{"id":12544,"date":"2019-09-30T17:09:13","date_gmt":"2019-10-01T00:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=12544"},"modified":"2026-04-16T00:44:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T07:44:44","slug":"cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/","title":{"rendered":"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some neighbors don\u2019t mean to be bad. Take those like Chicago top-selling agent Matt Laricy<\/a> often encounters, where the noise of everyday life sends potential buyers fleeing once they realize that the insulation between condos is thinner than they realized.<\/p>\n

He and his sellers once asked neighbors to not be home during an open house. The prospective buyers liked the property well enough\u2014until they arrived for the inspection. The neighbors were home at that point, and the prospective buyers heard more than they liked coming from the other unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe insulation between the floors was terrible. And the minute they were there and they heard that, they\u2019re just like, \u2018There\u2019s no way,\u2019\u201d said Laricy, who has 17 years of experience with an average price point of $409,000. \u201cThey literally didn\u2019t finish the inspection. \u2026 [They said,] \u2018We\u2019re gonna cut it short. We\u2019re gonna back out of this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Noise is a common issue where neighbors can sour a deal<\/a>, even inadvertently. But there are other situations where a neighbor is deliberately inconsiderate, or acts like he or she has a say in who buys your house.<\/p>\n

If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, what are you to do? Hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: (Alvin Engler\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The high price of neighbors\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Knowing your neighbors can help homeowners create a safer, more secure environment, according to the State of the American Neighborhood<\/a> survey by Nextdoor<\/a>, which since 2008 has provided free private social networks for neighborhoods and communities.<\/p>\n

Although one-third of Americans don\u2019t know their neighbors by name, 47% of those surveyed who know their neighbors said they have no immediate plans to move. 35% had shared information with neighbors about crime and safety in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

That said, some neighbors make residents want to move. Real estate lawyers Ronald R. Rossi and Laurel Champion of Rossi, Hamerslough, Reischl and Chuck<\/a> of San Jose and Monterey, California, recalled on their blog how one client in Cupertino lived next door to a couple who owned five large dogs<\/a>, after whom they seldom cleaned.<\/p>\n

When their client spoke to the couple about the barking and repugnant smell, the neighbor responded with profanity, turned the hose on the client\u2019s control panel to knock out the power, threw rocks at the house, and poured gasoline around the garage, according to the blog’s recounting. The client called the police, who arrested the neighbor, but the client and his wife went to stay in a hotel.<\/p>\n

Even without such confrontation, bad neighbor behavior\u2014such as a poorly maintained exterior, unkempt yard, odors, loud music, and annoying pets\u2014can lower home values by more than 5% to 10%<\/a>, noted the Appraisal Institute, a nationwide professional association of real estate appraisers. In appraisal terms, this is \u201cexternal obsolescence,\u201d or depreciation caused by external factors not on the property.<\/p>\n

While this is understandably stressful, there are resources to help you deal with the situation so you can get to the closing table.<\/p>\n

1. Be transparent about the neighbor situation with buyers<\/h2>\n

First, you\u2019ll want to let potential buyers know what\u2019s happening with your neighbors to avoid possible legal trouble down the line. Although every state\u2019s laws are different, the core of most real estate disclosures is that sellers have to warn potential buyers of problems of which they\u2019re aware. (You can check your state\u2019s disclosure laws with HomeLight\u2019s list of all 50 states\u2019 individual mandated real estate disclosure forms<\/a> or rules).<\/p>\n

Some states employ a \u201cCaveat Emptor\u201d or \u201cBuyer Beware\u201d rule<\/a> instead of a standard disclosure form, but this doesn\u2019t allow you to plead ignorance, either. For instance, Alabama has a \u201cCaveat Emptor\u201d rule<\/a>, which doesn\u2019t apply if the seller or real estate agent knows about something that would impact a buyer\u2019s \u201chealth or safety.\u201d A buyer could argue a health risk because of a heap of dog feces in the yard next door, or a safety risk from a belligerent neighbor, as the California homeowner faced.<\/p>\n

