Overlooked House

prettyandfluffy

If you've only been on the market for 3 weeks, I would implement some of the easier practical measures suggested and then keep your nerve.  Unless someone is having a house built to their own specifications there is always likely to be a compromise or trade-off somewhere, and that might be the lack of privacy in the garden - or not, it might not bother some people at all.

When we bought our current home (intended as our forever home) it ticked so many boxes - area, age and size, parking, local amenities - that we accepted the small and steeply sloped garden.  It can be improved with planting and landscaping but it will still be small and sloping and we're fine with that. 

 If there's something wrong with the house or the price, it's the Estate Agent's job to tell you and to help find the right buyer for you.

BungalowBel

BobT36 said:

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). 

I agree.  That  house would be a last resort for me.  Although I know some people who live in Puerto Banus (millionaire's part of  Marbella), whose swimming pool and garden is overlooked like that.  They paid a fortune to live there and obviously don't mind being overlooked.  So there will be viewers for the OP's house for whom it won't be a problem.

BobT36

Saying that though, unless the viewers LIKE that sort of setup that others say is "overlooked", if there were two houses up at the same price, one overlooked, one not, I'd obv take the not overlooked one. 

Therefore if the OP's house is equivalent to others nearby but theirs is "more overlooked", and most of the viewers seem to feel that's a negative, they should be factoring that into their listing price. All depends on the exact situation, though. 

Silvertabby

How old is the estate?  Within a few years of buying our new build we - and most other neighbours - had trees, shrubs, trellises, etc which gave us all increased privacy.

RHemmings

Just a personal note that I'm a buyer who wouldn't be fussed about the garden being overlooked. It's not even something I've thought about when viewing houses, and I wouldn't care if anyone saw us doing whatever normal things in our back garden.

I like the idea of growing bamboo in pots from page 1 of this thread. Not for privacy reasons, but if bamboo can grow tall in pots then that's something we will be interested in doing in the future. Especially if we end up with a place with a small concrete so-called 'garden'. 

Murphybear

lookstraightahead said:

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. 

I think you’ve really hit the nail on the head.  Everyone is different and someone will like this house.  We used to live in a bungalow and absolutely loved it.  The person in the next door bungalow was a single woman and she was worried about “not going upstairs to bed” as she put it so she sold it.  

robatwork

At first glance that picture looks horrendous - on display for so many eyes. But it wouldn't be that difficult to setup a private area in that garden - the patio for example or a "garden within a garden" with some screening/trees/pergola/willow fences.

Richard1212

Abbafan1972 said:

Martico said:

I'd be in the cohort of "not bothered", if that helps. A couple of winters ago, several of the fences (inner city mid-terrace) separating my and neighbours' gardens blew down. We chatted, decided we liked each other and were actually happy to have lost the fences, and now it's easier to chat when we're out back, it's really good. 

We are the opposite to this. I don’t go out in my garden to chat to the neighbours. Have done what we can to block them out and have privacy. 

I'd rather be "overlooked" than have unfriendly anti-social neighbours who just want to "block me out".

BobT36

Richard1212 said:

Abbafan1972 said:

Martico said:

I'd be in the cohort of "not bothered", if that helps. A couple of winters ago, several of the fences (inner city mid-terrace) separating my and neighbours' gardens blew down. We chatted, decided we liked each other and were actually happy to have lost the fences, and now it's easier to chat when we're out back, it's really good. 

We are the opposite to this. I don’t go out in my garden to chat to the neighbours. Have done what we can to block them out and have privacy. 

I'd rather be "overlooked" than have unfriendly anti-social neighbours who just want to "block me out".

Why shouldn't they want to block you out of THEIR lives? Some people like privacy.
Get somewhere like this, then you can stand in the window and wave at them as they get up for their morning cuppa in the kitchen. Or have a chat while they mow their lawn. 

fatbelly

I would bung some tall shrubs down the end of the garden. Then at least people can see that the view will be obstructed eventually.

We have RedRobin Photina and Black Elder both over 2m. Also a Rhododendron. A Magnolia (technically a tree but we prune it). A couple of other things that I don't know what they are - may be Vibernum.