House buying regret - antisocial behaviour

[bitofamarmite]

I want to start by saying that I am extremely grateful and recognise how lucky we are to have bought a house in the first place. I grew up in poverty so I didn't ever think I could achieve this.

And yet, a few years ago we bought our first home. It's a modest home in a low- to medium-income area, with many mixed residences (single and multiple inhabitants). The house itself is fine, it's a bit dated and needs mostly cosmetic work which we thought we could live with but is more extensive that we imagined, which is a bit of a headache. But the biggest issue is the neighbourhood. On paper it's fine, and we're even across from a school, but a shop has opened up on the other corner and it's become a massive gathering spot for workmen who are there at all hours, drinking and smoking, and I've also seen drug deals. They often take over the school yard at night and even ride motorcycles around the paved area. I have called the police but have told there's nothing to be done. I have also filed reports with the local authorities, who say they're keeping an eye on the situation, but don't seem to take further action. Some of our things have been stolen or damaged (small things, like flower pots) from outside of our home. In short, lots of antisocial behaviour on my doorstep and I hate that.

There are some nice things about the neighbourhood (good proximity to transit, school nearby, good commute my and DH's work) and a few nice neighbours. It is the sort of area that may improve in a few years, new neighbours are a mix of working class immigrants and some trendy types who are into DIY, but it could equally become more run-down. We could have bought a bit more when we purchased but we were quite cautious with our money, and I constantly regret this. As property values have continued to climb, the possibility of us moving is close to nil. And I constantly worry that we will be unable to sell the home if the neighbourhood becomes worse.

Has anyone else experienced this? I am sure I sound like an ungrateful cow but it's really been wearing on me and I can't seem to think it through.

Workmen? Do you mean actual adult males are riding motor bikes round the school yard? Whereabouts are you (roughly of course, no need to be specific)

yes, they’re men who do manual labour, I don’t want to be too specific as that may be stigmatising. We are in an urban area.

Our direct neighbour is also young (25), smokes, and is up at all hours and often getting into shouting matches with her boyfriend. I’m just so tired of it. We didn’t expect this but to be fair hadn’t researched the details of
this neighbourhood much before we bought, we knew it was a bit mixed but the way it’s turned out is really rather disappointing.

Urban areas, terraces can be like this , unfortunately
Do you at least get some decent night sleep?

I'm rather gobsmacked at the idea of adult males working on a building site or some such all day and then riding motorbikes round a closed school yard in the evening.

I honestly don't know what you can do, sorry.

Ok, not an ideal situation. But actually property values in England are at best stagnating. Try to keep clam which you work out a lot term plan. How many people in the family and how big the house? How long were you planning to stay? What are the chances of you or your partner gaining a decent pay rise in the next 2-3 years ?

I do sleep at night, they're usually stopped with the activities round 11 pm but the shop starts up business again at 5 a.m.

No big pay rises in the coming years, there is the possibility of me taking on more hours (I have caretaking responsibilities so am longer-term part time) but it wouldn't be a huge upgrade, perhaps £500 per month. I really feel stuck and depressed about it all.

Our current plan is to try to save as much as possible, fix what needs fixing and see if we can recoup some value on the house and hopefully move upwards a wee bit.

It’s sad that the minority spoil it for the majority isn’t it. We get low level crime and anti social behavior too and it is horrible. People don’t know how to behave.

I’d keep a close eye on property prices in the neighborhood, get your place reevaluated after doing some cosmetic work and sell asap.

We lived in an otherwise lovely area of London, that was ruined by one family causing absolute chaos. It’s not worth a fight unless you are in a forever home.

My friend moved from an area that had become a bit run down and ended up with bad neighbours. Luckily they moved away last year , but she said it was sad that it brought the area down a lot. You only need one or two to change where you live when it was previously not too bad.

Yes it's a bad influence. It does feel like the neighbourhood could be gentrifying, in which case the property values would go up considerably in 5-10 years. (One recent neighbour is a young GP and her partner who've bought a home they're doing the DIY on, and another young family with children, both teachers). In principle it's got lovely amenities, excellent rail connections, green spaces, etc...so perhaps a bit of a promising/hidden gem. But it also feels like it could go the other way and under the influence of the shop and antisocial behaviour, turn into a very run down corner.

It sounds exactly like where I live to be honest. We didn’t have a choice, it was the only area we could afford. Got the shop right across the road from us and it’s the same, only it’s mainly people smoking weed outside it.

I’ve lived where I am for 20 years and there are certain areas I wouldn’t go to alone. A shop the other side of town sells vapes to the teenagers and they tend to congregate there.
The council have wardens now , but they go home at 5 and the kids hang out long after this or go around in large groups. Mostly it’s just noise ,but I’ve heard about people having things stolen and so on too. Big new estates going up and that has caused a few problems too. I do think it’s like it everywhere though, people don’t know how to behave and lack of things for the m to do.

@OneHangryHiker yes, that's exactly it. There's just nothing that we can do. I feel disappointed that we don't have more money, that my kids are having this on their door every day. And honestly a bit jealous of friends who have more help from family, or bought decades ago, and can have homes in better areas. I just don't see a way out and it's chronically depressing.

There is a way out @bitofamarmite , don’t despair.
as pp said, house prices are fairly flat, if not falling - I wouldn’t spend too much on your property personally, just the basics, and have a plan to move in three years.
it may make the current situation more bearable if you know you have an exit plan.

or could you rent yours out and rent in a quieter area?

I know it’s a horrible feeling isn’t it?

But what can you do. We lived in a lovely area a few hours away before we moved here but we were killing ourselves working to pay 2k a month in rent to stay there. Got to the age of 40, I got ill and couldn’t work so this was the plan B.

I hate that my now 5 year old knows what weed smells like and doesn’t bat an eyelid when parents fight with each other on the school playground at pick up.