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Original poster

Would you be put off living next to us?

64 replies

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 31/10/2019 14:08

Next door has been for sale for months - since early summer at least. At first there were lots of viewings and one sale that fell through. But now, nothing for weeks.

Other houses on the street have sold in the time and I am starting to wonder if it's us!

The house is a former rental that has been done up neutrally. It has a largeish flat garden that the owner maintains. It is within easy walking distance of shops and 2 good local schools.

We are attached and have 3 small dc inc twins. We also work all the hours God sends and accordingly the garden is a bit shabby and our car is not exactly an old banger but rather worn.

Would you be put off living next to a family like that? Blush

OP posts:
titchy · 31/10/2019 14:49

car with 3 car seats in on drive.

On wheels or bricks?

Original poster
JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 31/10/2019 14:50

BigFatLiar Grin only at weekends!!

OP posts:
hallohallohallo · 31/10/2019 14:57

BigFatLiar Thu 31-Oct-19 14:42:05 Do you stand naked in the window where the neighbours can see?

Grin lol Only when they're dining in their new kitchen extension, despite the frantic waving by the Mrs NDN and laughter from her children

xraytangocharlie · 31/10/2019 15:01

Nope - wouldn't put me off.

Parking issues yes, as would a multitude of barking dogs, but children? Fine by me Smile

MyShinyWhiteTeeth · 31/10/2019 15:06

I'd found a lovely place at a very good price and it seemed perfect.

At the second viewing and being on the verge of choosing it - the neighbour next door started up effing and blinding, telling the kids to 'shut the fuck up I've got a hangover'. I couldn't hear any children - only her. I chose somewhere else (with turned out to have horrible neighbours on both sides anyway).

OnlyTheTitOfTheIceberg · 31/10/2019 15:12

Honestly? Yes, because I've lived next to a family with young children and as an introvert it was a LOT of noise to put up with. I do appreciate that's my issue and I know I'm tarring all families with the same brush unfairly, but that's my honest answer. I live on a street where I probably bring the average age down by about ten years and I'm middle-aged! I love the peace and quiet and being able to sit in the garden without the thud-thud-thud of a football against the fence all the livelong day. Obviously I know any of my neighbours could sell up at any point and a loud family could move in, but I wouldn't actively choose to move in to a house where there's a potentially noisy family in situ, if there were similar houses in quieter locations.

Naillig222 · 31/10/2019 15:12

Depends on how bad it was, but a shabby garden next door would put me off, yes.

Three kids wouldn't make any difference to me as I have three of my own and I wouldn't think our house is particularly loud.

LemonBreeland · 31/10/2019 15:12

I think it is quite possibly because it's empty. That can put people off who have no vision of what a house could look like lived in.

TheRobinIsBobbingAlong · 31/10/2019 15:16

You should arrange your own viewing OP. Then you can see for yourself the precise condition inside, and look out of the windows to see what the viewers are presented with when looking at yours.

Mollpop · 31/10/2019 15:18

It'd put me off. But then again I wouldn't chose to buy any house if I knew there were kids next door. I know that I'm a grumpy old git and that it's my problem though. I struggle with noise and to me kids mean noise. Even the normal sound of kids playing drives me insane. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike children, but now mine are grown up I just want somewhere quiet and peaceful

Lunafortheloveogod · 31/10/2019 15:18

It depends.. if you’re actually like your description I would’ve give a toss.. if you’re like the family of 5 over the back I’d get it. Terraced house.. children’s toys abandoned in the opposite (for sale) garden cause dad land scaped his and doesn’t want them fucking it up.. his words can be heard clearly in my kitchen. Broken fences by clambering over them 905 times an hour for a ball, throwing crap into neighbouring gardens, trying to feed my dogs chocolate, then throwing bottles at them when they bark.. and the constant screaming, if it’s not them it’s their mum. And ironically the houses either side of them are up for sale for a decent chunk less than ones further up the street.

They incidentally do have a washing machine in the front garden. Dad ain’t as precious about the front for some reason.

nononever · 31/10/2019 15:23

I think it is quite possibly because it's empty.

That might be a contributing factor.

