to be unsure about this house because of the neighbours?

[newhomedilemma]

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?)

I suggest you go and visit the show people next door, and ask what their routine is. You may well find they're off the yard from May to October and just travel from place to place with their fairground equipment. Now that's when you're most likely to want to be outside enjoying your garden. Checkout have they sheds in which to repair and paint their equipment over winter.
You'll always have someone local to fix whatever the problem is mechanically!

@Notimeforaname

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.

Err, well she can choose not to move into this house, hence controlling the fact that she won't be living next to these people.

@Notimeforaname

What are show people ?

In this instance, I think the OP means fairground proprietors .

@fitsandgiggles

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

True, but there's nothing to suggest that these people would be bad neighbours.

@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.

You should soundproof the room you practise in. You sound like a pain in the arse.

@Ariela

I suggest you go and visit the show people next door, and ask what their routine is. You may well find they're off the yard from May to October and just travel from place to place with their fairground equipment. Now that's when you're most likely to want to be outside enjoying your garden. Checkout have they sheds in which to repair and paint their equipment over winter. You'll always have someone local to fix whatever the problem is mechanically!

LOVE this message! As someone who's relatives are "show" people, I think you've worded it perfectly.

I don't understand what noise you're worried about? They aren't using the equipment at their house surely so it would be no more than the sound of vans moving on in an out isn't it? Collecting the equipment to take somewhere for a few days, then probably on elsewhere?

You will have to up your gardening game if you do move in, OP, or they might be worrying about you.

The suggestion to put a note thrugh the NDNs might be a good one to find out what the true picture is.

Neighbours can appear on the surface to be ok but turn out to be a real problem. When I moved into this house I was renting it at first so I asked the LL what the neighbours were like. She said they were a "quiet middle aged couple" who went to bed early.

This was not untrue (they go to bed at about 9pm) but other problems soon emerged. They were whiners, over entitled snitches with little respect for the rights of someone they saw as "only renting". LL later admitted they had whinged unreasonably about her previous tenants and probably been responsible for them having moved as soon as the lease expired. However I was made of sterner stuff and have had one dispute after another with them, culminating with my threatening legal action for harassment. For that reason I probably got the house below market value when the LL wanted to sell. She would have had to declare the dispute to prospective buyers.

@Viviennemary

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.

This.

Lots of vehicles could mean lots of people coming and going.

Certainly not a quiet environment.

Pass.

They’re no going to set up the waltzers in their back garden are they... FFS.

It’s literally just going to be them driving off and then arriving back and parking every so often.

@Notimeforaname

What are show people ?

People who provide fairground rides.

If it's putting you off now it will put potential buyers off when you come to sell. I'd pass.

@fitsandgiggles

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

Agreed.

God, I'd love interesting neighbours like them.
You never shit on your own doorstep

Waltzers in the back garden next door . Now that would be a good reason to buy a house and get friendly with the neighbours. What fun.

Show people are very proud and very traditional. I’d imagine them to be great neighbours..!

@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.

😂

I'd love it. Free goes on the Waltzers.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Their yard is neat and tidy, so they've got pride in their home meaning that they won't disrespect yours, yes there will be a bit of noise when they're moving the vehicles but that's not the end of the world. Plus you'll always have someone on hand to help you fix your car!

I grew up in an area where there is a community of showmen / fairground people , i went to school with them and my children went to school with their children.
They have never been anything other than polite and respectful to their neighbours and are contributing members to the local school.
They are quiet and keep themselves to themselves , they are understated not flashy ,someone mentioned a non traditional lifestyle, they are totally traditional !
I know there are stereo types of certain communities and i think they could be confused with them if you aren't aware of showmen culture .
I would be more than happy to have them for my neighbours.

So theyll be loading up heavy equipment at the crack of dawn & at weekends sometimes when the fair moves on. And regularly returning late at night as the fair ends around midnightish ...That would be a no from me.

And regularly returning late at night as the fair ends around midnightish ...That would be a no from me.
They don't bring the equipment home with them every night!