asking neighbours to sell some land to us -how..

[ickletickle]

write or ask face to face, suggest price or not.

its a strip of land, probably no more than 5 metres wide which runs along the back of our garden. slightly inconsequential to their massive garden, but would make a big difference ot ours.

any thoughts?

A face to face exploratory discussion would be my recommendation

We were pretty insulted when our neighbours wrote us a note recently, we having previously said no verbally. Unless you know how much it is worth (hard since it is not necessarily the same value in terms of loss to their property as it is a gain for yours) then ask in principle only at first if they would consider it.

just out of interest, why were you insulted?

Partly the condescending tone that their offer was one we could n't refuse and and also the "we would have spoken to you but we never seem to be home at the same time" - I was at home with the kids when they posted it through, then they skipped off on holiday ! Had they simply mentioned it(again) over the fence we woudl have been able to repsond. As it is we have reinstated our fencign and left it !

We bought some land from a neighbour.
She brought the subject up first, I almost bit her hand off! Then sha said nothing for a few months so I approached her again.

Don't suggest a price though. She had a figure in mind, things changed but we did a faitr deal between us.

If you know them pop round and speak to them. If you don't really know them, then you should get to know them!!
I wouldn't do it by writing a letter though.

We had similar situation - our neighbours own the massive field directly in front of our house.

We were interested in buying, or renting, just a small part of it, specifically to put the kids trampoline in as our garden is so small.

My neighbour is friendly and we are on good terms, but she is very straight talking, so I asked her directly, in a conversation, if she would ever consider selling or renting part of the field and told her why we wanted it, to which she immediately replied 'no way'. She didn't want to relinquish her land really.

But then a few days later she came back and said 'I've been thinking, why not just put the trampoline there anyway?' So we did!

Obviously it isn't our field, but we lost nothing by asking. I think a formal letter may have alienated her a bit as we are on friendly speaking terms.

ON THE OTHER HAND - if we had written a proposal in a letter she may well have had time to mull it over and come to the same conclusion!

So I guess it depends on your relationship. If you are friendly, perhaps an initial conversation would work?

As other have said ask them face to face.

Oh and btw don't look down your nose and ask to speak to 'the man of the house' when i answer the door. Because that will get mine and DH backup so it doesn't matter what you offer it will be rejected.

And then 3mths later have a delivery of paving slabs delivered, but because you don't have any rear access that you get the driver to park on our property (we live at the end of a close and have 2 parking spaces out the front) and delivery it over our (boundery)wall without asking first.