Regret buying a stupid house

[Starman2409]

Hi,

About 7 years ago, which now I massively regret, we bought a house. Essentially it's a big 4 bedroom house which is an end terrace.

Running literally about 12 / 15 feet down the side of my garden are 3 terraces which overlook directly in my garden as they are built round the corner / bend of the road.

They can see everything as well as parts of my living room and my bedroom. As well as this they all have a right of way to access to take their bins out directly across my garden. Its ridiculous. I can't go in my garden at all without bedroom windows staring directly at me. Everyone that has lived in the houses has been lovely but I feel so lived on top of! I bought some tall bamboo for a little bit of screening but one of them complained it was shading her garden for a few hours in the morning!

We paid 200,000 for the house and it's probably worthless now.

Any advice on what to do? I considered a quick buy property firm but can imagine that even they wouldn't touch it with a bargepole!

I know. The houses are so close it's ridiculous. We loved the house and it never botherered us. Didn't consider the consequence of trying to sell it though.

Its causing me massive anxiety about being stuck here forever dealing with it. Its all I can think about all the time!

Sorry for having a whinge!

@Starman2409

I know. The houses are so close it's ridiculous. We loved the house and it never botherered us. Didn't consider the consequence of trying to sell it though.

Its causing me massive anxiety about being stuck here forever dealing with it. Its all I can think about all the time!

Sorry for having a whinge!

But you haven’t even tried to sell it, so the worry could all be for nothing!

Its actually living here as well. Its a nightmare. Any stories of selling nightmare properties would be appreciated.

We loved the house and it never botherered us.

Exactly! Someone else will feel the same!

Start having a look at what you could move to if you sold at the price the EA gave you. If there's houses you'd rather have, get yours on the market and see what happens. If you've got some money to throw at it try wooden blinds, if you want a cheaper solution try that film you put on windows to make them look frosted.

A house in my town sold for 500k+ last year. It's a big period property but it's on a busy crossroads, literally right on the pavement, its got a pub around the corner and is directly opposite some slightly scruffy terraces. I was amazed when it sold, but clearly someone loved it!

Find an agent that will do the property tours for you - arrange to be out when they happen so you don't feel like you have to sell / justify the house (as you are so negative about it it will be hard for you to do, I'm guessing).

As someone else already said, offer it to a new build developer as a part exchange.

I think you are catastrophising quite a lot. You need to step back and learn to love your house again! List all it's good points to us. Dress your windows so you feel more private. Do some of the suggestions for the garden. And then decide to love it or list it as they say - but not while you are in your current state of self doubt and self recrimination! We all make some mistakes or compromises, but don't let it obsess you.v

Yeah, I would be so negative. Slightly scruffy terraces sounds a delight compared to three that are 15 feet away from your garden with access for bins.

Also have another issue. When you open one of our back doors there is a kitchen window for the downstairs flat next door that can.open directly into our garden

The price at ours has been valued at no one would buy it compared to what else is on offer.

Can't even see a cheap quick house buying company being interested

God, I'm so negative. Sorry again for whinging.

@Starman2409

Yeah, I would be so negative. Slightly scruffy terraces sounds a delight compared to three that are 15 feet away from your garden with access for bins.

Also have another issue. When you open one of our back doors there is a kitchen window for the downstairs flat next door that can.open directly into our garden

The price at ours has been valued at no one would buy it compared to what else is on offer.

Can't even see a cheap quick house buying company being interested

God, I'm so negative. Sorry again for whinging.

There is no point whinging when you haven’t even tried to sell yet.

The house I'm talking about sold for nearly 600k. There's much, much better (to me) in the area for the price. Their back garden borders on the pub "beer garden" (concrete yard with a few benches, not nice at all) and a bit of waste land that had a homeless guy in a tent living on it for a couple of months last year. The slightly scruffy terraces was a kind description on my part - 'scratty' would be the word used round here. The front of the house opens straight onto a narrow pavement, the road is busy and has a lot of vans & tractors which must make the single glazed windows rattle. But they sold! And at a decent profit according to t'internet.

You have convinced yourself that your house is a dump. It isn't. If you don't want it, sell it to someone who does!

Thanks everyone. I've had a word with myself and tried to calm down

Why didn’t you oppose the planning application, if it’s that bad?!

Why didn’t you oppose the planning application, if it’s that bad?!

Why didn’t you oppose the planning application, if it’s that bad?!

Why didn’t you oppose the planning application, if it’s that bad?!

There are 1000s of houses in this country next to train lines, motorways and airports. There are probably millions which are overlooked. They all get bought and sold. You really should try selling otherwise you’ll never know.

There are 1000s of houses in this country next to train lines, motorways and airports. There are probably millions which are overlooked. They all get bought and sold. You really should try selling otherwise you’ll never know.