Would this put you off buying a house? Please be honest

[ButIGetUpAgain]

Hello

I say "please be honest", because this could potentially be seen as a bit snobby or even elitist, but I'd still really appreciate honesty under the circumstances.

So we've (hopefully 🤞) sold our house after a long time on the market. It's been tough, as we've been desperate to move for 18 months!

Anyway, location was top of our list and we've found somewhere almost perfect, in a nice local village, 4 bed, end of terrace,
large living room and large kitchen/diner. However, at the back of this road, there are several large blocks of flats and I can't lie, it's giving me second thoughts on putting in an offer, which we were almost certainly going to do. At best, it's an eye sore, at worst, it's SH for ex offenders etc. I don't know how/if I can find this out.

I desperately don't want to offend anyone and I know how this could sound. Overall, I don't think I have a problem with it. I have driven round that road several times and I haven't seen anything worrying. I think I'm concerned more about selling it on, as this is a 3-5 year house, ideally, which is why I'm asking the question, would this put you off?...Honestly.

TIA

Honestly - yes it would.

Depends how close you really are

Would definitely put me off. When we bought our house I was adamant I would not live next to an alleyway again and wanted to back on to another garden.

Yes it would

I'd share your concerns - many blocks of flats often attract the undesirables, though there are some that are mostly filled with childless professional singles/couples or the retired.

Look them up on Rightmove sold properties. If any of them were sold in the last 10 or so years then they might still have the interior pictures attached, you can tell what kind of people live there from those.

It would if they were visible from the house and depends on the reputation, can you ask in local shops?

Yes but because l don’t want to be over looked and it being an eyesore. Nothing about that is snobby.

Flats are fine if the residents are regular people. But if ex offenders (especially paedophiles) are being housed there I wouldn’t buy a house nearby. I’d be particularly worried if I had children.

What makes you think it's for ex offenders?

It would. And I live in a back to back semi so not snobby in the slightest.........there's being over looked then there's having an entire block of people being able to see right into your home and garden. Plus all the noise that goes with it.

No thanks.

Ah, seems to be fairly unanimous so far

You can't see them from the garden, but you can at the front of the house, to the side. Not much though.

It would certainly put me off buying the house

Plus it's more than likely that the flats are rented, I personally wouldn't live somewhere where I was surrounded by renters.

I think it would depend on the area and look of the flats to be honest. There's blocks of flats and there's blocks of flats.
Your local authority might be able to give information on their use?
I wouldn't want them directly overlooking my garden, but that goes for any building.

Sorry just seen your update about them not being near the garden.
If you can't really see them then is the issue who might be living there rather than view?

Does anyone know how I go about finding this out?

@keepingbees, yes, I suppose that is a concern.

At best, it's an eye sore, at worst, it's SH for ex offenders etc. I don't know how/if I can find this out.

What on earth has made you think that some flats you've only glimpsed from the outside are sheltered housing for ex-offenders?

Do all ex-offenders live in flats?

Lots of perfectly nice, normal people live in flats. Why would the fact that they're flats mean they're going to be filled with ex offenders

@Gallivespian, because in all honesty, they look like those kind of flats. It's not very nice to say, I know, but nevertheless...

If it’s an eyesore then it’s like any thing else you’d rather not have in your view. Be it a block of flats, huge wall, construction site or whatever.

The price will match how much people would want to put up with an eyesore.

Is it a village with a Post Office? If so I'd ask there, they'll know what sort of flats they are.

It's in the nature of villages to have all manner of people living not far from each other, so it wouldn't necessarily put me off.

Yes. Nothing to do with whether or not it houses ex-offenders (never given that any thought) and everything to do with not wanting to be overlooked.

What do those kind of flats look like? The housing for ex offenders in my area looks like a row of terraced houses...