Are you uncomfortable using any portion of your land?

[bigtrees]

Just curious here...

My neighbors built a huge house pretty close to the property line, situated that they overlook a portion of my land. I find it slightly uncomfortable walking around or otherwise using this portion of my land, as I feel I'm always under the watchful eye of the neighbors.

Curious if others feel this way, and if so, how do you handle this situation?

(For me, a portion of the reason for the tree planting project is for privacy...I hope the trees will someday provide a bit of privacy between them and me.)

[WLC]

Nope, It's mine, I do what I want.  Let 'em look.

[btulloh]

Same here. I'm usually too busy to wonder what they're up to. I figure they are focused on their own activities and aren't paying much attention to things over here.

Best to have some kind of relationship with the neighbors although some don't want that. That's ok too.

[GAB]

I think you now have the perfect location to commence a spare parts repository.
It'll give them something to look at.
GAB

[Chuck White]

I used to have neighbors, one in each direction on the other side of the road, both within sight, now over the last few years I have I have 2 new neighbors on this side of the road, one on each side of me and back a little!

If you can visualize the #5 dice, I'm now the center dot!

I only own 1½ acres.

I planted a bunch of Spruce trees just off the North edge of my yard to close off one of them.

Mostly though, I don't pay to much attention to them, the 2 neighbors to the South are part of the new Amish clan that is settling in this area, and we do get along well!  ;)

I just don't really care for living in a "fish-bowl"!   

[Southside]

I tend to take things right up to the line, so if I were uncomfortable with the idea they may be watching me I would be out there grilling burgers butt naked dancing to Phish, which would probably get them to never look in that direction again, but I do have an abrasive way of handling things sometimes.  Of course with my luck that would be just their "thing" and I would never be able to get rid of them after that.  :D

[btulloh]

I figure you're about 50 miles from me Southside. That's starting to sound too close.

[Southside]

See what I mean about it being effective?  :D

[bigtrees]

I just want to say - I'm liking these answers.

My dad, bless his heart, gives people space, so he keeps certain portions of his property unused so others can have privacy. While considerate, that is different than my opinion. I certainty appreciate the opinions here.

[Don P]

My mind was going in another direction completely when I saw the thread title. Yeah, the mossy 60' cliff on a rainy day :D.

[lxskllr]

I'm in a subdivision on 1ac, and waaay to close to other people. During summer I have my green cloak that blocks most of the yard off, but it opens up in winter, and I feel exposed. I don't want to see other people, and I don't want them looking at me. I'd be better off in the center of 100ac.

[Ianab]

If you are in town here you are lucky to have 1/4 acre these days. That was the standard house plot back in the day, but in the cities that will have 2 or 3 houses on that now. 

I grew up on a farm that was 550 acres, with basically National park on 2 side. previous property was 320 acres of mostly hills.

While I miss the space, where I am now is OK. We know the neighbours, and the kids have a hole in the hedge to go and visit the neighbours. They are the sort that give Ms 12 their house key and ask her to feed their cat when they are away. 

[snowstorm]

I tend to take things right up to the line, so if I were uncomfortable with the idea they may be watching me I would be out there grilling burgers butt naked dancing to Phish, which would probably get them to never look in that direction again, but I do have an abrasive way of handling things sometimes.  Of course with my luck that would be just their "thing" and I would never be able to get rid of them after that.  :D

phish fan? one of the band opened an old store. after well over a year of rebuilding and building on. they spent a boat load of money. at the grand opening they have the road closed for the big party. must have been over 200 there. now when i drive by the most i have seen is 2 cars in the parking lot

[Southside]

No, not at all, but I had to work at both of their concerts 20+ years ago at Loring and to this day I can still hear that music. So I figured it would be a great repellant.  ;D

[lxskllr]

Never seen Phish, but I went on a spree downloading bootlegs from archive.org last year. I dig 'em. Like the Dead, but a bit more energy.

