Background: for some years now, DH and I have talked about moving. For the last 15 years we’ve lived in a very rural place with no close facilities and not that much in the way of community, and since our grownup kids have all left and live elsewhere we think it’s not where we want to be long term.
Last year we had estate agents round and were pleasantly surprised at their valuations as this gave us more options to move elsewhere (possibly closer to family etc) if we use our savings as well, although property prices round here are way below national average. We’re mortgage free and our ages mean we wouldn’t really want to take one on. However we didn’t market it last year as we had lots on and weren’t agreed where to go, but it has still been uppermost in our minds.
Now we’ve learnt there are plans to run huge pylons across the land right behind our house - pretty close. Pylons have a very bad reputation, and they would also be destroying the view, which would be our main selling point. I’m devastated as research suggests that this could knock up to 50% off our house value, thus closing down most of our moving options. Who would want to buy here? I know I wouldn’t, seeing that on the searches.
We’ve joined local protest groups but I’m not hopeful. AIBU to feel this anxious, stressed and upset? I know it’s ‘first world problems’ compared to situations such as Gaza, but I feel so upset and powerless.
Should we try to cut and run before they are built - very probably having to take a really low offer (if indeed we could get a buyer at all)? Or wait another few years and see what happens? There might be a miracle and the protests work, or the pylons might not be so bad as we thought (or at least then we’d know how bad it will be) and someone might buy… or is that just wishful thinking?
What would you do?