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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be concerned

28 replies

AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 13:48

About a woman standing in my front garden looking at my house?
I opened my window and asked if I could help her and she asked me if I want to sell her my house. I said no thank you and closed the window. Shortly after she got in a car with a man and they drove away.
It’s playing on my mind that something malicious was going on.
I’ve lived here for 5 years, no history, though no idea about previous owners.
Of course she could genuinely like my house but it isn’t for sale and I’ve never seen them before. I’ve heard stories of people attempting break ins marking/watching houses beforehand.
Am I being paranoid or should I be on guard?

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 11/05/2019 13:51

Is your house particularly unusual?

Redcherries · 11/05/2019 13:55

I wouldn’t imagine someone planning to break in would case the joint from the front garden.

As pp asked, is the house unusual or quaint?

Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 13:55

No all the houses on the road are the same

OP posts:
MRex · 11/05/2019 13:55

How similar is your house to others in the local area, does it look unique in some way? One semi-detached Victorian 3 bed or 4-bed with loft extension looks much like another round here, then there are a bunch of town houses, then all the odds and sods are unique; some 19th century, some 1930s, some modern. If you were looking in the area to buy and fancied something non-Victorian then I guess you might look at houses that aren't for sale.

Assuming it wasn't that... Do you think she was seeing if you'd let her in by asking if you'd sell, or fobbing you off with an excuse about what she was doing? Did she look like she really wanted to come in?

my2bundles · 11/05/2019 13:58

Maybe she lived there as a child and eiyld like to buy it back? Not very likely but it could be a posability.

MRex · 11/05/2019 13:59

Being on your guard and noticing her makes it less likely they'd break in. Do you have lockable double-glazed windows?

I had a guy ring to say he was a window cleaner and wanted to see the windows at the back to price the job for us. It felt a bit suspect, so I told him they were lockable double-glazed like the front (they are). He never came back with the quote.

Pipandmum · 11/05/2019 13:59

Um I do this. Not so blatantly but I have driven thru certain neighbourhoods I’m interested in and scoped out a house. It would normally either be on the market, have recently sold (so checking out the value) or have unique features. I wouldn’t just stand there gawping though as that might (like you) freak someone out! Also drive by my childhood home and see if they’ve changed it if I’m in that area.

Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:00

Just a bog standard 3 bed terrace in London. She stayed where she was when I spoke to her, almost looking guilty. I don’t think she wanted to come in she accepted the response but I got an uneasy vibe from her. Worrying why it was my house and not a neighbours too.

OP posts:
Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:02

The possibility of it being a childhood home or of someone she knew is reassuring

OP posts:
SparklyMagpie · 11/05/2019 14:03

There wasn't a man that came in your front garden before was there?

Deelish75 · 11/05/2019 14:04

Talk to your neighbours to see if they’ve had similar - she might be telling the truth.
I had a slightly different situation a few years ago, a lady knocked on my door advertising dog grooming services, I explained to her that we didn’t have a dog but she carried on talking whilst looking over my shoulder into my house. A few days later a couple of houses in the area were broken into - I always wandered if she had anything to do with it.

Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:04

No not that I’m aware of!

OP posts:
TrixieFranklin · 11/05/2019 14:05

A man just walked into my house... http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3583063-A-man-just-walked-into-my-house

Something in the water today Wine

Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:07

Good suggestions thank you, I am out at work a lot so my house being empty often may have been noticed. It’s secure and unlikely to go unnoticed if someone did break in but as a single mum the thought of it happening scares me. So believing she was genuine is the way to go?

OP posts:
Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:08

I can assure you this is 100% true if you’re implying otherwise

OP posts:
BettysLeftTentacle · 11/05/2019 14:10
Grin
BettysLeftTentacle · 11/05/2019 14:17

OP people do this all the time. They see a house they love, they have a good gawp, sometimes they even post notes through the letter box asking the occupiers to give them a call of they ever want to see. It’s even been recommended on MN!

BettysLeftTentacle · 11/05/2019 14:19

Sell even Hmm

krustykittens · 11/05/2019 14:20

Bettys Walking up someone's drive to stand in the front garden and gawp is pretty hard necked though!

viques · 11/05/2019 14:22

Do you live in the catchment area of a good school? Is your house the worst looking house on a good street?

HollowTalk · 11/05/2019 14:23

I think if she was planning to break in she would have watched from the car and come back when it was dark. She wouldn't stand out there knowing everyone could see her.

Do any of your neighbours have CCTV?

Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:24

Thanks Bettys didn’t know it was a done thing tend to think people go online or ask agents if they genuinely want to buy a house on a certain road. Had a quick look outside no ‘markings’ or anything, I’ll speak to my neighbour later and keep an eye out for now. I’m a bit of an over thinker as you can see Blush

OP posts:
skybluee · 11/05/2019 14:24

I went to physically look at flats that weren't on rightmove because there was so little in that area that met my requirements and when I was doing this a lady came out of the flats and asked me if I was here to view it. It turned out she was waiting for a viewing who hadn't turned up. I didn't go in and I regret that as I'd have liked to have seen what it looked like inside out of interest but was worried it could make her feel uneasy as she was in her pyjamas. But anyway, people do go and physically look at properties sometimes.

Maybe she has a small search area and nothing meets her requirements so she just went to look.

Original poster
AnnieMay100 · 11/05/2019 14:25

Yes two schools nearby and some neighbours do have cctv good thinking I’ll ask them thanks

OP posts:
Purpleartichoke · 11/05/2019 14:30

We live in a hot real estate area and have one of the smaller, aka cheaper, houses. We have had letters in the mail, notes on the door, and people knocking on the door asking to buy our house.