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Original poster

House and garden very overlooked by others

47 replies

cowrice · 11/10/2023 02:49

I have come across a house that I really want to buy, but there are things that I don’t like about the house. It is built near an elevated public footpath on a slope, where anyone passing by can look right through every windows, the garden and even the bi-fold doors at the ground floor facing the garden. There are very few trees planted on the two sides of the footpath. I have drawn a [picture](https://imgur.com/a/O4OD6tG) showing how it looks.

The footpath is owned by the local authority. I wonder if it is possible to grow any tall plants or grass along the footpath so that the house and the garden are less overlooked by other people?

I am also worried about its resale value. It has been on the market for more than six months, although obviously overpriced, its asking price is still the lowest among all detached houses in the area (it is tiny). It also has high surface water flooding risk, and the fact that its position is low-lying compared to any other houses on the same road, make me even more worried about that. There is also a management fee of £600 per year as it is on a private road.

I have dreamt of living in a detached house but I am priced out of the area. This is the only detached house that I can still afford. Will you buy it if you were me?

OP posts:
jiinglebells · 11/10/2023 02:56

I wouldn't buy it unless you own the land to the side, there's no reason for the local authority to plant trees and spend £££ on this + upkeep to give you privacy. On that drawing it doesn't look like you would? Personally wouldn't touch with a barge pool if I'm honest.

Whygobald · 11/10/2023 03:00

I love the drawing! 😍
But no, I couldn't live there myself. It's just too exposed and with the other issues about flooding - it's just not a great property

Original poster
cowrice · 11/10/2023 03:06

jiinglebells · 11/10/2023 02:56

I wouldn't buy it unless you own the land to the side, there's no reason for the local authority to plant trees and spend £££ on this + upkeep to give you privacy. On that drawing it doesn't look like you would? Personally wouldn't touch with a barge pool if I'm honest.

I am thinking of planting some grass all by myself.. I know it's a ridiculous idea. Confused

OP posts:
MidnightOnceMore · 11/10/2023 03:10

I wouldn't buy this for all the reasons you highlight.

oishutup · 11/10/2023 03:11

I wouldn't risk it. If I couldn't afford a detached house in the area, I would be looking at the best semi-detached houses that have a degree of privacy.

LaurieStrode · 11/10/2023 03:47

Fantastic drawing! Love the facial expressions.

You could put that reflective stuff on the windows so people could not see in. Or get some awnings installed.

Is it a safety/crime issue or just privacy?

What do you like about the house? Link?

CountryCob · 11/10/2023 06:17

I think this would put a lot of people off and you would struggle to sell again if you wanted/ found it harder to live with than you thought you would...

Splitscreened · 11/10/2023 06:31

You have no control over what is planted on a local authority public pathway. Even if you plant bamboo or trees on the bit adjacent to your house, there’s nothing to prevent the LA maintenance team removing them.

pinkdelight · 11/10/2023 06:35

The flood risk would put me off most. Your dream to live in a detached surely doesn't involve being flooded, nor being so overlooked come to that. Semis are preferable if more privacy and watertight.

MoaningMolly · 11/10/2023 06:36

For the windows you can get privacy film. So from the outside the windows look like mirrors.

AnxiousPangolin · 11/10/2023 06:37

I was assuming the OP meant she could plant between the footpath and the house rather than guerilla planting on the footpath itself or expecting the local authority to do it. But it doesn’t look like there’s space for that?

I personally wouldn’t buy this for all the reasons you’ve listed. The flood risk alone would make me run a mile I’m afraid.

Twiglets1 · 11/10/2023 06:43

No I wouldn’t buy it for the reasons you mention re lack of privacy and flood risk. I would buy a really nice semi detached house instead.

ColonelSpondleClagnut · 11/10/2023 06:43

Hmmm. Our house is overlooked by neighbours on all sides - but we are on a slope with excellent drainage and no risk of flooding.

Being overlooked is an annoyance but you do get used to it. Although I still get the rage when next door peer over their parapet to holler down at us like they're fucking lord of the manor 😏

But I'd be more concerned about flooding, and is that a retaining wall on the picture? That could be a costly ball ache to maintain.

