To buy my first house two minutes down the street from traveller housing initiative?

[MelMar1]

Please give me advice.
I’m sale agreed on a new build house in Dublin . I found out that there is a new traveller housing initiative going in right across the road from me. Please don’t say I’m being snobby I’m really not. I’ve just heard stories of anti social behaviour etc. I know there’s always some lovely people but I’m nervous.

Do I give the house up because of this? It’s a substantial amount of houses for the traveller scheme all together - six very large detached four bedroom homes. It is two minutes walk from me. I drove up to the development to see and the traveller housing initiative is not in front of me directly as I thought. It is not in front of or behind me but about 2 minutes walk down the road. I can only see gable end of one of the houses from mine. Not directly facing.
I need to sign contacts in 2 days and I am so torn.
Otherwise it’s perfect house for me. With this information are you saying yes or no?

This thread will be probably pulled as are many threads which are about travellers

Absolutely fucking not.

Absolutely not.
I wouldn't risk it.
The police in Ireland, not unlike the UK, are notorious for not tackling awful behaviour.
They are a law unto themselves.
Not a chance I would want to risk it.
Bet the EA lied too about the previous buyers.
Family are farmers and years ago had a group use their land temporarily during the summer for a few weeks, before they got them to move on. Police were useless.
The mess they left behind cost thousands to clear.
Completely lawless.

I would think this is the reason the first buyers pulled out

One of the factors in us relocating was the endless growth of traveller sites in our home town. Constant theft, schools being disrupted Eg fire alarms being set off daily until one was expelled or moved schools, then another would start.
This was our lived experience.

Absolutely not.

Categorically NO! No way

I live about `2 miles from a long established traveller site - there are constant dramas and fights that end with heavy police involvement. Along with anti social behaviour.

I’d walk away now.

Exactly, a place where I worked many years ago was opposite wasteland, travellers moved in one weekend. They broke into several business’s close by, including who I worked for. They used our car park as a human toilet. We had to be escorted to our cars on more than one occasion because of abuse. The mess they left when they got moved on was disgraceful.

I’m not unfortunately the only one with a story similar to this, which is why people don’t want travellers near where they live and / or work Im afraid. It certainly doesn’t seem to be a case of a small minority spoiling it for the rest either.

Of course you’re racist, you’re tarring an entire race of people with the same brush- that’s what racism is. At least own it if you’re going to spout such prejudice.

Babylamb, why threaten to make others clean up your mess?
We know that it is a minority of the group who commit crimes.

People here are quoting real life encounters and actual observations with people who have caused problems; they are not attacking you personally, nor any other non disruptive traveller.

Why bother to behave well? .. To have your own reputation respected.. To sleep well at night and to give great example to younger members of the traveller community.
People who do the right thing, like you, should be alarmed at the menacing ways of some who sometimes represent you.
You can be a positive influence.

As for buying the house, I would chance it only if I were given a large discount and I would install excellent security.
Cameras, high fence and electric wires.
When it comes to reselling, it will still be as desirable as you find it for those with less money. Traveller folk who are settling could be in the market too.

What’s a traveller housing initiative? Is it council houses specifically for travellers?

First post nails it.

It is not about your own personal tolerance, it is about the resale-ability of the property when you want to move on. For the same reason I wouldn’t buy next door to a pub, station/garage etc.

The initiative could lead to some absolutely lovely, diverse people living nearby. But it may also be a nightmare and you will not know until you have moved in which group it is - and nor would any future buyers for the property.

Avoid…

@babylamb4Come on, this isn’t without foundation. Many, many of us have been negatively affected by travellers in a variety of ways - myself included. Those who haven’t, still see the lack of tax payment, the filth left behind (I do have personal experience of this and I’ll never forget it) and the crimes. I’m sure you’re not all like that and I would never say or think you were. However in my opinion, the risk of being targeted is simply too high when OP could just buy elsewhere.

Nope, sorry, you couldn’t pay me.

My dad lives near one and for him and my step mum it’s okay. House was an absolute steal and they’re both hard of hearing so the noise isn’t an issue. They have never had issues with them but my dad is physically imposing and looks rough. I wouldn’t want to live there as a young woman.

Did you not read the post you’ve quoted?! PP literally said she knows they’re not all like this! 😆

If you want to resell at some point-it's a hard no from me.

I think you need to look at this solely as a business transaction - difficult as it’s about a home, I do get that.

Anything nearby that affects the sell on price or prospects should rule out a purchase. That includes perceived or actual antisocial behaviour problems, large building or planning developments, etc.

I live very close to a large traveller site that houses both Romany travellers and Irish travellers.

Speaking purely practically and dispassionately, the main consequences for me have been:

• being unable to drive down a particular road after heavy rain bevause the drainage system is overwhelmed by water run off from the site, and drains blocked with garbage and building waste. structural repairs to the road have been delayed because of safety issues for the workmen going on to the site; they needed a police escort.
• however, if you do chance it and get stuck, big burly men with tow trucks will come and get you out of the flood water
• my car insurance is very high because of a large number of untaxed and uninsured vehicles nearby, and a high number of accidents
• the travellers who control one of the sub-sites chucked out their fellow folk and are now subletting the vans to a large number of irregular migrants who operate as delivery drivers on mopeds. That means you can always get a food delivery but also cause a lot of noise and a fair few accidents too

I think your estate agent is probably lying about why the sale fell through.

Or possibly that the mortgage provider dropped their valuation when they found out about the traveller site.

I would buy only at a huge discount which would mean you could sell it if you decide to move. I.E. where the price will overcome the prejudices (or lived experience) of potential buyers in future.

And only if you can bear to see ponies tethered on a tiny circle in the sun and rain on grass verges near you, which is still legal in the UK and still happens. The last pair I saw were grazing the grass by parked cars in the Decathlon car park.

I have friends from all parts of the world before you label me as a racist. I personally have negative experiences from the travelling community having had my property vandalised, objects stolen and met with vitriol when trying to get my dc bikes back. So sorry, I'm biased and unfortunately I'm far from the only one. Nothing to do with ethnicity but everything to do with antisocial behaviour.

I would pull out.

Absolutely. Estate agents will say otherwise to sell. If you buy OP, you won't be able to sell.

no.

Absolutely NOT under any circumstances.