How to Deal With Bad Neighbors When Selling a Home

Tips on How to Deal With Bad Neighbors

Do you want to know how to deal with toxic neighbors?

Selling your home can be challenging, even in the best circumstances. There is just a lot of work involved in selling.

So even if you do everything correctly and a buyer arrives on your doorstep the first day, it doesn’t mean the whole process will be stress-free.

In real estate sales, there are numerous obstacles along the way that home sellers need to overcome.

It could be the property inspection, the buyer’s financing, the actual move, or any other number of things.

Sometimes the process of selling your place can be made worse by outside parties – particularly neighbors.

When someone is considering buying your home, they are mainly investing in a neighborhood. Bad neighbors can make a neighborhood look much less appealing.

For this reason, it can become vital to know how to deal with bad neighbors when selling a house!

It is important to be realistic when trying to deal with rude neighbors during a sale. There are only so many things you can do – within legal guidelines – to alter another person’s behavior.

Fortunately, you do have some options. Let’s take a look at some of the best tips for dealing with troubling neighbors and the issues they may present.

General Advice on How to Handle A Bad Neighbor

• Treat the situation with kid’s gloves: never take drastic measures from the start. Start an open dialog by explaining the problems you have.
• Be sympathetic, not accusatory: inconsiderate neighbors probably won’t respond well to pointing fingers. A better way is a friendly approach suggesting how it would be great if they could do something for you.
• Try to meet on neutral ground: meeting out at the street between homes would be an excellent way to start communications. By meeting in the neighbors’ yard it can seem more confrontational.
• Look in the mirror: make sure you aren’t the root cause of your neighbor’s terrible behavior. A problematic neighbor could be retaliating to something you’re doing that annoys them. Sometimes a polite conversation can solve the issue.
• Research neighborhood rules before making complaints: could your neighbor be just annoying you and not breaking any rules? Make sure you find out.
• Report illegal activity: is your neighbor not only a nuisance but breaking the law? If your neighbor is selling drugs, disturbing the peace, or running a prostitution ring, you might need to take legal action. As a last resort, if you can stop them from continuing what they’re doing, you may have to report them to the local authorities. Local law enforcement may need to step in and assist.
• Document all bad behavior: sometimes it can be helpful to take photos of the issues you’re dealing with.
• Ask a real estate agent for assistance: when selling a house with a bad neighbor, ask your Realtor for some help. Although they are not a neutral third party, it might be the best approach if you have a bad temper or already have a lousy relationship.

Ways to Deal With Problem Neighbors in a Sale

There are different types of bad neighbors, and each type may warrant a different approach. The best way of dealing with annoying neighbors is always staying calm, relaxed, and collected.

You’ll want to be a good neighbor first and foremost. If you come across as a jerk yourself when dealing with nightmare neighbors, you’ll likely make little headway.

It will be a good idea to take a gentlemanly approach. Let’s look at some of the more common neighbor disputes and how to deal with them.

A simple conversation often offers a better chance of solving issues than becoming a hothead.

Different Types of Bad Neighbors

The Overgrown Lawn

If your neighbor isn’t into yard work, they may have quite the jungle next door. There are guidelines for taking care of grass and debris in a neighborhood in many cities.

You may call the city and have them demand a cleanup. But if this is not an option, you can always talk with the neighbor.

Offer to help them cut the grass and keep things tidy until you can get the house sold. If things are appalling and your neighbor is strapped for cash, it may be prudent for you to bite the bullet and offer to pay to have a professional come and take care of the yard.

You may even consider doing it yourself as a neighborly gesture. While it is certainly not your responsibility to do so, it could be a difference-maker in getting your property sold in the long run.

While you may be thinking, why should I invest money in my neighbor’s yard, the point is it could cost you a lot more money in not selling your home for top dollar.

If you have a neighborhood association, they should undoubtedly assist. There are likely homeowner’s association rules that address this exact issue. It is one of the purposes of having an HOA.

The Property Line Fanatic

One of the more common neighbor disputes involves the property line location. This kind of neighborly dispute can lead to legal action. It is an expensive legal dispute that can cost significant money.

Some neighbors are property line fanatics and think they know the legal lot line.

If you have a new neighbor and they start to erect a fence on what you feel is your property, the best thing you can do is deal with the issue immediately.

