A property owner has uncovered that his neighbours have been encroaching approximately 50 feet onto his land whilst attempting to sell their home.
The discovery came after noticing the estate agent's listing described the property as having a "spacious backyard".
The homeowner revealed on Reddit that the neighbours strategically wait until he leaves before mowing well beyond their actual boundary line.
He noted that whilst their home sits further back on their plot, providing more front garden space, they had never previously extended their mowing past the property line until listing the house for sale.
The estate agent's listing contained multiple misrepresentations beyond the garden size claim.
According to the homeowner, the property was advertised as having "lake access" with potential to "build your own dock", despite being situated across the road from waterfront properties.
The homeowner explained: "The neighbour now cuts approximately 50 feet into our yard in an attempt to sell their house as a 'spacious backyard'. This is always done when we aren't home."
He added: "The realtor also listed their house as 'lake access' with the ability to 'build your own dock'. The house is across the street from the houses with lake access."
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|The homeowner wasn't happy
Reddit users responded with various practical solutions to address the boundary encroachment.
Several suggested installing a fence to establish a clear physical barrier, whilst others recommended more visible deterrents.
One commenter proposed using "orange spray paint to label yours/mine", with another supporting this approach: "Yesss that's the move. Once it's marked, they can't play dumb anymore. Add a sign too if you've got to. Make it crystal clear this isn't something that's up for debate."
A different suggestion involved applying "weed killer, so they cannot 'mow it out'", creating a permanent boundary marker that would prevent the neighbours from disguising the property line.
More inventive approaches emerged from the online community to tackle the deceptive property listing.
One Reddit user recommended: "I would put up a sign saying the boundaries are unsurveyed to warn potential buyers."
The same commenter suggested leaving online feedback about the estate agent, stating: "I would also write a review of the estate agent and company, explaining your situation.
Then get some popcorn and wait for your survey, haha."
Another contributor shared a similar experience: "My mother's neighbour did something similar (took photos of my mother's backyard and boat ramp when she tried to sell). Spoiler: No one fell for it and the house didn't sell."