When to put in an offer on a house

[Hotcrossbun4321]

I went to a house viewing yesterday in S London and loved the house. Only question is that the next door neighbours are doing a huge extension including a basement conversion with pool and gym and a gym garden building. Completely out of character with the road which is large 1920s semis (though many are being extended as it’s an affluent area). The neighbours are not living there as it’s a building site currently so I can’t knock and meet them. The house and location is otherwise lovely. I’m a bit worried about the kind of people that would do that sort of work on a house, and whether they might be planning some kind of personal training business in the garden. I need to act quickly as the house was v popular. Would you want more information about the neighbours? Should I do this before or after making an offer?

Could you speak to the EA and tell them that you'd really like it but have concerns? It would be a shame to miss out because you were researching first but obviously don't want to go ahead with something that turns out to be not what you want. Tricky one!

I’d rather have a PT next door, than a family with a bundle of noisy children, tbh.

I’d imagine that people who are prepared to do that level of work and investment to a relatively ordinary house in an ordinary area (i.e. not Chelsea or Hampstead etc) are more likely to be stable, long term neighbours and give you less grief than an HMO landlord or the like.

They are a family with small kids, so there may well be noise from the pool. I’m probably overthinking it…. The EA has given me timescales for building work so that’s fine. And at least it’s a family not a developer doing it. They’re adjoining another house so presumably couldn’t go crazy with the noise. Just seems a bit much that they pretty much knocked down a decent house to rebuild it with all the flashy additions!

I would consider this a good neighbour - likely they will be very house proud and that translates well to the overall street, because people keep the front tidy as well!

It would definitely make me hesitate but, on the other hand, if the neighbours are willing to sink a large amount of money in a property they are probably stable, house proud people. Have you decided what you are going to do?

Don’t do it OP! I had a friend whose neighbours did something similar and it ended up being a big factor in their decision to move. Many months of building work (delay after delay for over 1.5 years) and then totally changed the look of the street. After that it was constant noise and people coming and going. I think it even made it harder for them to sell in the end. Total disaster!!

Thanks all. Someone went in with an over asking price offer so it was a no in the end anyway - probably for the best