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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask my neighbours to sell me their garage?

214 replies

ElleDubloo · 27/03/2021 09:46

I want to buy my neighbours’ garage. It’s next to my house. They don’t use it but they probably store some stuff in it. Would it be rude to just knock on their door and ask?

OP posts:
unclubbable · 27/03/2021 15:21

My neighbour asked this. I didn't want to enter into a conversation about it so I just ignored his letter, but it annoyed me and I've never looked at him the same way since.

Busybusybust · 27/03/2021 15:24

I’m about to pay £10k for a parking space within my gated apartment block. It’s supply and demand.

StCharlotte · 27/03/2021 15:29

You would really move house for the sake of some extra garage space?

GnomeDePlume · 27/03/2021 16:00

@unclubbable I'm curious, why did it annoy you?

HaveringWavering · 27/03/2021 16:04

Why would you have to move just because you don’t have room to park a second car off-road? If the house and the location are otherwise perfect, why is parking for a second car a deal-breaker? Can’t you just park a second car on the road? Or even one in the garage one on the drive and shuffle around a bit when needed?

maddiemookins16mum · 27/03/2021 16:18

My mum sold her garage to neighbours 15 years ago. After she died and I had to sell the house, it went for 12K less than the one across the road with a garage.

Bluntness100 · 27/03/2021 16:23

This all depends on the value of the house. For say 200k house, I’d expect to buy the land and the garage and the drive for not less than 50 k. Taking into account the value of the land, the value of the garage, and the devaluation of their property. However you will make up a large portion of that with the increase in value in your property.

Ariela · 27/03/2021 17:08

@ElleDubloo
Not immediately obvious from your plan as it's not to scale etc.....but if you bought their garage etc and then sold them (or even did a straight swap) a strip of land between your property and theirs is there then enough width to the right of their driveway and house to pop a garage set back from the house to give them a) triplewidth driveway and b) a single garage right by their house? and also c) give you enough length of driveway for parking a car in front to your new double width garage built slightly to the right of the existing garages?

If so, that'd be a win/win: they get a garage right by their house and a bigger parking to the front and b) you get a longer but slightly narrower plot with a double garage and parking at the bottom of the garden

GnomeDePlume · 27/03/2021 17:10

As this is a third parking space rather than a second and also disassociated from the owners' house I wonder what the reduction in the value would be. This is why valuations would be necessary. I expect there is a certain commoditisation of garages and parking space with a discounting for multiples of the same facility. So a second downstairs toilet would not add the same value as a first downstairs toilet.

fruitbrewhaha · 27/03/2021 17:17

[quote ElleDubloo]@fruitbrewhaha
Oh wow, I wouldn’t want to live in a house that would fit into the footprint of a double garage. And I wouldn’t want one of those in my back garden either Shock What a horrible thing to suggest.[/quote]
How is that horrible?

People have been selling off small parcels of land to infill with housing in expensive parts of the country for years. London and the south east is dotted with new houses squeezed in between and just because you wouldn't lower yourself to live in such a small house, it doesn't mean others wouldn't. It's quite lucrative.

Personally I'd have taken more offence at the suggestion that I wasn't being honest about my intensions.

See what they say, do the sums, hopefully it works out for you.

MarshaBradyo · 27/03/2021 17:23

I’m appreciating the diagram with all the lines on the road

But yes to looking at value properly

MarshaBradyo · 27/03/2021 17:24

@unclubbable

My neighbour asked this. I didn't want to enter into a conversation about it so I just ignored his letter, but it annoyed me and I've never looked at him the same way since.
Why did it annoy you?
InTheNightWeWillWish · 27/03/2021 17:41

Our neighbour asked to buy our land. We definitely don’t use it, it’s more of a hinderance to us but we’re not prepared to sell as we believe it will devalue our property. This is just land, no buildings on it.

The other thing is that is even with 3 valuations and an offer of paying the legal fees, I have a figure in my mind what I would be willing to let it go for. The figure I would be willing to let it go for would actually probably be higher than market value to represent the devaluation of my property and uncertainty that might give to when I want to sell my property in the future. I’d think about what cost you would be willing to take if they offered to buy your garage from you and if you’re willing to pay that, or maybe more. What’s the minimum price you’d let your driveway and garage go for?

