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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be concerned about buying a house near a travellers camp?

45 replies

drawohamme · 18/02/2014 23:39

Before anyone gets the flame thrower out - I am asking about the effect it has on house prices etc, not about whether they should / shouldn't be there etc.

I am moving out of London (where I have been perfectly happy living with a huge great mix of different communities) and hopefully into a commuter belt village. DH came home tonight and said that a colleague of his had heard about where we were looking and 'warned' us about a big travelling camp in the area.

Was this person being an idiot or am I being naive thinking that we wouldn't be affected whilst we live there or long term financially when we eventually want to sell up?

OP posts:
Fairenuff · 18/02/2014 23:43

Well, presumably that would be reflected in the price you pay to buy it, so it's all relative.

But you might find it difficult to sell on.

FoxesRevenge · 18/02/2014 23:43

In an affluent area not far from me there is planning permission currently going through to allow travellers a permanent site. It is council owned land. The residents are fighting hard to stop it as they are worried about the impact on property prices. Being realistic, it will definitely affect them, as long as the attitude towards the travelling community remain as they are.

WooWooOwl · 18/02/2014 23:44

Would you be prepared to say which area you are taking about in case posters who live there can give you their experience?

Preciousbane · 18/02/2014 23:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ButICantaloupe · 18/02/2014 23:47

Have you looked at the local papers to see of there are any issues?

Beamur · 18/02/2014 23:49

If it does affect property prices, it might work in your favour if you're less bothered by the impact.
If it is a permanent Council run site, it will be maintained and looked after.

PatrickStarisabadbellend · 18/02/2014 23:52

I live in a village with an extremely large traveller population. It's horrible.
My children can't play out without being beaten up, the park is a no go area.
Nobody can sell. The house prices have gone down so much. Our local school is losing local children because the violence is becoming too much.

Don't buy. You will regret it.

I should point out that before 5 years ago we had zero travellers in our village. The population is apparently now 2000+ travellers. I live in a village just outside of Chester.

WorraLiberty · 19/02/2014 00:05

OP this is where local facebook groups/local online newspapers etc really come into their own.

See if you can seek out any online posts/reviews of the area made by residents.

I agree with the PP who said house prices will be relevant and that if it pushes prices down, you'll be taking advantage of that when you buy anyway.

We don't have permanent camps here but whenever travellers come and park in our local graveyard and sports playing field, crime rises significantly until they get moved on.

However if the camp is permanent, you might not get the same problem.

NigellasDealer · 19/02/2014 00:07

yes google it as worra suggests, there is nothing that anyone here can suggest unless they have personal experience like patrickstar here, but it sounds as though that is miles from your intended new home.

Joysmum · 19/02/2014 00:16

Do your homework. Whilst Zooplankton hasn't been perfectly accurate on the prices I've paid for all of my houses, it's been close enough. You'll be able to see how much roughly prices in the road you are looking at have changed over the years and compare them to other areas.

When I was looking to invest in my houses, I found it invaluable. I was able to work out which areas had dropped by the largest margin during the crash, and so which was the best investment.

pigsDOfly · 19/02/2014 00:33

I think it rather depends how close the site is to the part of the village you're thinking of buying in OP. My daughter and her partner were in a similar situation to you. They fell in love with a lovely house in a small town and like you someone told them (the person didn't live in the area) that there was a traveller site in the town and they'd regret buying.

They looked into it and found out that the site was in fact right over the other side of the town and quite some distance from the house they wanted. They've lived there for nearly a year now and the site and its residents have had no impact on their lives whatsoever; nor does it seem to impact on house prices in the area when compared to other similar areas.

Original poster
drawohamme · 19/02/2014 03:06

Thanks everyone. We're currently looking at a few places in Redbourn. I've been having a good google and the site seems to be temporary - although it keeps getting five year extentions.
We bought a place in London near a football club and although we were told it was a big gamble it really paid off for us financially, kind of looking to try something similar.

