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I'm selling my house and someone just made an offer. I disclosed upfront any potential issues, but one thing I didn't mention is my neighbor sometimes plays music on a Friday night for a few hours. We can't hear the actual songs or the music, except the bass... which cuts through the walls into our living room. It's not that loud, but I can hear it. We aren't bothered by it too much, our neighbor is usually done by 11pm. Its maybe 2 Fridays a month. Do I need to disclose this? I don't want the buyer to think it's worse than it is. We do live in an HOA community and we never told our neighbor that we hear it, and never submitted a complaint. I don't want the buyers to be surprised by this issue, though I know buying a house comes with risks and any neighbor can be a problem that exists now or in the future.
We do live in an HOA community and we never told our neighbor that we hear it, and never submitted a complaint. I don't want the buyers to be surprised by this issue, though I know buying a house comes with risks and any neighbor can be a problem that exists now or in the future.
A couple of months ago, I sold my house. I didn't mention that every neighbor has one or more barking dogs. We had coyotes, rabbits, deer, groundhogs causing dogs to bark. We were all on acre plus lots but the noise traveled.
There were tons of kids in the neighborhood screaming all summer long too.
I live in a generally quiet neighborhood, but spaced out larger homes on 1+ acre lots as opposed to OPs shared walls. Even here, there is someone down around the corner from us that likes to host outdoor dinner parties in the summer and the music floats through the air to where we are. They have good taste in music and shut it down as per the city noise ordinance. If the breeze is blowing just right, we can also hear music from a couple of area high schools on some football nights. It wouldn't occur to me to mention this to a buyer. I think you are fine, OP. If someone is buying a home with a shared wall, they have to be prepared that it isn't going to be a silent experience.
As you are moving, you could thank your neighbor for being a good neighbor while you lived there. Gently let them know that they may not be aware the bass sound comes through the wall. It may be possible they can move things around or adjust the bass.
You only have to answer the questions on your state's disclosure form. You do need to answer honestly IF asked, but you don't need to volunteer more if it's not asked.
If they ask you "is the neighborhood quiet?" Answer honestly.
In our contracts, we actually have a "neighborhood review" contingency, where clients have an obligation to check out the neighborhood. We encourage ours to go on a Friday or Saturday and sit down the street and watch and listen and see what goes on. Few do that, but some do!
I wouldn’t say anything, and wouldn’t worry about coming back to bite you in the rear regardless of your state’s laws. You never made any complaints, and for all they know you’re out until late at night on the weekend, watch movies or listen to music loudly yourself, or go out of town a lot?
By and large our neighborhood is quiet. I was certain of this before closing because I took no less than a dozen trips to it while in escrow all days of the week, and at all hours. I got out and walked around talking to people working in their yards, and talked to a couple of different mailmen. A buyer has a month to find out a lot about any neighborhood.
Hearing the bass through the walls every two weeks is not what I would consider a problem with noise. It's fairly normal for townhome and apartment living.
(You didn't specify whether it's a townhome or single family dwelling but I would guess you have a shared wall, from what you've said.)
It wouldn't have occurred to me to make special mention of it.
Hearing the bass through the walls every two weeks is not what I would consider a problem with noise. It's fairly normal for townhome and apartment living.
I would consider it a GIGANTIC problem. If it were disclosed, I absolutely would not buy the property. (My home is supposed to be my sanctuary -- I do not want to be forced to listen to someone else's bass! I expected that as a renter -- and still hated it -- but NOT as a property owner. The building should be better built than that, assuming it's a townhouse or condo -- but of course, many are NOT built better than that, and I certainly want to know before I move in. )
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarolinaMoon1
(You didn't specify whether it's a townhome or single family dwelling but I would guess you have a shared wall, from what you've said.)
That ^^^ is pretty important info and I couldn't tell either from the first post what kind of "home" the OP has.
It is not within the realm of disclosure. Disclosure only has to do with the physical condition of the home you listed and not people, not traffic, not parking etc. It is not dishonesty. Like you said the bass doesn't bother you so it is not a problem anyway.
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