[jimparamedic]

Pretty lucky where I live people are close but good people. But if I had a choice I would prefer not seeing the smoke from my neighbors chimney

[lxskllr]

My left hand neighbors are alright. My backyard neighbors are... something. They /seem/ nice enough, have lots of money, but the woman is a psychopath. She's just plain weird. My right hand neighbors I named the McLouds for intuitive reasons. They're nice enough, but they're always making noise, and they subtly encroach on my property. Cut my bushes down cause "The realtor said we owned that". Tear out a concrete floor, literally all night long(If I were almost anyone else, I wouldn't have slept that night. Me? I could sleep on the flight deck of a carrier). Put little piles of dirt on my side of the property line. Picnic table partly on my property. ( I sometimes amuse myself by thinking of bringing my gear home, precisely laying out the property line across the table, then pull out my chainsaw to take my portion  :^D  ). and they're from the city... None of it is a huge deal(Though the bushes came close...), but all together, and because it's /them/, it's irritating.


Those are the only neighbors I deal with. I try to keep to myself and pretend the world doesn't exist. Most of the neighbors oblige, but my space to roam is very small.

[Woodpecker52]

That's what barbed wire is for if its an open area and painting boundry lines if its in trees.  I would post keep out signs with some official warning signs of the dangers of lyme disease and rattlesnake risk, that always limits visitors that do not know where the lines are.  As far as lookers just start piling up old junk on the line etc. a few junk autos and tires and they soon will put up a screen to limit the eyesore!!  I myself use rebel flags to ward off the yankees and politically correct!

[lxskllr]

  As far as lookers just start piling up old junk on the line etc. a few junk autos and tires and they soon will put up a screen to limit the eyesore!! 

You might have to reevaluate your strategy if I move in. There's nothing more intriguing than a pile of junk  :^D

[Sixacresand]

No. I just pay attention to which tree I water, make sure no one is in sight. 

[dgdrls]

Phish - Fee - YouTube

I was in High school with John Fishman the drummer.

And no, I use my land as I see fit,  
I am respectful on Sundays. No mowing or loud noise equipment before noon.

D

[scgargoyle]

After 30 years in the goldfish bowl (1/6th of an acre in FL), I'm used to neighbors being able to see what I'm up to. Now, were on 7-1/2 acres of woods, and no one can see anything unless they are using a drone. I try to be considerate, stashing my 'yard art' so it isn't in anyone's line-of-sight. This is mostly to keep things from growing legs, though. I like living in the woods; we don't have any window treatments except the bedroom and bathroom. In FL, the wife kept the shades drawn 24/7.

As far as using the land, I did have a little awkwardness. I bought 1/2 acre from my neighbor (to protect a distant mountain view), and had it cleared off. It needed it, as it was old pine stumps with thousands of sweet gum saplings. He was none to happy, as his wife had saved a few oaks out there. That's fine, except that there was no way to keep the rest of it tidy. I'm trying to turn it into pasture (the soil is very tired), and then I will plant a few select trees. Can't very well plow and disc it with trees all over the place, so it will be a few years until I can plant. I've tried explaining it to him, and I guess we're OK now. He still thinks I should just dig up oak saplings out in the woods and plant those, but I want diversity and specimen trees. I already have thousands of oaks.

[Chuck White]

I actually get along quite well with all of my neighbors, one (the new neighbor to the NW) is my sister and BIL, one to the NE is a widow lady 60ish and keeps to herself, the neighbors to the SE and the SW are the two Amish families (brothers) and they keep mostly to themselves.

I mow my yard about every 5 days, and once in a while that day comes on Sunday so I don't mow before noon-1:00.  If it's one of the Amish families days to hold church at their house, I wait and mow on Monday.  In Winter, it's different, if there is snow to be moved, it just gets moved!

[Bruno of NH]

In my neighborhood 
I could be the guy bugging everyone with the sawmill traffic and noise
I try to help out so as to stay in good graces
All it takes is one to complain

[barbender]

We have 20 acres, and have about 1 1/2 acres that has an encroachment on it. The neighbors hay field comes into our property. It's probably been like that for 80 years. We've talked about it, I told him he could keep haying it. I still feel awkward crossing the fence and walking the edge of the field, even though we legally own it.

[Corley5]

There's no love lost between us and our closest neighbor >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(.  I burn the nastiest stuff I can in the OWB when the wind is blowing toward their place.  I've considered buying a 6-71 for no other reason than to just run it wide open for their enjoyment.  We seriously considered hogs just for them as well.  The prevailing winds would work very well.

