate living in an area where I have to present a certain image to fir in.

caprikid1

"The property sold significantly over the asking price and very quickly - there was little to no scope for second viewings.  According to the estate agent, there were 10+ offers and the final bids were quite close.    "

If the estate agent told you this it must be true, or they fed you a pack of lies and achieved an incredible price for a house no one else would go near.