Is it weird to knock on neighbours doors next to the house you may want to buy?

[newyorkparis]

Just this really? It’s a big purchase and I’d like to get a feel for how they are and whether there are any tensions or issues to be aware of.

Would it be strange if we did this?

I did this once with a family member who was buying a house. It revealed some very useful information and she decided not to proceed with the purchase.

Apparently this is common in the Netherlands.It seems very sensible as neighbours, good or bad,can have a lot of influence on your life.

It's a smart move. Also to download the land registry deeds for each neighbour so you can see any covenants and rights of way.

We had this when a neighbour was selling! We answered honestly (there was genuinely nothing bad to say) and now we have the people who knocked on our door as neighbours

Thanks, one of the gardens of the properties backing onto ‘our’ garden looks like something out of an episode of shameless (broken plastic garden chairs, grass feet high, junk and stuff strewn about). I wonder if that may be part of the reason they are moving.

The other house we like has an internet ‘troll’ face meme picture in the front window (weird) so I’m wondering if there are neighbourly issues there 🧐

I did this on a few houses I looked at. Gives you a better insight to what you may be moving into.

It works both ways. We were selling up our family home and a very strident viewer knocked next door and asked our elderly neighbours if they were planning on updating their somewhat ramshackle house anytime soon. They were lovely people and genuinely offended.

viewer made a decent offer but we declined.

Some people looking at a neighbour's house saw me outside and asked what the area was like. I told them it was very nice and quiet but the geese on the nearby waterway could be very loud sometimes. They didn't buy it but I hadn't intended to put them off, I like the geese.

I did this when buying my first house and it was a good idea. As long as you’re polite it’s perfectly fine and you can find our first hand if the neighbours are sketchy or not.

Yes you should do this. Of course just be friendly and polite not like Pp’s story above. Even better if you can just bump into the neighbours, which means a bit of loitering at different times of day, which is also a good idea.

When you think how much houses cost, it’s mad that we check so little.

I did. I'd heard rumours of some problems. The neighbour put my mind at ease. She's still my neighbour 18 years later.

Somebody knocked on our door to ask questions about the area when our neighbour was selling their house. They particularly wanted to know about the walk ftom the station - was it safe, especially for a woman on her own?

I told the truth (I though it was very safe, and wslked it frequently) and was positive about the area.

They didn't end up buying the house, but I don't know what their reasons were. (The house was later bought by a lovely family, so no complaints there!)

Looking back, it also gave us both a chance to form an impression of each other. Maybe they didn't like the look of me as a neighbour?! And, if I hadn't liked the look of them (and if I'd been quick-thinking enough), then I could have been a bit more offputting about the area...

Completely fine, as is scoping out the area at various points in the day, weekdays and at the weekend. If there are issues with the neighbours then the sellers may not have reported issues because they’d have to disclose the issues so it pays to do your due diligence.

Also, google the road name for any news stories.

This is good advice - not buying but my partner was looking to house swap. He googled the road and lots of articles came up about the residents being angry about “another” localised flood in the road - he was looking at a basement flat and had a very lucky escape.

I can see how it would be useful

And I rung be bothered if someone knocked on my door asking about this

But you can easily have the wool pulled over your eyes as well. If I'd have knocked on my next door before I moved in and asked,I think they'd have been all nicey nicely when in reality two weeks in, the first incident happened and they harassed us for 2 years after that. I also think if I'd have knocked on doors a couple of houses down the street, they may possibly have said how awful next door were if they were being really honest, BUT it took them years to admit and see how awful they truly were and I don't think that people forsaw how awful they would be to us either, so I'm not convinced we would have got realistic responses.

Yes! Do this! Extremely sensible. I never understand why it's not a basic part of the house buying process

Well it's not the norm but I think it's a good idea. We popped over to a neighbor house after making an offer on our current home to see the extension they'd put on as we had the idea we'd do the same. They are lovely and firm friends many years later.

Good to do this. Just say you wondered what the street's like. It's very helpful. I do it for each property with a shared boundary (so properties adjoining at the back too).

Trust your instincts

I#d do it but frame it as more of a asking about the area question - is the road quiet at night, any surface water flooding, parking issues, etc. Anything else I need to know about? They might tell you something interesting and you can also get a feel for them I guess???? Though they could still be a nutter who appears quite nice on face value

My garden has grass miles high for a number of reasons. None of them are that I disturb the neighbours in any way other than I suppose they might clutch their pearls at long grass

My first house. The neighbour was a lovely old dear on her own. Sadly after 6 months of me moving in the neighbour had to go into a home and the son rented the house out. The new tenants were awful, loud, smoked weed, partied all the time. God I hated them. . Glad I've moved now. .
Knowing the neighbours might help but no guarantee.

I didn't and regretted it! But I think you need to ask their neighbours! I bought an end terrace so I needed the neighbours on the neighbours side. I would never have bought that house!

With this one a good friend knew the area, she had a friend living in the street and I lurked different times of the day and night to see how quiet it was.