California has a detailed real estate disclosure form where the seller must check off structural defects or mechanical malfunctions on the property, as well as any lawsuits, deed restrictions, and \u201cneighborhood noise problems or other nuisances,\u201d broad language that covers the scenario described above.<\/p>\n

In that situation, lawyers Ross and Champion noted that they had to prepare detailed documentation about their client\u2019s dispute<\/a> with the neighbor to give prospective buyers in order to be more than forthright. Otherwise, after the buyer moved in, another neighbor could fill them in on what happened previously, opening the seller to a lawsuit for \u201cfailing to make complete and adequate disclosures.\u201d<\/p>\n

The residential real property disclosure form in Illinois does not mention issues with neighbors, noise, or nuisances. It focuses on material defects, flooding, termite infestations, and \u201cunsafe concentrations\u201d of radon, lead paint and asbestos. Sellers also have to note whether they\u2019re aware of any boundary or lot line disputes, and whether their property had been used for the manufacture of methamphetamine.<\/p>\n

Even so, Laricy said he mentions the design and construction of multi-unit buildings, just to prepare buyers who might not be used to such close quarters.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something I bring up to my clients: \u2018OK, just so you know, in a building like this, you always hear people,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Neighbors<\/a>
Source: (Allen Taylor\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Try to talk to the neighbors, even if it\u2019s a last ditch effort<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re in a situation similar to the California homeowner, \u201ctalking\u201d to your neighbor may involve using a lawyer, or contacting law enforcement for your own safety. (More on that in a moment.) However, if there\u2019s just annoyance between you, start small: speak with the neighbor, write a note, or ask your real estate agent to ask for their cooperation.<\/p>\n

Because noise crops up often for Laricy\u2019s sellers and buyers, he and his clients have asked neighbors with dogs or small children who can\u2019t help but stomp and play to take the dog for a walk, wear socks instead of shoes, or step out for a bit during showings. He said he\u2019ll still give prospective buyers a heads-up, such as: \u201cThe insulation\u2019s really bad, and the neighbor\u2019s got a dog that\u2019s super loud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether your neighbor is loud, invasive, terrible at lawn care, or just a nightmare in general, consult HomeLight\u2019s guide to dealing with the different kinds of bad neighbors<\/a> before taking more extreme measures.<\/p>\n

3. Go to your HOA if you have one<\/h2>\n

If there\u2019s truly bad blood between you and your problematic neighbor, it\u2019s time to bring in outside help. If you live in a community with a condominium owners\u2019 association (COA) or homeowners\u2019 association (HOA), tell them what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n

These associations try to stay out of disputes where, say, one neighbor blows leaves into another\u2019s yard. But a community\u2019s Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions (CCRs) typically have a clause that says homeowners have a right to \u201cquiet enjoyment<\/a>\u201d of their homes, according to All Property Management<\/a>, a nationwide company that connects property owners with professional property managers. This includes any type of abuse, verbal or physical harassment, intimidation or aggression.<\/p>\n

That means that when one neighbor is harassing another in a way that violates regulations from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)<\/a> or the Fair Housing Act, the COA or HOA becomes liable for legal action as well, All Property Management says.<\/p>\n

Whether your HOA or COA decides to investigate on its own, involve a mediator, consult its legal counsel, send a cease and desist notice<\/a>, or pursue other action depends on your community and the CCRs. However, having evidence of the behavior helps, these property experts say.<\/p>\n

Provide any documentation of behavior you\u2019ve reported to your municipality. Your real estate agent also can help by documenting any instances where the neighbor\u2019s behavior has interfered with a showing or a sale<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One HOA and its attorney intervened for a Utah user in Reddit\u2019s Legal Advice forum<\/a>, which has 960,000 members. The user posted earlier this year that they had to move from Ohio to Utah for work but had trouble selling their Ohio home because of a neighbor\u2019s \u201csabotaging\u201d behavior, including parking his truck in such a way that potential buyers could not park near the property and revving his motorcycle engine during showings. The HOA notified the neighbor this was unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Source: (Stefen Tan\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Raise your concerns to the city or county<\/h2>\n