The young children would put me off if I'm honest. We actually sold a house we absolutely loved, it was perfect except for the noisy neighbours (two kids). They were the loveliest people you could meet but by god they were noisy as hell, they were a family of shouters, they didn't just talk, they yelled. The clincher was being woken up early one Christmas morning with Like a Virgin belting out of a karaoke machine they bought for their daughter as a gift. We had a toddler at the time so used to noise at a decent level. As far as I know the people we sold it to still live there and have extended into the massive loft space.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 31/10/2019 15:25

Would you want the kind of people who would be put off by what sounds a normal family living next door to them as your new neighbours?
Someone will buy the house who likes it and doesn't mind you. Is there a reason why you feel the need to worry about how you are percieved? Has someone upset you on this front? Try not to worry. It will all be fine.

Samosaurus · 31/10/2019 15:28

You sound just like a normal family to me, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if I was looking at the house next door to you. It is a bit odd that for all the different reasons a house can be slow to sell that you think it’s all about you though!

milliefiori · 31/10/2019 15:29

I'd be put off if I heard you screaming abuse at yoru kids. Or if you had streams of visitors who stayed for two minutes and rang the doorbell incessantly at 2 am.
But scruffiness doesn't bother me. Nor do young squawky babies. They grow up soon enough.

ddl1 · 31/10/2019 15:30

Unless you are noisy or otherwise disruptive as neighbours, I think it's very unlikely to be anything about you. I know from a number of people that it's difficult to sell a house right at the moment. Partly Brexit-related uncertainty; partly it's just the wrong time of year. I'm surprised at the other houses that did get sold, to be honest.

LaurieMarlow · 31/10/2019 15:31

Who knows? Not your problem though.

Dowser · 31/10/2019 15:32

I wouldn’t
I had young kids once
My ex neighbours would not have wanted to move beside you though
As long as you’ve no barking dogs loud music late at night and drunken parties I’d be fine with you

OrangeCinnamon · 31/10/2019 15:34

Big dogs that are kept outside in the back garden would be my biggest reason.

This ....barking dogs would be the reason

A shabby garden? Nope and for those that it would well guess they would have the luxury to make decisions based on such nonsense!

BlingLoving · 31/10/2019 15:38

The house next to us was sold three times (sales kept falling through) while a house on the other side didn't get an offer. I know the estate agent and asked her because it seemed weird to me. In this case, the other house had no central heating and she said that people just weren't willing to buy a house and have to install it, especially at the price. While the house next to us needed a lot of work but it was mostly cosmetic and the house was priced appropriately for a quick sale.

So I think it's far more likely something like that. Some houses just don't appeal and often the owners aren't willing to make the change necessary for a quick sale (according to my estate agent friend - eg she warned us that when we did our loft we were making the house quite big for the size of garden etc and that if we were planning to sell in the following five years we should not do it. The implication was that when we DO sell, we may need to lower price or expect a slightly slower sale time. Which is fine as it's been nearly five years already and there's no chance of us moving for at least another five).

Africa2go · 31/10/2019 15:40

As a parent of 3 DC (inc twins) I'm guessing both houses are family houses and prospective buyers are likely to be families. If that's the case, then evidence of children is hardly surprising.

There's a difference between a slightly overgrown garden with a couple of kids toys strewn about and a few (occasional) loud voices, and a garden that permanently looks like a bombsite and the kids running riot.

The former would be fine, the latter would make me run for the hills.

mencken · 31/10/2019 15:52

to the person with the neglected dog next door - get on to the council. They do have powers to enforce day care (or more, can only hope) but it is going to be a long battle to make it happen. So get started.

This is stautory nuisance. The council will keep your anonymity if you feel threatened.

it may be worth asking them to get the dog to day care, but people like this generally don't give a damn that furbaby is going nuts for hours so probably a waste of time.

MerryDeath · 31/10/2019 15:56

it wouldn't put me off but them we are also a family with young children. why does it matter? they'll sell when the right person comes along or they drop to a more realistic price, not your problem.. you aren't a bunch of druggies and gangstas!

JacksonPillock · 31/10/2019 16:02

There's a difference between a slightly overgrown garden with a couple of kids toys strewn about and a few (occasional) loud voices, and a garden that permanently looks like a bombsite and the kids running riot

This. The way you've described it in your OP, I would not be put off, no.

But the very fact that you've made this thread implies it's something you're conscious of/insecure about, which means either

a) you're overly insecure about a slightly shabby garden and a slightly old car, which is silly and you should get a hold of yourself

or

b) it's much worse than you're making out, which explains why you're so conscious of it.

SouthernComforts · 31/10/2019 16:02

My neighbours on either side had babies within weeks of eachother so I've had the joy of listening to them both through the walls for the last 12 months, so now I would try and scope out whether my neighbour had kids!

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