Overlooked House

Ramouth

My sisters garden is very overlooked.  She got a herself a pergola with built in benches which gives them a private seating area and a focal point to distract visually from the properties behind. 

BungalowBel

Richard1212 said:

You can't do anything by the sound of it all. YOU bought the house knowing that your every move could be seen by all neighbours. You can't erect fences more than 2 metres high so they won't solve your problem. You say you can't afford trees though conifers are cheap and work very well; but, once again, you can't let them grow more than 2 m, so no point in your case. 

There is no answer to your dilemma so just sit back and wait for a person like you who doesn't care about buying a house that is overlooked by everyone. Good luck. 

You can actually grow trees and hedges larger than two metres...but trees this size will cost a lot of money.

Gavin83

Something I've never really understood about this stance. Why do people actually care if someone can see in your garden? Maybe I'm leading a boring life but not sure what people are doing in their garden that's so private!

Also it's next to impossible to find a house that isn't overlooked by someone. I don't think I've ever been in a single property that doesn't have a neighbour that can't see into the garden.

Maybe I'm the sort of buyer you're after.

MultiFuelBurner

It's a marmite issue some won't care and some it's a deal breaker.

For the record I detest marmite...yuck and I am not a fan of anyone looking at me in my garden doing my garden things. (Naked)

BobT36

Gavin83 said:

Something I've never really understood about this stance. Why do people actually care if someone can see in your garden? Maybe I'm leading a boring life but not sure what people are doing in their garden that's so private!

Also it's next to impossible to find a house that isn't overlooked by someone. I don't think I've ever been in a single property that doesn't have a neighbour that can't see into the garden.

Maybe I'm the sort of buyer you're after.

Neighbours seeing in is "ok", (though I'd love if otherwise, too lol. Seen a couple where the houses either side were sort of tilted away, which looked great! House too expensive, though). 

It's the ones where if you look out of the kitchen window, ALL you can see is other houses, from every direction (including sides and diagonals). That would make me feel absolutely horrible. I'm a very private person and don't like to feel "boxed in". 

Just different personality types. 

BungalowBel

Gavin83 said:

Something I've never really understood about this stance. Why do people actually care if someone can see in your garden? Maybe I'm leading a boring life but not sure what people are doing in their garden that's so private!

Also it's next to impossible to find a house that isn't overlooked by someone. I don't think I've ever been in a single property that doesn't have a neighbour that can't see into the garden.

Maybe I'm the sort of buyer you're after.

My bungalow is not overlooked at all.  It has other  bungalows at the side and rear, and high hedges.  It's not so much what I am doing in my garden (gardening or reading), but I want to do it without other people looking at me.
We didn't buy it for that reason (it was an added bonus) , but now having had such privacy, I would not easily give it up.

I also think there are many people like you who don't mind.  The OP's house will sell eventually.

lookstraightahead

Gavin83 said:

Something I've never really understood about this stance. Why do people actually care if someone can see in your garden? Maybe I'm leading a boring life but not sure what people are doing in their garden that's so private!

Also it's next to impossible to find a house that isn't overlooked by someone. I don't think I've ever been in a single property that doesn't have a neighbour that can't see into the garden.

Maybe I'm the sort of buyer you're after.

This is what I was thinking. I don't like estates so it rules out new builds for me, but I don't mind ever being overlooked as I genuinely don't see my life as that important to others. I mean, people plaster their food and fake lives all over Facebook so maybe it's because they don't want people to see their 'real' lives. I just get on with my life and if others want to watch so be it, but I don't care what goes on with Mrs miggins at number 2 🤣

lookstraightahead

BungalowBel said:

Gavin83 said:

Something I've never really understood about this stance. Why do people actually care if someone can see in your garden? Maybe I'm leading a boring life but not sure what people are doing in their garden that's so private!

Also it's next to impossible to find a house that isn't overlooked by someone. I don't think I've ever been in a single property that doesn't have a neighbour that can't see into the garden.

Maybe I'm the sort of buyer you're after.

My bungalow is not overlooked at all.  It has other  bungalows at the side and rear, and high hedges.  It's not so much what I am doing in my garden (gardening or reading), but I want to do it without other people looking at me.
We didn't buy it for that reason (it was an added bonus) , but now having had such privacy, I would not easily give it up.

I also think there are many people like you who don't mind.  The OP's house will sell eventually.

It's strange isn't it as I would rather be overlooked than live in a bungalow. Also, I live in a really old house and lots of people prefer new builds. 

I think everyone likes and dislikes certain types of accommodation, op, so you're no worse off than others. 

ReadingTim

bhsmith12 said:

We don’t have the money for screening trees (already looked into it!) and we really don’t want to drop the price as it really is well priced. 

If it was really that well priced, you'd have had offers, not just viewings.  The feedback is telling you that whilst you're in the right ballpark on price for the general type of property, location etc, the garden in your particular house knocks that a bit.  Drop the price 10-15% and I'm sure buyers would see past the overlooking issue.   

BobT36

When I say overlooked, it's this sort of thing I'm thinking of.. 
Ones with smaller gardens literally have the other houses looming right there, as if they're in your kitchen. A row of them immediately behind, and ones to the sides / diagonally all looking over, as well. 

Such would feel horrible for me. I've counted some where there's over 12 houses all looking in, and that doesn't even include the neighbours at the side (which are a given in all but a few properties).