Developer wants to buy my house - WWYD

[Dinoswearunderpants]

Hi all

It's very early days but I just wanted to hear people's thoughts on what they'd do in my situation.

I live in a semi detached house and the other side of my neighbour is a car park which the local council are looking to sell.

A developer has written to both myself and neighbour asking to meet as they are interested in acquiring our properties.

I haven't met with them yet as I've had a lot going on, however my neighbour has and they are quite keen to sell. They've had various issues and I think so long as the price is right, they will look to sell.

I thought the developer would need to buy both our properties to do their development but it turns out that even if only my neighbour sells, they could knock their house down and turn mine into a detached house.

I was never considering moving as I love the area and my neighbours but it sounds like they are very much keen to move.

I know nothing about figures but honestly can't see how they could offer a substantial amount more than asking price and still make their development profitable.

It leaves me in such a dilemma. I could stay but be stuck with a building site next door for who knows how long. I also worry that I'd need some sort of legal advice and this is going to cost me. Plus I know they do it all the time but what if something goes wrong and my house is damaged? Not to mention the noise and dust.

Then they'll be this new development which I have no idea if it will impact my property. They've mentioned residential care home so that could include noise pollution and parking issues.

Have you any advice/opinions please?

Ohhhhh that’s a good one. Ignore mine and do that instead.

@Doris86 or a busy access road, or a huge building next to you...

They have said they only need one house! it will be wide enough for a road.

If the neighbour sells and you don't you are leaving yourself wide open to the house next door being demolished or partly demolished until they think you will give in and settle for a low price to sell yours.

You aren't in Canterbury by any chance, OP? I think there is a car park near the station being developed ...

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. I have previously replied to the access road question. I don't think they need our houses for access road. What I didn't think about is the fact that our home overlooks a beautiful gardens/registry office so I was thinking they'd want it for car parking but actually, they might make our houses the main area (for the views) and use the car park for the parking etc.

I emailed the developer. I'll be very non-committal. Ask to see the plans and that will give us a lot more information.

I hadn't realised that the car park has a notice saying theirs intention to sell. We had until 4th December to submit objections. I do think this will press ahead. I think we just need to be very sensible here and get the right advice.

I just still don't have a clue where to start with advice.

Also we're not in Caterbury.

1. Begin by contacting a local Estate agent to get a free evaluation, so you know the current market value of your home as it is.
2. Then contact the developer and see what they are offering. 3 Then compare.

Op be very cautious here re some of these responses. An example is this one, people don’t understand what you’re writing. The developer will never be desperate to buy your home, for the simple reason it’s a nice to have and not required, as you yourself have stated.

this could be an opportunity, but you are also at huge risk. Chopping your building in half is very unlikely to enhance its value as a pp seemed to think. Simply as then it’s technically detached. It is more likely to significantly devalue it due to its appearance and concerns over structural integrity

in addition you will be positioned in a very different context than today, being in the middle of whatever is developed.

personally for advice I think you need to engage a solicitor who has experience in property /land law to review what is coming your way.

Is it not on the planning portal?ie what they will use it for, if you were able to raise objections, all the docs should be there,

I think we just need to be very sensible here and get the right advice

Absolutely and yes, as per PP search on your local Council's website for the planning portal, where all plans and associated documents will be published with their application. If there was a date by which to raise objections, the information you need to see in the first instance, will be online.

To a degree all property sales and purchases are like a game of chess. You can never truly know the other side's position, you can only take qualified, professional advice and play your best game based on what your ideal outcome - and that has to be the best for you and your family, not everyone around you, as much as you like them.

I've got an anecdote you'd do well to think about.

@Janieforever The planning portal will most probably be change of use for the land.

Any update OP?

But it needs to say from what to what. It won’t just sat change of use, with no detail and expect folks to raise an objection. It needs to state what the new use will be.

@Dinoswearunderpants I knew some people who owned a large detached house with a double garage and a garden that wrapped around three sides. A much larger house behind theirs contracted to sell a big piece of land off to a developer who'd then be able to build about 10 properties. So it was going to be a lucrative project for them.