Some sound advice is to speak to your neighbor calmly. Let them know you don’t believe the property line location is correct. Explain to them that an encroachment issue will cost a needless amount of money to resolve.

They will not only have to spend money hiring an attorney but may have to move the fence. You may have a hard time proving the correct lot line location to them.

If this is the case, the best bet is to get a property survey done. If you get a land survey done and your neighbor still doesn’t budge as a last resort, you’ll need to file a lawsuit.

The Foreclosure Problem

If a bank owns an empty house next to yours, you may have to do some research and make some phone calls to get things taken care of. Don’t wait for the buyer to purchase the foreclosure.

You may have to do a little bit of research to find the property owner.

In most situations, the bank is required to maintain at least a basic level of attention for the property, including keeping vagrants out and maintaining the landscape.

The rules will vary depending on where you live, but it is worth your while to make some phone calls to get things cleaned up.

Sometimes early in the foreclosure process, the lender has not gotten around to hiring a company to maintain the property. The home may look disgusting – preventing anyone from considering your home.

If the home has been like this for a while after the bank has taken possession, then get in contact with them! Please make sure you send them pictures of what the property looks like. Most banks will move to make the home more of a priority.

The Hoarder Next Door

Do you remember the 70’s sitcom, Sanford and Son? Fred Sanford loved collecting junk. So much so his entire yard was filled with the stuff. He couldn’t help himself. Maybe you have a neighbor that fits this description?

Some people like to collect things, both inside their homes and in their yards.

If your neighbor has a vast appliance collection out in the front yard, spending a little money now on your neighbor’s property may benefit you financially.

Offer to buy them a cheap shed to store all the junk and even help clear it all up.

You may have to spend a few hundred dollars and get a little dirty, but it could be worth it to make more money on your home sale.

Off your neighbor to pay for 1-800-Got-Junk or one of the other better junk removal companies to come and take away all of the mess.

Whatever you do, don’t decide to take matters into your hands and go clean up your neighbor’s yard!

Houselogic, a real estate portal, reports on six horror stories of lousy neighbor behavior. The last thing you want is to become your community’s latest news story.

Junk Cars in The Neighbor’s Yard

Some neighbors have a fondness for automobiles – whether they run or not. If your neighbor has one or more broken-down cars next door, you could get the law on your side by making a phone call or two.

Most cities have rules for abandoned cars, and you may be able to have the city come and tow it off.

If your neighbor owns the vehicle, you may have to get more creative. The city may be interested in making the neighbor clean up, but it may not.

If you can’t get help from the local authorities, offer to rent a garage for the neighbor’s car so they can access it – while keeping it out of sight from those checking out your home for sale.

I recently sold a home in Bellingham, Massachusetts, and the neighbor had an old beat-up beer truck in the yard. The seller asked the neighbor politely if they would remove the vehicle because they would be selling their home.

The neighbor, unfortunately, was nasty and would not even think about it. The seller put in a request for the town to do something about it, and they did! The neighbor was promptly asked to get rid of the truck, which they reluctantly did.

Noisy Neighbors

Having a noisy neighbor can be a tricky situation to address adequately. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth trying, though. You could start by talking to the neighbor.

Some people don’t realize that they are noisy, and they may be willing to quiet down once notified of the problem. If the neighbor tends to sit out on the porch and drink while harassing passersby, the city may be willing to address the issue.

Keep in mind that you may have to disclose the noisy neighbor to potential buyers, depending on the rules that govern your area. Real Estate disclosure laws may make it necessary. You may also get lucky.

A neighbor that seems obnoxious to you may be seen differently by a prospective buyer. Maybe the buyer wants nothing more than to sit out on the porch and drink too.

If you happen to live in a condominium, and it is regulated by a homeowners association, more than likely, some rules have been put in place that prohibits loud and obnoxious behavior. Most condo boards will have little tolerance for those who freely wreak havoc with their neighbors.

Often your neighbor is just oblivious to the fact they are disturbing you. Proper etiquette suggests you ask them nicely to stop what they are doing first before you make waves with an outside party.

By not asking nicely first, you are bound to create waves with your neighbor and worsen an uncomfortable situation.

Dangerous Neighbors 

There may be situations where you genuinely feel unsafe around your neighbor. They may be verbally abusive or threatening, or otherwise unpleasant.

