To never buy a house unless I've met the neighbours

[ChangedAgainForAChange]

Saw a house today that I really like and I'm viewing it again on Saturday. It's a little mews house, perfect for one person or a couple but terraced so neighbours on both sides.

I absolutely refuse to put in an offer unless I've met at least one of them. I'm hoping the estate agent fucks off straight after the viewing so I can start knocking on doors and very politely asking "what the area" is like. I just want to try and get a feel for what they are like.

Some people don't even think of the neighbours once they're within their own 4 walls but I'm absolutely petrified I will get shit ones. I've had it before and it ruins your whole life. I just mean blasting stereos or pitbulls and feral kids etc. I would love a Janet and Keith retired and doting grandparents. I would not love a drug addicted mother of 9 who's been on Jeremy Kyle for shagging her mum's boyfriend.

Surely they'd want to know who's moving in next door too? Or am I overthinking it? Yes I do suffer with anxiety...

How are you going to judge a neighbour based on two minutes on the door step.

^This

Hyacinth Bucket lol I'm really not stuck up I promise, I've just met a lot of cunts in my time and I'd rather not live next door to another one!

Although if you do have any problems with your neighbours you can always come back to MN and just be told to simply “move to a detached house” which seems to be handed out willy nilly when people don’t get on with their neighbours

My neighbours were bloody horrible from the moment I moved in. Bullying me about parking and leaving my wheely bin in view. However they didn't make noise at all and weren't into anyones business.
Once I asserted my parking rights and my right to leave the bin in situ we lived blissfully ignorant of each other for ten tears. In many ways they were perfect.

"How are you going to judge a neighbour from 2 minutes on the doorstep"

How is this not obvious to understand?! If they open the door with a spliff in their mouth in their dressing gown at 3pm and tell me to fuck off then I probably won't buy the house will I? If they just smile back and say oh hello it's pretty quiet here etc then I'm still not going to know that much but I'd be a bit more confident taking the risk!

We had lovely quiet neighbours in our last terrace....until they decided to move in with family and rent out the house to a couple who seemed pleasant enough but had absolutely no idea how to live life quietly, tv top volume, all conversations conducted at shouting level, doors banged, noises like furniture being moved every evening, god knows what they were doing. Ours was on the market within a fortnight. There really are no guarantees sadly!

Why did that turn in a class discussion??

I understand OP's desire even if i don't think the same.

If you really are scared about it. Buy detached. If you can't, use the polite hello over the fence and stick to only that. You won't have issue

I see where you're coming from, but even if the neighbours become your new best mates, they'll still probably move at some point, and you have no say in who moves in the next time.

The thing about neighbours is that they change. How will you vet the informers?

Years ago we employed a company to visit the road at odd times to see how noisy it was without us being seen by the sellers.

changed Of course it’s not obviously. And I doubt most people who smoke cannabis will answer the door with a joint in their hand.

And if you called my door this afternoon I would have been in my dressing gown, that goes for nothing.

The neighbours will also be concerned about who moves in, remember. You ought to be aware that it works both ways and they may well have standards/expectations YOU need to meet too....there may be things about you or your lifestyle that THEY don't want in a neighbour....Just a thought as I know from talking to our neighbours when we first moved in that they were very worried about who they would have next door.

Bluesheep - exactly why I hope they don't mind if I take up 90 seconds of their time so they can suss me out too 👍

If you met our neighbours you would think completely the wrong thing. Single mum, 4 kids and a council house and she's the sweetest woman ever. My MIL has the "perfect neighbours" of a well paid middle aged couple who are absolute pricks. You wouldn't know that until you move in though!

I wouldn’t speak to you. It might me 90 seconds to you but not for me if every potential buyer was to do it.

And youll be able to tell how many kids they have and how they behave by a quick conversation on the door step or will you have questionnaires ready to fill out

I would love a Janet and Keith retired and doting grandparents. I would not love a drug addicted mother of 9 who's been on Jeremy Kyle for shagging her mum's boyfriend

In my life I have had two sets of nightmare neighbours. Both appeared to be "nice, friendly, helpful" elderly people...but made our lives a total misery, one by making constant complaints about us to the council/police/RSPCA/police...all made up stories and the police knew this he had done this to every previous next door neighbour too. The other neighbours who initially came across so friendly and helpful were loud and abusive to anyone they considered doing anything they did not approve of eg putting the bin out the night before. Terrified by the children by making threats, awful, awful couple. Give me Jeremy Kyle types anyday!!!

OP, it could backfire.

They might take one look at you, decide the area is going downhill and move out

ps and we met both of these elderly neighbours prior to moving in (they introduced themselves when we were viewing the property) and they initially came across very quiet and friendly. They made our lives hell from within 24 hours of moving in!!

We talked to our neighbours before we bought. Just went round, introduced ourselves and said we wanted to buy next door, was there anything they thought we should know? They were lovely. We bought the house.

My neighbour would be classed as one of your Jeremy Kyle's - lots of kids, different dad's, smokes like a chimney, garden is a tip, she's a council tenant - the whole area is 80 percent council.

And I've never had such great neighbours. Next door will happily take parcels, invites us to her BBQs, lends me tools, gives chocolates at Xmas - she's a great parent and the kids are so polite, knocking on the door to apologise if a stray ball lands in our garden. Never heard any arguing or annoying noise.

Sometimes looks can be deceiving and you shouldn't be so judgemental.

But you're not BU to knock on a door or two to see what feeling you get from them; lay of the land, sort of thing.

@familyofaliens I'll wash my hair first and pluck the old eyebrows 😀

There’s sod all point in speaking to the neighbours - they could change tomorrow.

You need to think about the worst case scenario and whether you could live with it.

Are you serious! If you knocked my door I wouldnt answer you and then I would worry my life was going to impacted by a crazy new neighbour watching me all the time

Zwellers - I wouldn't worry mate, as long as you don't bother me trust me I wouldn't be bothering you 👍