Splitscreened · 11/10/2023 06:46

AnxiousPangolin · 11/10/2023 06:37

I was assuming the OP meant she could plant between the footpath and the house rather than guerilla planting on the footpath itself or expecting the local authority to do it. But it doesn’t look like there’s space for that?

I personally wouldn’t buy this for all the reasons you’ve listed. The flood risk alone would make me run a mile I’m afraid.

Maybe in the garden, but in her drawing, the house itself is bang up against the footpath fence , and the path looks as though it’s raised quite considerably above the level of the house and garden, so planting in her own property wouldn’t block the overlookedness easily, whether because there’s no space between the fence and the house to plant, or because passers-by would still be able to see over the tops of trees or shrubs as they’re so much higher…?

I mean, I could be misreading the drawing.

I wouldn’t buy it either — both flood risk and lack of privacy.

DrySherry · 11/10/2023 07:00

The flood risk is probaby the reason it hasn't sold more than the price. If you ever need to sell it again in the future you will have the same problem. I wouldn't, most other people wouldn't.

daisychain01 · 11/10/2023 07:06

It wouldn't appeal to me. Why pay good money for a property with suboptimal privacy. Bad for you and bad for a future sale. There are many other properties out there with problems you can fix, privacy is hard to do much about.

Totalwasteofpaper · 11/10/2023 07:08

Honestly I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Your OP indicates you view detached home ownership as very important. I had a similar mindset when house hunting as I was moving from a flat with no sound proofing and wanted peace and quiet. The detached houses we saw were often problematic for various different reasons and we ended up with a semi detached which while not my dream on paper is honestly... not far off my dream in real life. I'd add a garage maybe (although it can be a junk magnet) and have slightly wider side access but that's about it... We never hear the neighbours, the house is more secure less maintenance etc.

Roselilly36 · 11/10/2023 07:11

No way, someone I know has a council owned slope alongside their property, kids skateboarding etc, very noisy and not private. They want to move, but no luck as yet.

oneuponedown · 11/10/2023 07:13

No I wouldn't buy it, I could maybe get on board with the garden being overlooked but you look to be pretty much overlooked from all angles and in all
Windows which would be off putting for me. Then the risk flood sits on top.

Personally I'd much rather a more private better situated semi detached house.

oneuponedown · 11/10/2023 07:14

And just buy the results on here so far it would suggest resale would be tricky.

AlltheFs · 11/10/2023 07:18

The negatives of this house outweigh any conceivable benefits of detached by a huge margin. I wouldn’t touch this house with a bargepole.

I don’t get the obsession with detached- we have a very old semi detached stone and thatch cottage, the walls are so thick you can’t hear anything next door.
Not all attached houses are a problem.

Twiglets1 · 11/10/2023 07:19

oneuponedown · 11/10/2023 07:14

And just buy the results on here so far it would suggest resale would be tricky.

Yes and the fact it has been on the market for more than 6 months despite being the cheapest detached in the area.

LuisVitton · 11/10/2023 07:21

You can surely plant shrubs/trees along the left fence of the garden to give privacy but it might also shade the house or obscure the view from your window.
You can at a push shade windows facing the path, if they do, with net curtains , or mirror screen, as mentioned above, not ideal but give privacy.
You can put houseplants on the windowledges so less can be seen in side.

You can look at the flooding risk - here in Scotland there is an environmental map with the high/low flood risk areas shown. If you are a high flood risk then I don't think you will get insurance and now are not allowed to build on these areas.

The other thing you could do is put in a low/very low offer.

CliffsofMohair · 11/10/2023 07:22

Whygobald · 11/10/2023 03:00

I love the drawing! 😍
But no, I couldn't live there myself. It's just too exposed and with the other issues about flooding - it's just not a great property

I too love the drawing and the fact that the stick neighbours seem to be enjoying a floor show on the first floor

Splitscreened · 11/10/2023 07:24

CliffsofMohair · 11/10/2023 07:22

I too love the drawing and the fact that the stick neighbours seem to be enjoying a floor show on the first floor

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The drawing is a thing of joy.

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