Seems like it's been there ages so the house prices must reflect that, but I'll do more research about the impact. Half the reason we want to move is to be somewhere safer for our sonSmile

OP posts:
NigellasDealer · 19/02/2014 03:08

nowhere is really safe drawohamme - wherever you go there will be some kind of danger.
for example where we live the crime rate is v v low but there is rampant drug abuse and alcohol consumption.
it is lovely and quiet but all likelihood of teens being stranded on a dark road with no pavement if they miss their bus....
etc etc

MadIsTheNewNormal · 19/02/2014 03:12

No.

MadIsTheNewNormal · 19/02/2014 03:17

Although I completely agree with what Pigs said.

fivefourtime · 19/02/2014 04:52

Won't a drop in value only come about if a camp moves to the area while you're living there? If it was there before, then the effect on prices will be there when you buy as well as when you sell. On the other hand, if the camp moves away or is evicted while you're living there, the value of your house will actually rise.

woodlandwanderwoman · 19/02/2014 05:05

House prices drop for a reason in situations like this. I would seriously consider how you feel the impact could affect the day to day lives of you and your family.

Talk to other residents and seek out concrete examples of the changes new people have brought to the community as pp mentioned above. It may be that they have settled well but you don't know what lies ahead. The council really don't have as many powers of control as some would like and the police can be very reluctant to become involved.

For me there would be too many uncertainties around the future. If you do buy and find yourselves unhappy because of the site you will find it very difficult to move on.

PlainBrownEnvelope · 19/02/2014 05:16

The problem may not just be the price but the liquidity of the asset- i.e. how easy is it to sell on?

I would be wary of sinking a lot of money into a house that had something about it that would make a lot of people rule it out regardless of price (e.g. stream in back garden, on main road, upside-down layout etc). Many people would not consider a house near a traveller camp even if well priced relative to other houses.

thedogwakesuptoodamnearly · 19/02/2014 06:34

There are a couple of long-term traveller sites in our village. Very occasionally there are a few fights between young lads. Sometimes horses get pegged out on the verges for grazing. I'm sure fights happen in most villages, and the horses like carrots. Most of the time there is simply no issue.

sixlive · 19/02/2014 06:40

It can have a huge impact on the schools in the area. No it is cheap for a reason the London market is so different, areas in the country don't just suddenly go up in value.

DarlingGrace · 19/02/2014 08:03

It depends on the site and the sort of Travellers they are. Roma are very different to Irish. The Irish are very well integrated into our society now, and really don't conform to media stereotype; their children are well educated, go to college, and frequently university. They really aren't as they are portrayed on 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding'. Well the ones round here aren't.

They do keep themselves to themselves. They aren't likely to come round rustling your chickens and nicking bikes from your dive.

But also people often don't move on from past gossip. There was a large site in the next town, the children all went to the local comp, until they dropped out in Y8/9, which used to be quite common. Most of that camp has dispersed, there are two families left, if there are any children in that comprehensive, they aren't immediately noticeable. But people still talk about the 'pikey school' Hmm. So gossip can be 20 years old and still have an effect on an area.

Original poster
drawohamme · 19/02/2014 08:28

Thanks again everyone. I think I need to do my homework.

I'm very much live and let live and I know where ever we go there will be dangers for my son. TBH my biggest concern is road traffic safety whilst he's little.

I grew up in a small town where everyone was afraid of anything different and when I moved to te big bad city I realised ninety percent of the concern was nonsense. I just thought it might be the same thing again.

However now I'm potentially sinking money into a place I realise people's perceptions are as important as the reality.

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 19/02/2014 08:36

The area where I live is traditionally somewhere there are a lot of Roma, and I can immediately think of 7 privately owned sites within a few miles of where I am. You never hear of any trouble from these sites.

We also have some new age type travellers who come through at certain times of year with traditional (but much dirtier than the roma would ever consider) horse drawn caravans who camp on the side of the road. They cause a bit of a mess, but never go on private land.

YellowDinosaur · 19/02/2014 08:37

We had friends who used to live in Redbourn. They moved a few years ago but only because they couldn't afford a house the size they wanted in Redbourn and from how they talked about it I think they would have stayed if they could afford it. I've never heard them mention a travellers shoe and they certainly didn't have any issues selling.

But yes, do your homework as suggested.

YellowDinosaur · 19/02/2014 08:38

Shoe? Site thanks dyac!