The developer's problem was that the site was landlocked, unless they could negotiate with these people and purchase some of their land to create an access road. This is where their story is different from yours, these people were absolutely essential to the plan.

We suggested the best thing would be to hold out for a super inflated price for their property and sell the whole thing, then the developer could carve up the land however it best suited them, depending on planning, which wouldn't have looked like a problem. They could potentially have converted the original house and garage to apartments and gained back some of the uplift they'd paid.

However, they sold off a portion of their garden and received a bit more on another side from the landlocked plot. They soon ploughed through the money on this and that and when they did come to move on, it took five years to sell their house as the market didn't regard it as anywhere near as desirable as it had once been before the new development. I think they did feel they put up with all the disturbance while the site works were ongoing and in the end, shot themselves in the foot.

The moral of all this being that the developers will manipulate you and your neighbour to their own best interests and you have to think very carefully now about what's going to suit you in the long term. This could be a big chance, so follow your head, not your heart.

Well the developers would say it’s a nice to have, not an essential requirement wouldn’t they? Otherwise it puts them in a weak negotiating position. It might be true, it might not be.

Hi all,

Definitely no update. I see this one being a very long process. I emailed the developers yesterday and they haven't replied yet. If they want to play games with not replying, I can do the same.

I'm seeing this as a good opportunity so I'm more open minded to move but only if the price is good.

I think you're all amazing with your replies so thank you so much.

@Janieforever it will be a change use class.

A change to Use Class C – Hotels, houses, HMOs, prisons, care homes etc.

It just allows anything, not anything to be built, but the land is deemed appropriate to any of the above as an application.

Op, its new years, calm down, people are just getting back to work. And also try to habe a balanced approach, as said, yes it might be an opportunity but it could also be the worst thing that ever happened if you don’t move. Not responding isn’t playing games, they are a business. They aren’t just dealing with you.

@Dinoswearunderpants You have had good advice already but may I add:

You say you do not know where to start - you do! You have already emailed the developer so that is a start. I would now do the following:

Keep in contact with your neighbour - the developers will play you off against one another if you do not keep your wits about you.

Contact various RICS surveyors - call as many as you can, ask if they have experience of the situation you are in - if they say yes ask for proof

Be wary of contacting local surveyors, or local to where the developers are based. You want a surveyor who is totally independant.

As above, be careful with local estate agents who may know the developers and want them to use their agency to market properties.

Land agents would be another option to pursue.

Keep you cards very close to you - remember any information you give out may be used against you! Also take anything the developers say with a pinch of salt!

The developers will be masters at getting what they want for the cheapest possible deal - your mantra should be you get what you want for the most money - there should be a compromise somewhere in the middle.

Good luck!

OP: take heed of this advice:
A RICS member should be your first port of call now, but they need to have experience of land development, promotion and ransom strips.

Do not start any conversation with the developer without serious advice.

https://www.rics.org/networking/find-a-member

This happened to a friend of ours, they didn't really want to sell but realised that they'd be living in the middle of a building site if they didn't.

The developers played hardball and they got a reasonable deal in the end but not a great one, even though they were the only house the developers didn't already own. I do agree with others that you need to get together with your neighbours and employ a professional to deal with the developers for you, it will mean they'll take you more seriously and you'll get as much as you should for your home. Best of luck!

I do not believe any developer would or could convert a semi into a detached and still make money. You are holding all the cards get the value of your house and look for a premium of 30%

We sold our previous home to a developer and secured vastly over the market value. It did not include covering any onward fees. It also took a very long time and started with the developers having an option agreement to buy for one year to enable them to secure planning. The option agreement came with a non refundable deposit of several thousand which we negotiated for. It took closer to 18months. Good luck 🤞

I think you’ve misunderstood, they are developing the site, inc the car park, the neighbours house will be demolished, leaving just the ops half,under her ownership. At the side of the new development.

Any idea of the cost of making a semi into a detached by tearing in in half - I fully understand

It in half