Garden sold off.

Mgman1965

Really nice house for sale in nearby village.

Went on the market 2 weeks ago for offers over £650,000.

Today, reduced by £50,000 to £600,000

We really like the house, BUT, 3yrs ago they sold off three quarters of the garden for £175,000, and 18 months ago a very large 4/5 bed executive house was built.

PP was initially refused by the council, because the access and egress is on a blind bend on a busy A road and because off the setting, but was appealed to the planning inspector who approved it.

It's blatantly obvious what they've done, and what's left of the garden isn't now in proportion to the house.

OH said this has put her right off knowing the neighbours are in what would've been our garden.

Would it put you off ?

flaneurs_lobster

Less grass to cut, less weeds to pull up….

Mgman1965

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82063252#Comment_82063252

But no room for chickens, a summerhouse, vegetable patch or put the caravan (saving £350 a year storage) as there would've been.

FreeBear

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82063257#Comment_82063257

If you are keeping chickens, go the whole hog and get a couple of pigs.
But flippancy aside, if the garden is vastly reduced, then yes, that would put me off. Nor would I want to live right next door to a McMansion.

secla

If the garden isnt what you want and its a deal breaker move on and look for something that has a large garden.

I know when we purchased our house we were looking for a house with a large garden and many that were for sale had planning permission on as it increased the value of the house. not everyone wants a huge garden to maintain.

We found what we were looking for eventually but land is a premium these days and if people can get planning they generally do as its more valuable that way

twopenny

I could have sold part of my garden from a large Georgian house for a bungalow build and made a good profit but didn't like the idea of someone that close. It would change the outlook too.

Also a large old style bungalow sold off their garden for a house. It changed the whole feel of the place and took away the charm and appearance. When for sale it took longer to sell than it should have being overshadowed by a two storey building.

Ditto a third one took 18 MTS to sell because of the large building at the end of the garden.

So yes, it puts me off

eddddy

Presumably, the asking price takes account of the small garden - or any offer you make should take account of the small garden.

Maybe if it still had the large garden, the asking price would be £700k - and maybe that would be beyond your budget. If so, you could argue that having a small garden is a potential benefit for you, because the small garden has brought the house down into your price range.

Herzlos

Would you like the garden if it hadn't been split? What it used to look like before it went on sale is irrelevant.

"OH said this has put her right off knowing the neighbours are in what would've been our garden"

It never would have been your garden, unless you plan to buy the house 3+ years ago and not sell the land off.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6675575/garden-sold-off

"OH said this has put her right off knowing the neighbours are in what would've been our garden."

I think you need to be absolutely clear on the issue that's giving you pause. Are you/your OH being put off by the remaining size of the garden, the proximity of the new house - does it loom?, or by the 'knowledge' that the next door plot used to be part of 'your' garden?

For the first two, I'd suggest you may need to consider very carefully whether the house is suitable for you; these are credible reasons to not proceed, and they are either acceptable to you both, or they are not. For the third, I'd suggest not proceeding, and using the money instead for therapy.

Mgman1965

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82063310#Comment_82063310

I've passed the house evert day for a good few years and always liked it.

We remember when It

had the whole garden and it was gorgeous with a view over fields which has now virtually gone (the new house has that now).

Oh, and thete is an old petrol Station next door that is now up for rent as a used car sales lot.

Link for context..

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89707404

kimwp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82063302#Comment_82063302

I thought this too, but then I thought, if the OPs other half would look out at the garden and feel annoyed, then it's not the right house for them.