This may occur in tandem with the previous step. In essence, a homeowner can pursue either trespass or nuisance actions against a \u201csabotaging neighbor<\/a>,\u201d even if you\u2019re not selling your home, says the Washington, D.C., personal injury law firm Simeone Miller, LLP<\/a>, which handles premises liability cases.<\/p>\n

Trespass is when someone physically enters your property, either directly or indirectly (through an object such as breaking a fence or window). Nuisance is when a neighbor unreasonably interferes with your property\u2019s usage through unsightly debris, loud music, and so on.<\/p>\n

Check your municipality\u2019s code enforcement and noise statutes, and report any possible violations to the police or appropriate authorities. Simeone Miller recommends starting with a conversation, if possible; then a personal letter; then contacting the authorities.<\/p>\n

5. Get a lawyer if absolutely necessary<\/h2>\n

If you feel that your personal safety is threatened, you may wish to involve law enforcement, a lawyer, or both in your situation earlier. Once a lawyer is involved, you do have another recourse beyond the lawyer providing communication.<\/p>\n

Jurisdictions generally have causes of action for \u201cintentional interference with contractual relations,<\/a>\u201d or something similar. This allows you to bring a claim against someone who \u201cwrongfully\u201d interferes with your contract or business relationship with another party, which would include the sale of your home.<\/p>\n

As you weigh your course of action, be sure to keep your real estate agent informed\u2014and ask if he or she has any suggestions as well. Agents encounter so many different personalities through the course of real estate transactions that they may be able to help open a dialogue with your neighbor, if not hammer out a satisfactory solution.<\/p>\n

Header Image Source: (F. Muhammad\/<\/a>\u00a0Pixabay<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":12546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[323,319],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-quick-tips","category-selling-advice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nI Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-10-01T00:09:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-16T07:44:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Valerie Kalfrin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@valerie-kalfrin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Valerie Kalfrin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?","description":"If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?","og_description":"If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_published_time":"2019-10-01T00:09:13+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-16T07:44:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Valerie Kalfrin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@valerie-kalfrin","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Valerie Kalfrin","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/"},"author":{"name":"Valerie Kalfrin","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/234e3147a305073d2c8cb21d61865465"},"headline":"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?","datePublished":"2019-10-01T00:09:13+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-16T07:44:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/"},"wordCount":1754,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors.jpg","articleSection":["Quick Tips & Tricks","Selling Advice"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/","name":"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors.jpg","datePublished":"2019-10-01T00:09:13+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-16T07:44:44+00:00","description":"If you feel like you can\u2019t sell your house because of your neighbors, hang in there. We\u2019ve collected some expert advice for you to plan your next steps.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors.jpg","width":1500,"height":800,"caption":"Source: (Image by F. Muhammad from Pixabay)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/cant-sell-my-house-because-of-neighbors\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"I Can\u2019t Sell My House Because of Neighbors: What Should I Do?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","name":"HomeLight Blog","description":"Real Estate Advice from America's Top Agents","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"HomeLight","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","width":1348,"height":262,"caption":"HomeLight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gohomelight","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/homelight\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCimugR9XF17-OZ7B9fNnxWw","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HomeLight"],"description":"Everything you need to know to sell your house faster and for more money. Articles, guides, and advice from top agents all over the U.S.","email":"support@homelight.com","telephone":"(888) 688-0350","legalName":"HomeLight","foundingDate":"2012-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"201","maxValue":"500"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/234e3147a305073d2c8cb21d61865465","name":"Valerie Kalfrin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/86b69a0e8a73ca97e0cc84bf6294e479059bce7b41ed89cec2bbacf27469f4b6?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/86b69a0e8a73ca97e0cc84bf6294e479059bce7b41ed89cec2bbacf27469f4b6?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Valerie Kalfrin"},"description":"Valerie Kalfrin is a multiple award-winning journalist, film and fiction fan, and creative storyteller with a knack for detailed, engaging stories.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/valeriekalfrin\/","https:\/\/x.com\/valerie-kalfrin"],"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/author\/valerie-kalfrin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12544\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}