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

On our council website you can look up planning applications on a map. It allows you to look in the last 6 months, last 2 years etc and each selection lights up those properties that have had planning. You can also select an all time which brings stuff up from the 70s.

But it meant it solved mysteries such as what is Clare House? Why are there always lots of visitors? It is a residential home for adults with additional needs.

Does your council have something like that on their planning portal? It comes under property search and then map.

My friend used to live near a bail hostel. She found out 2 weeks into signing a 6 month tenancy and the hostel did house sex offenders

I think you have your answer, op. Just find something else

I'm so torn!

I drove round with my DD last night (12) and she asked why I was specifically driving down that road, as that's not where we would be living. I tried to explain why, but she snapped at me with "people just live here mum. What's your problem?".

Made me feel like a bit of a dick tbh.

Will this be your ‘forever’ home are do you think you might move again? Just thinking of saleability of the house if this is putting you off and quite a lot of others are put off too? Your initial description made me think tho that the flats were right outside the house but it seems that’s not the case so I don’t think it’s as bad as you are thinking. Can you post a picture? I used to live in a flat, all my neighbours were lovely! Not everyone in a flat is an ex convict

@Sherloidbaisherloid, not our forever home, no. It would suit us very well for now, but we're thinking it's a 5 year max house. The flats are to the side of the house, over another road, so not right there iyswim. There are trees, which in the summer, would probably block out the view almost entirely.

If in doubt.....don’t.

Simple.

There are other properties.

But you can't tell from looking at the outside of ANY property who lives there. What if you had lovely next door neighbours and they moved.....

Done this twice now. I bought my first flat in a city tenement which housed ex offenders as halfway houses. Second purchase was a detached house on a new build estate in the suburbs with affordable housing (4 storey tenements) at the bottom of my very short road. All the flats got taken over by the council. I wouldn't live in a tenement or close to tenements ever again. Fine when you're young perhaps. OP it's a matter of personal preference. If you're put off you're put off, spend your money elsewhere. Don't give another thought as to what others think.

I'm amazed that people know they live near ex offenders. I wouldn't have a clue!

....had a high rise 500m away ... Crikey, residents there would need exceptional eyesight if you think people living there could spy on you from that distance!
This has to be one of the snobbiest threads ever, god help your neighbours having to live near you.

This thread is one of the most disgusting things I've ever read on here, (and I've been here a long time). No wonder the fucking Tories keep getting in when people think this way.
OP, your 12 year old has the right attitude.

I am asking opinions on a faceless forum, because I wanted honest answers for what is a huge financial decision.

It's all very well calling people snobs for saying they wouldn't buy this house under the circumstances, but if you can't actually move or lose a lot if money because of it, do you not see my caution?

god help your neighbours having to live near you.

Is that aimed at me?

And fwiw @WellGoshDarnIt, I think my DD has, but that doesn't change the fact that it might be a bad financial decision and going by vast majority of opinions on here, it probably is.

Am I a bad person for taking that into account?

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.

Goodness knows why block of flats = ex offenders, but type both the name of the street and the name of the block of flats into both google and Google news.

For instance, if you Google the name of a local block of flats in my area you'll find references in council documents to it housing ex offenders. If you type into Google news the name of another local street around the corner there are a surprising number of local newspaper court reports listing the accused as "offender name, of Smith Street" - further investigation turns up the fact that there's a bail hostel at 7 Smith Street.

Mind you, I lived next door to a bail hostel for a couple of years - it was a terraced house in a perfectly respectable fairly middle class part of town! Took me months to work out what it was next door, and we never had any trouble from them.

When google need searching the area, always make sure you compare with a comparable street that you know and feel safe on - doing a Google search on my current street reveals a couple of murders, terrorism arrests, drug raids and so on. I'm perfectly happy living here.

Honestly, I think it would make me reconsider. Could you visit the area at different times of day to get a feel for the area?

Goodness knows why block of flats = ex offenders,

It doesn't. I'm not automatically assuming that, but I think it's more likely that ex offenders etc would be housed here, in a cheaply made, stack em high, cram em in, block of flats, than a big detached house, on a quiet cul de sac. I know that does happen though.

Probably a bit although depends entirely what they are like... I wouldn't want to live next to a rough, large estate but a standalone block or two (of either council or private housing) wouldn't worry me.

Also depends how close exactly they are. Overlooking your garden - would put me off. Visible at the end of the road when you stand outside - not a problem.

This thread is one of the most disgusting things I've ever read on here, (and I've been here a long time). No wonder the fucking Tories keep getting in when people think this way.

Agreed

I thought I was going mental reading this thread.

I rent but I didn’t know it made me less.

But unless you live in the absolute middle of nowhere, like a tiny village with 35 houses and a pub, then surely everywhere has flats? I live in a smallish Kent village and there's several blocks, plus new ones being built on the village green which are on the market for a small fortune. It didn't even enter my head to be bothered about them when we moved here. I lived in a flat for 13 years in a not great area and never had any issues whatsoever. It just seems like an absolute non issue to me, particularly as you've already been told there's no problems?
Flats are just small houses at the end of the day 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️.

Can I ask how well you 'get over things?' Being very honest if this bothered me now it would be likely to keep bothering me. You seem as concerned - understandably - about resale. And if they bother you then yes they could bother other people. How many is a guess and so therefore a gamble? Will you worry about it you have done the right thing? If yes or even maybe I'd look for somewhere else. Most houses have some element of compromises in reality. Few people find their perfect house but can you live with this one?

Rental flats are fine, flats that are an eyesore may reduce the saleability of your property ( but may make it more affordable for you)
Flats housing ex offenders or people with substance abuse, MH issues or similar will make a property harder to sell even if they haven’t caused any issues.
Those are facts not snobbery

It would not put me off, I live in a house and there are flats on the road. Not quite sure what the problem is?

If it makes you feel uncomfortable to live near flat dwellers maybe you should buy a property further out if your budget doesn’t stretch to avoiding flat dwellers in the proposed area.

Can you post a picture of the flats or a link of the house? It might help us to help you decide?

Probably would tbh. Don't feel guilty.