In this case, you may feel compelled to tell your prospective buyers about the problem. If the neighbor is a real problem, it may be worthwhile to contact your local police department to discuss the issue.

If the person is making you genuinely uncomfortable or threatening you, they are probably breaking the law in the process.

Problem Dogs

With the number of foreclosures and abandoned homes in recent years, some pets have been left to roam the streets independently.

Dogs will tend to form packs and can be dangerous in certain situations. This is one problem that is quickly addressed.

Call animal control and notify them of the issue, and it should be taken care of relatively quickly. Maybe it is just your neighbor’s dog and not a stray?

In this case, discuss the fact you will be selling your home to your neighbor. If the dog is loud and obnoxious, express this concern to your neighbor. Tell them that you fear it affects your ability to procure a buyer.

Sometimes neighbors are irresponsible pet owners, and they don’t even realize the nuisance exists.

Nosy Neighbors

Every neighborhood has gossip, and unfortunately, sometimes they are located right next door. If your next-door neighbor is nosy and you are worried they will bother potential buyers during the sales process, talk with the neighbor before you begin having people over.

Let the person know that you prefer that the real estate agent is the person that does all the talking to the buyers.

You want to make sure the agent is doing their job, after all. Doing so may be enough to keep chatty neighbors at bay. Be advised that if you plan on having an open house, one of the downfalls will be your nosy neighbor showing up.

It’s one of the reasons why top real estate agents will explain to sellers that open houses do not sell homes. In most circumstances, an open house is nothing more than an opportunity for a Realtor to prospect for additional clients.

There is no doubt that all of these things can present obstacles to selling your home. How you choose to deal with this stuff will determine the outcome. Dealing with a troublesome neighbor is never easy.

I would put it right up there with selling a home with a tenant who does not want to leave your property. They are both tricky situations that need to be handled with kid gloves. Ultimately it is how you handle these situations that will determine your success. Always remember that cooler heads will prevail.

How to Deal With Noisy Upstairs Neighbors

Knowing how to deal with a noisy upstairs neighbor can be the difference between getting a good night’s rest or being up for all hours.

If you live in an apartment building or a multi-family, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.

Loud music from the neighbor who thinks they are the next best rock band is not uncommon. It is one of the more common issues when living in an apartment complex.

Knowing how to deal with bad neighbors in apartments is different from single-family homes.

When you’re dealing with an obnoxiously loud neighbor, you may need to buy some earplugs.

If the walls and ceilings are thin and you can hear the neighbors, try tapping on the wall. They may not realize how loud they’re being.

In extreme cases where communicating your issues are going nowhere, file a management complaint.

If you are renting a condo or apartment, you’ll want to file a written complaint with the homeowner’s association.

How to Get Rid of Bad Neighbors

The best way of getting rid of bad neighbors is doing the exact behaviors that are causing you all the problems. I am just kidding.

If your neighbor is renting a property, it will be easier. If not, you will have a much more challenging time getting rid of the neighbors.

Some of the things you can do when the neighbors are renting include:

• Call your neighbors landlord and report their behavior.
• Contact the HOA and file a complaint.
• Mirror their behavior and do some of the things that are bothering you. They may get the hint.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to deal with bad neighbors can be crucial if you want to enjoy living in your home. Sometimes neighbors can become best friends when they work on their differences. The best time to handle a problem is when it happens.

Don’t let issues fester, so you want to find a new home. Part of handling unwanted behavior is dealing with it correctly in the first place. There are many different ways to address problems, but the most straightforward solutions usually have a win-win scenario.

Common sense says to keep a bad attitude in check and present yourself as a good neighbor. Hopefully, you have found these tips helpful—best of luck.

Additional Helpful Resources For Dealing With Bad Neighbors

• Tips for dealing with a brutal neighbor – sensible tips on how to deal with a neighbor that is causing you problems via Wikihow.
• How to keep a problematic neighbor from derailing your sale – see helpful guidance for dealing with a bad attitude from your next-door neighbor at AOL Real Estate.
• What are the ways to handle difficult people – see common-sense tips via Psychology Today.

Use these additional articles to learn more tips on dealing with a neighbor who makes your life miserable while selling your home.

About the author: The above Real Estate information on how to deal with bad neighbors was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for 35+ Years.

Are you thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service Real Estate Sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge MA.