I don’t want to buy a house directly opposite affordable housing

[SpainToday]

I have name changed for this because I expect to get annihilated.

DH and I are considering reserving a plot on a new development. I think all developments now need to have a certain amount of affordable housing. Our first choice of house would be directly opposite three affordable plots and this is a real sticking point. DH is also wary. There were originally 8 plots with our preferred design of house, they have all sold except this one and I suspect that’s the reason.

Of course we could always go with our Plan B type of house round the corner, but that seems such a shame. When we bought our current home, 12 years ago. One of the mortgage questions was proximity to any affordable housing, so its clearly an issue.

Am I worrying unnecessarily?

I live in social housing (council tenant) which is directly opposite a new(ish) build estate. The 'problem families' are exclusively the ones in the big owned houses... parties until late at night, arguments that spill out onto the streets in the early hours of the morning, inconsiderate parking etc. Seems that they feel entitled due to owning whereas other council tenants like myself feel the need to go above and beyond so we are not accused of fitting a stereotype of social housing. Moral of the story, there are dickheads everywhere and money in the bank does not equate to moral and civic decency. If you like the house, buy it

I live directly opposite a 10 year old social housing development. All the houses on our side of the road are privately owned. We have not had any issues at all - apart from increased traffic past our house but we'd have had that whatever their tenure.

OP

if you do choose this particular plot, you should be able to negotiate a really good deal on it.

People buying new builds have choice, and, for want of a better word, will 'discriminate' against many plots for many reasons. Too near a school? Behind a shop on the plan? Next to the bus stop? Opposite the flats? Reduced price, pls.

In terms of house style and size, for resale purposes, it's often better to make sure you're in with similar. If you're looking at a 3 bed detached and the affordable housing is 2 bed semis then maybe you should look at other plots.

Like I said it very possibly has changed but that’s my only experience if it and because of that I’d also be wary.

I’ve just bought one on an affordable housing “estate” as you may call it.
what do you think we are ?!
i work full time … and some:
my kids are at sports clubs every single night or the week apart from Fridays , when we go wild and order take away.
my kids are polite (most of the time!)
whats so wrong with having neighbours like us ?!

Affordable housing could be part rent, per buy. You might be surrounded by teachers, nurses and social workers-the horror!!

Purely in the context of buying the property, it doesn’t really matter if you’re being unfairly prejudicial about social housing.

If it’s a problem for YOU and it’s the last plot to be left unsold, then clearly some other people / future buyers may also be concerned. It might mean you have problems selling it on later.

Yes, it’s snobbish, but this is a significant investment and where you’ll be living for the next X years. Don’t buy something you’re not happy to live in - whatever the underlying reason.

OP I'm in social housing. I can't afford an 'affordable' house on account of still needing a deposit. Even 5% deposit on house ownership is beyond what I can afford. On account of being a single parent. Are we who you're wary about? My two children have always been complimented on how polite they are and we stick to a strict 10am time for when they're allowed in the garden at the weekends. No loud parties either.

The majority of my street is council houses. Lovely neighbours, nice and quiet. Some are privately owned including the house who have decided to set up a car washing business that takes up the entire cul de sac and on some days includes a flat bed trailer meaning we can't get cars out or turn them around. Their children are the ones who roam around unaccompanied including a very unhappy/angry teenager who last year during one of his rages decided to take a baseball bat to any and all property he could that was in his path (including neighbours cars, fences etc)

Affordable housing is still home ownership. Don't worry, us scary council house oiks won't be showing up but you have ZERO control over what kind of bellend might have the money to lay down a deposit, affordable or not. Poverty doesn't equal poor behaviour. Sometimes it's the wealthier people in life who have the most not giving a shit attitude towards their neighbours.

HTH

I haven't read the whole thread, it's 6 pages long!! However, I'm in one those affordable living homes (flat) and I work, and actually everyone in this building works. Where I live, if I wanted a 2 bed home , it would easily cost 2/3 hundred pounds more. It really is just more affordable. Also when I was working full time in a children's home the most I would have been able to rent is £750 a month, that would have been a bedsit.

@SpainToday Affordable Housing means either social housing OR part rent/part buy. I live in a house marked as 'affordable housing' and I rent from the Guinness Partnership. I was allocated this house via the council.

HOWEVER

The vetting I had to go through, to get the tenancy is almost the same as I had to go through for privately renting. Where on earth have you got this notion that it's where 'problem families' are 'put?'

What a load of rubbish. I’m a social worker with a masters degree and I live in social housing. I work very hard and I have a good education. How ignorant

Also affordable housing usually means shared ownership through a HA so most likely your new neighbours have purchased a share and renting the rest

I live in the only council house on the street, not new builds. It's quite obvious due to the council cladding.

Every time one comes up for sale potential buyers knock on the door to meet me and ask about the area 🙄 no one else on the street ever has it happen to them

These houses are built for families who deserve fair rent and the stability of a longer term tenancy. Most of whom are working. I’m not sure what your issue is with that?
You are clearly not that different to shy of these families- if you see yourself as financially and morally superior you should buy a detached house without neighbours. It very much sounds like you can’t afford to, so you, like every other family there, will have to live on an estate and in the company of neighbours.

Can you catch poor ?

We are not looking to buy a large property, we are not particularly high earners and certainly are not snobs.
Have you thought about affordable housing, OP?

I agree, it’s the people in the big mortgaged houses that are the issue not social housing.

You can get bad neighbours with any sort of tenure as others have said. Do you know much about how people become eligible for an affordable home? Those near me had to have a local connection and or be key workers to be eligible, as well as being unable to afford the market price units. And they are a mix of purchased and part buy part rent I believe. There are a couple of social homes for rent and those tenants are fine too. I know one of the tenants well and she said it was very competitive and she felt really fortunate to be given the opportunity to live there.

50% of my friends bought ‘affordable’ housing. One is a chartered mechanical engineer, one is now a CEO of large NGO, one is a civil servant who worked on implementing trade agreements for brexit, one is a doctor, one is a physio, one is a beautician, one is an estate agent. I’ve never lived opposite any of them, but I lived with two of them once for 5yrs at uni and they were all respectful housemates. Don’t think they’re any different now!

We live opposite social housing. Lovely neighbours on both sides of the street. I suspect we’re the ’bad’ neighbours with two small (loud) kids.

From what I know of studying a building plot area. if different house types is usually the different colours are the different plot types, rather than different risk types.

Also the facts around social housing and affordable housing are this. Social housing is at a cheaper rent and is normally ex local authority and older style houses. Affordable is more of a middle ground and id usually three quarters of the market rent. Both types of homes are available to those waiting on local council lists and tenants usually ‘bid’ or show an interest when a property becomes available. The LA will then allocate the properties according to list position and suitability.
In most LAs there is no difference between social and affordable tenants in terms of income and working status.
In fact, more people who bid on affordable homes tend to be in benefits as UC or housing benefit will cover the rent, as it’s deemed reasonable. Those who work are more keen on the social properties as the rents are lower and they have to pay less. I hope that makes sense.
There are lots of incredibly misinformed judgements and statements on this thread

Affordable housing if its means starter house i dont mind. But it is council house i do mind. I wouldn’t buy it if its near council house.

You don't want to be near and riff raff less their commoness seeps across the street and touches you so I'd say either front move or stick to private estates but beware BTL, you don't want those renters walking past your garden 🙄

I’d recommend looking at the affordable housing then, especially if you work locally. My friends have just bought one just off Oxford street (London), they’ve got a lot of band for their buck!!