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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think people might not want to buy a house next door to a funeral director?

160 replies

MorgueDweller · 31/07/2019 21:07

Found out today that two doors away is turning into a mortuary/funeral director's business. So dead bodies will be stored there. It's currently a gift shop in a village, very residential area.

Neighbour who will live next door told me. My first reaction was that I wasn't bothered.....they'll be quiet! Neighbour is worried about house price being affected.

Ive now googled and it does seem that being in the same area as a funeral director wipes 6.5% off the value of your property. And I guess this might be more if you're only 2 doors away?

If we were to sell our house do you think a lot of people would be put off by this? Is it the thought of dead bodies which would put people off because this doesn't bother me? I'm slightly bothered about a possible increase in parking issues If there's lots of families coming and going. I'm not sure how busy it will be. I guess hearses May sometimes bring a body back in the middle of the night if they're rung to come and fetch a body.

OP posts:

Ragwort · 01/08/2019 08:34

Really wouldn’t bother me, I actually think it is pretty poor that so many people are so ‘ squeamish’ around death and trying to protect their children from knowing about death. Fact - we are all going to die and it is better to be prepared and know what to do when someone dies.

My elderly parents recently bought a house a couple of doors away from a FD, it was a positive decision for them .

Frogsandsheep · 01/08/2019 08:45

It wouldn’t bother me at all but I understand why it might bother others as people fear death and don’t like to confront it. Also people shield their dc from death. I take funerals for a living (as well as doing other things!) so mine and my dc’s attitude towards death is quite healthy and realistic. People die, people mourn, it’s very sad and it’s normal and ok to be sad.
In my experience people wouldn’t be crying in the street outside a FD and the coffins etc wouldn’t come out of the front of the building.

NoSauce · 01/08/2019 08:51

It wouldn’t bother me either. A bit different but I once viewed an vicarage in the middle of an old graveyard. It was strangely comforting and wouldn’t have put me off buying. The house wasn’t right for various reasons so didn’t end up buying.

GreekOddess · 01/08/2019 08:53

It would put me off but I'm not sure why.

I probably wouldn't buy a house in a row with shops anyway as I would worry that a unit could turn into a takeaway with food smells.

TheCanyon · 01/08/2019 09:08

My next door neighbours a funeral director, the house next to and above his business sold for full price £210k a few months ago up from £131k when it last sold in 2003. Super cheap prices for our area but the business has been there for at least 80 years.

KidLorneRoll · 01/08/2019 09:12

Wouldn't bother me at all.

RumpoleoftheBaileys · 01/08/2019 09:30

There is no way I would buy a house that close to a funeral directors.

It's my own personal discomfort, but it I were looking to buy in your area, any house (no matter how nice), in the immediate vicinity would be ruled out.

I know it's not rational, but I think your concerns about selling are valid.

MagicErmintrude · 01/08/2019 09:44

Having said that I wouldn't buy a house next door but one to a funeral director, I wouldn't mind a house overlooking a cemetery at all. No idea why one would be ok but not the other though.

Elphame · 01/08/2019 09:45

Wouldn't worry me at all.

There's one in the middle of the village I live in and whilst I don't live near it I rarely if ever see any activity. The hearses live round the back so you are really not even aware they are there.

I'd far rather that than having to listen to next door's children screaming in the garden.

RhodaDendron · 01/08/2019 09:52

Wouldn’t bother me - a friend has just moved next to a cemetery and loves the peace and quiet!

cookiechomper · 01/08/2019 10:05

There's a funeral directors at the corner of my street, about 3 doors away. I can't say it bothers me. Every few days I'll see a coffin but it doesn't upset me or the kids. I've seen people leave and get into cars but I've never seen people in the street acting distressed.

Shakirawannabe · 01/08/2019 10:14

I definitely wouldn't buy your house, would give me the creeps, I wouldn't live next to a cemetery either. I'm a wimp though

GrapefruitIsGross · 01/08/2019 10:26

I wouldn’t buy for the same reasons I wouldn’t buy a house beside a school- parking. That’s before you even think of potential hold ups because of processions.

Imagine a parking thread where OP has been blocked in by a mourner 🙈

But the actual idea of it wouldn’t bother me, it’s more the practicalities.