MNOverinvestor · 27/03/2021 17:50

I asked the person who owns the flat next to mine if they wanted to sell me their share of the roof terrace. They said no, I completely understood and we've got on very well since then...

tuttifuckinfruity · 27/03/2021 18:55

@Bluntness100

Also if you’re just buying their garage and intend to move it to your own land, you need to think about the state of the ground after removal, and the compensation required to make good.

Either way, before approaching them you need to be clear on what you are wishing to buy, all the implications and do the maths on associated costs.

I can't imagine why they would want to buy specifically their neighbours garage if they just wanted a second hand garage to build on their own land? Surely it's the land they want?
GinaJaffacake · 27/03/2021 19:06

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee, did you see the OP’s drawing? The neighbours’ garage isn’t attached to their house it’s at the bottom of OP’s garden next to her garage so there’s no feasible way for them to extend into it.

notdaddycool · 27/03/2021 20:04

Many old people either downsize or equity release to get enough money to fund the second part of their retirement you may be doing them a favour. Definitely ask. If it goes through maybe look to develop it with the potential for further conversion into a home. You’d probably make a packet when it’s time to move on, even if that’s in 20 years. I’d probably have a value in mind before you approached.

IstandwithJackieWeaver · 28/03/2021 07:54

@tuttifuckinfruity I think Bluntness was making the point that the OP was potentially talking about buying the land the garage is on from her neighbour and that is more complex. Saying she wanted to buy the garage was imprecise.

Bluntness100 · 28/03/2021 08:17

[quote IstandwithJackieWeaver]@tuttifuckinfruity I think Bluntness was making the point that the OP was potentially talking about buying the land the garage is on from her neighbour and that is more complex. Saying she wanted to buy the garage was imprecise.[/quote]
Yes thank you, that’s the point I’m making, she doesn’t just want to buy th garage, she wishes to buy the garage, the land it’s on and the adjacent driveway. Saying “I want to buy your garage” is in this scenario far too incomplete. The op wants to buy an awful lot more.

However understanding the value of that ans the legal implications is critical. You can’t just say “I’d like to buy your garage, the land it’s on, and the driveway next to it, but I’ve no idea how much that would cost, or even if I can afford it”. You can say, I’d like to buy it all and would get three agents of yout choosing into value it, inc the devaluation of yout own property, and also pay all legal fees if we proceeded”

IamMaz · 28/03/2021 08:35

Despite your neighbours being elderly and not going out a lot, their house would be valued at a lot less without a garage. I don't think it would be sensible for them to sell it. They surely have family they would be leaving it to? If they were my parents, there is no way I would advise them to sell it.

mrsbitaly · 28/03/2021 08:37

Ooh I'm invested now, please keep us updated. Obviously would have to be legally done with papers ect so you can prove it's your land if agreed. Good luck!

IstandwithJackieWeaver · 28/03/2021 09:51

That choice is surely the neighbours' rather than their children's though? If the money would improve their parents' lives then arguing against it due a potential drop in inheritance is rather selfish.

GnomeDePlume · 28/03/2021 09:57

Another thought @ElleDubloo, hand write the letter, don't be tempted to type it. First impression is important as you want your neighbour to know that this is coming from you not a speculative property developer.

Some of the responses on this thread have been interesting and show how much people value the integrity of their homes even when the piece of land is unused.

GinaJaffacake · 28/03/2021 10:04

I think your layout is unusual and one of the very few situations where they could sell without it seeming strange as it’s not attached to their house. In those streets with rows of garages out the back in a lane, people often sell them.

joanna67 · 28/03/2021 10:14

I don't quite understand your motives. It feels a very expensive way to get extra parking and garage space. If that's what you want why not ask if you can rent the garage and driveway, or even just the driveway, which will give you the additional parking you want. If they don't use the driveway this could be a win-win for both of you and they might be much more likely to agree.

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