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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be unsure about this house because of the neighbours?

48 replies

newhomedilemma · 22/10/2021 13:12

We're currently househunting. A property has come up locally which ticks a lot of boxes, and within our budget.

It's unoccupied currently so we took a drive over (it's not far from us) to have a look, see what the area was like etc. House from what we could see is as described, and it's very much the kind of thing we've been looking for.

However, the neighbours are show people.

I've dealt with a couple of show people through my work and never had any issues. I've no reason to think the prospective neighbours would be a problem as such, their yard looks tidy and well kept (far more so than my own garden). But they do of course have a lot of vehicles, fairground equipment etc and it's inevitable that would bring with it a certain amount of disruption and noise, which is a concern (it is a very quiet turning with only a few houses).

I know I can obviously decide against any property for whatever reason (and there are a couple of other minor things that make this place less than perfect, but of course no house is, is it?) but I'm just trying to consider if this of itself is a reason to not pursue it further, and wondering what other people would do? (or indeed have done in a similar situation?)

OP posts:
Notimeforaname · 22/10/2021 13:15

What are show people ?

Dillydollydingdong · 22/10/2021 13:16

Personally, I like my peace and quiet and that was one of the reasons we chose this house. On a quiet road, no through traffic, no noisy neighbours, no parking problems. Bliss!

Dillydollydingdong · 22/10/2021 13:17

Circus people, Notimeforaname

TheMagiciansNiece · 22/10/2021 13:17

Could you talk to existing neighbours? It would bother me that there were vehicles and equipment, as I would say that often means noise.

parietal · 22/10/2021 13:18

don't judge people based on their line of work. you have never met them and are only using stereotypes to worry.

Notimeforaname · 22/10/2021 13:19

It really doesn matter because you could move anywhere ..with 'perfect' neighbours but then at any time someone else can move in.

You can never have control over who you live beside..unless you move every single time someone you dont like moves in and you find out everything about their living habits before you move in.

Notimeforaname · 22/10/2021 13:20

I'm a choreographer. I play the same songs and parts of songs over and over again most days. My neighbour hates it and screams. I hate that they sell drugs, what can you do.

RedHelenB · 22/10/2021 13:22

Surely they equipment won't be there for large chunks of time if they're circus folk? If your neighbours are taking good care of their property is say that's a good thing.

Original poster
newhomedilemma · 22/10/2021 13:25

It is a no through road, only 2 other houses in the street. Had we seen either set of neighbours we obviously could have asked what the street was like, but although we were there for about 40 mins (parked at one end of the road, walked down and around, etc) there was no one about.

I appreciate neighbours can change; this is only a house for us for the next 2-3 years (we are renting) and so it's who's there now that concerns us. I've already vetoed a house that had a chip shop next door for example because of noise/ smell. And one where it was clear someone in the close was (illegally) running a car sales business from their house.

OP posts:
Foxyloxy1plus1 · 22/10/2021 13:26

Of course you can never be sure that you’ll have the sort of neighbours you’ll get on with and people move, so it can change for better or for worse.

If you want to live somewhere very quiet, then a house next door to a yard, with frequent traffic might not be ideal. It doesn’t matter who it is, commercial premises are unlikely to be quiet. Are there other neighbours who could tell you whether it’s disruptive or not? But if the house is what you want and the price is right, why not.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 22/10/2021 13:28

Sorry, just seen your last post about current neighbours. Based on your last post, perhaps it’s not the place for you.

gingercatsparky · 22/10/2021 13:29

I personally would rule it out.

LadyJaye · 22/10/2021 13:30

I had neighbours for a while who were travellers/show families, and they were BRILLIANT neighbours, if - and this is a big IF - you can accept that there were a few points of disruption every few weeks, in terms of moving c=vehicles around, people coming and going etc.

As I say, they were terrific neighbours - lovely people, very community-minded, always there in an emergency but not too needy.

It depends on your interpretation of 'how much much is enough'.

Motnight · 22/10/2021 13:31

I probably wouldn't move there simply because it sounds as though the additional vehicles could cause additional noise and be a problem.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 22/10/2021 13:31

I probably wouldn't as it would most likely put off prospective buyers when you sale

Viviennemary · 22/10/2021 13:33

I would avoid buying a house next door to one that had a lot of vehicles or equipment outside. It would suggest that its a place people were using to run a business from whatever kind of people they were.

twilightcafe · 22/10/2021 13:38

YANBU
If it's bothering you enough to post on Mumsnet, then walk away.

Marelle · 22/10/2021 13:48

I wouldn’t buy a house next to anyone who had a non traditional lifestyle or was doing anything that would obviously be disruptive. I’m too old and busy to be bothered with any hassle.

MGMidget · 22/10/2021 13:50

i have had prospective purchasers of a neighbouring property put a note through my door asking of they could meet me before (and I obliged). Likewise I did the same with neighbours before we bought our house. I had some plausible topic to ask them about when I wrote a note and stuck it through their door and I found people did the same with us (eg mentioning they were planning some improvement work and wanting to discuss it with us). Maybe you could think of something unoffensive you might need to ask about in order to get to meet a few of the neighbours and put a note through their doors regarding it?

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 22/10/2021 14:06

Yes, actually, if you ask the neighbours in question about the other neighbours, that could tell you a lot about them.

Chloemol · 22/10/2021 14:16

@Notimeforaname

What are show people ?
I assume as in runs a circus
fitsandgiggles · 22/10/2021 14:26

Honestly, I would look for something else. Even the most amazing home can be ruined by bad neighbours and over time problems may arise. I suppose it depends if they are reasonable people which you would know until you lived there and got to now them. As someone who sold my last house to get away for my nightmare neighbour and now live detached I would be very careful in choosing who to live next door to

deedeemegadoodoo · 22/10/2021 15:56

@Notimeforaname

I'm a choreographer. I play the same songs and parts of songs over and over again most days. My neighbour hates it and screams. I hate that they sell drugs, what can you do.
Regardless of your neighbour’s poor behaviour, I would hate to live next door to your noise.
Ponoka7 · 22/10/2021 16:02

Hang around and ask the neighbours. It's the setting off early and the late arrivals that might be the most bothersome. If you like a lie in of a weekend, that could be a deal breaker. But you could have early noise from someone who has children or late noise from someone who has parties. Show people are hard workers, early starts etc, they might have dashcams and CCTV so they could be good neighbours.

wink1970 · 22/10/2021 16:21

Show people are hard workers, early starts etc, they might have dashcams and CCTV so they could be good neighbours.

This. DH's distant family were in the business and very decent people. Quite old school.