I would have thought though if the premises was changing from a post office or house to a FD they would have needed planning permission due to change of useage?

ASundayWellSpent · 01/08/2019 10:31

I wouldn't want to buy close to a funeral directors. Sorry

makingmammaries · 01/08/2019 10:35

I wouldn’t have a problem living near a cemetery, but a FD would put me off, sorry - dead bodies, decomposition, embalming, chemical smells and the thought of the newly dead just through the wall when I wake up at night. Not for me.

BigChocFrenzy · 01/08/2019 10:38

Wouldn't bother me at all

A pub or noisy club would be a totally different matter - that I'd avoid

NoBaggyPants · 01/08/2019 10:43

I lived on the corner opposite one for three years. Never had a problem with it.

Yawninfinitum · 01/08/2019 10:43

Wouldn’t bother me at all

I wouldnt buy a house two doors up from a grocery store or take away though.

Jupiters · 01/08/2019 11:22

It wouldn't put me off...assuming there was plenty of parking for their visitors. If parking was an issue (ie like on a terrace street with no driveways or private parking) then it would be a no. I'd parking was not an issue then it wouldn't bother me... I'd be happy to have quiet neighbours!

Original poster

MorgueDweller · 01/08/2019 12:43

If I get blocked in by a hearse ever I promise I will start a thread complete with diagrams! :)

OP posts:

Hearthside · 01/08/2019 12:45

Absolutely would not bother me at all. I would much rather a fd next too me ever than a noisy pub .

FunnyDirector · 02/08/2019 07:24

Hello All,
What I find really scary is Google suggested this thread for me from my homepage. I've never been on Mumsnet before! However, I am a Funeral Director so thought I might be able to offer a different perspective to other posters and maybe even allay fears or answer questions.
I admit, I haven't read all six pages (I skipped the middle 2) so apologies if I'm repeating but some of the comments I thought really warranted a more educated response. I have worked in the profession for decades and have opened several new funeral homes, so I'm familiar with the objections that get sent to local planning authorities too. So my answer to the OP is I wouldn't expect you will see a drop in property value as a result of your new neighbour. I certainly don't believe I've been responsible for a slump in property values in any of the neighbourhoods I have opened in. On the contrary, I'd like to think I've contributed in some way to each locale. Also on property value, a personal anecdote: The gentleman in the house next to one of my premises passed away and I wanted to buy his house to extend my business. I knew what the property values were and knew it would be within my budget. However, the vendor put a higher price tag on it and it sold within weeks.

I think the first thing to point out is given the location the OP described, there's a good chance the premises will be a branch of an existing funeral director. As such, there's likely to be far less activity here than one might expect. Certainly the actual preparation of families loved ones is likely to be carried out at the main premises elsewhere although there would most probably be some kind of viewing room for the deceased to lay in, in a coffin to receive visitors.
So, the visitors. Several posters have echoed objection letters I've received about a fear of hoards of weeping people solemnly making there way in and out of the premises and expecting scenes akin to the Wailing Wall at Mecca. It is true, the premises will host upset clients but it is also true that many will have come to terms with their initial shock and will be focused on the practicalities of arranging the funeral. Any good FD will allow clients time to compose themselves before leaving anyway. Simply find out the name of the business and see if they're a start up or an existing business. This will indicate what you might expect.

What will you see? Very little. The premises will almost certainly have vehicular access to the rear which will be used to take the deceased in and out of the premises. Most of FDs use discreet private ambulances or estate cars for this. Of course there will be hearses on the day of the funeral, which do have windows and a coffin will of course be visible.

If your new neighbour is a reputable operator (and sadly our profession has seen an influx of those that aren't) they will almost certainly welcome you in once they've opened to have a look around, see their facilities and allay any concerns you might have. I'd encourage you to do that.
If the OP wants to DM me I'd be happy to answer any other questions.

Drogosnextwife · 02/08/2019 07:26

The actually bodies wouldn't bother me, but it would make me think about dying all the time which would be pretty depressing. I think about that enough

RonnieScotts · 02/08/2019 07:52

This would bother me on the slightest.

RonnieScotts · 02/08/2019 07:56

*wouldn't

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