[WV Sawmiller]

   If you can't sight in your deer rifle off the back porch and pee off the front porch you are too close to your nearest neighbor anyway IMHO.

[LeeB]

If you can do both of those at the same time you either have a very narrow house or......

[Resonator]

If you can't sight in your deer rifle off the back porch and pee off the front porch you are too close to your nearest neighbor anyway IMHO.

You might be a redneck if...

The neighbors started a petition about your Christmas lights.
Your house is mobile, but the cars parked out front are not.
If your porch were to collapse, 5 dogs would be killed.
:D :D :D

[Chuck White]

I've shot quite a few deer from my back porch, and one from my front porch, but now I've got neighbors within the 500 feet legal limits, so I can't do it anymore without some of them possibly calling the law!

[WV Sawmiller]

Chuck,

  Try inviting them over for a wild game cookout. Might change their attitude. :D

   Either that or get a crossbow.

[Woodpecker52]

barbender, if you have to cross a fence then you have lost that 1 1/2 acres.  I would have yesterday put up a new one where your boundry line is and torn down the old one!

[WV Sawmiller]

   This thread reminds me of my old buddy Jack who bought a place on Lake Blackshear near Cordele GA. He got tired of people coming by fishing under his dock and catching his crappie and bass and such so Jack put a big old roll of old rusty field fence under his dock at the end of the dock. He showed me where it was and warned me about it. I asked him if he put it there as a fish attractor. He said "No, its my lure catcher. These people come by in their big expensive bass boats with their fancy equipment and pitch all these expensive bass lures under there and get them hung then in the Spring when they lower the level of the lake to work on the dam (There was a power dam about 1/4 mile away) I go out and collect all the free lures."

   Jack was my old buddy I hooked in the jaw with a beetle spin and told him to be careful taking it out because it was my favorite bait.

[barbender]

Woodpecker, the fence has been there since well before my time but at least in MN, I don't think it matters. Our properties run along each other, and then theirs continues West where ours ends, bordering state land. The hayfield ends at the back of our property. The neighbors had their land logged, and the MN DNR came out and assessed them for timber trespass for the whole piece, probably 60-80'x 660'. So at least in the eyes of the state, they don't own where they are over the line and the old fence doesn't mean squat.

[Southside]

We have 20 acres, and have about 1 1/2 acres that has an encroachment on it. The neighbors hay field comes into our property. It's probably been like that for 80 years. We've talked about it, I told him he could keep haying it. I still feel awkward crossing the fence and walking the edge of the field, even though we legally own it.

I had a situation like that at our old place.  Basically the neighbors back yard was mine.  It was off in a corner of almost 300 acres and she was a nice neighbor.  I told her to enjoy her yard, never made an issue out of it.  That sure helped on the occasion when a cow or draft horse would get loose and wander around her home.  She would call to let me know and that was the end of it.   

[Peter Drouin]

I do get along with all the neighbors. 

[WDH]

Even the 4-legged ones. 

[btulloh]

barbender, if you have to cross a fence then you have lost that 1 1/2 acres

This is technically possible, but not likely.  Adverse possession laws vary from state to state, but usually it's very high bar to clear.

Sometimes it just works out to let a piece get used by a neighbor.  If the property next door changes hands, it'll be time for a conversation or maybe a written agreement.  

[lxskllr]

Fences don't mean much in the east. They're usually put up where it was convenient, and may or may not reflect any property line.

[Woodpecker52]

So my point is, if they (fence) do not mean much, then tear down the old and put up the new and it should not matter to the neighbor.  It sure is less of a hassle when the land changes hands and it will save in the long run on the cost of a resurvey and heir headaches.

[Woodpecker52]

I am sure the neighbor and logging company for that matter would have been better served with well defined borders with the state land that was logged over on.

[Raider Bill]

My Brother bought 10 acres out in the middle of nothing. He built his house on the property line of one side. I'm like "what happens if.." Well what happens if happened. Someone bought the land next to him and put a horse barn on the line next to his house. Smell, flies, etc.
He no longer lives there.

I was thinking like Don P. In Tenn I have some rock cliffs that make me a bit uncomfortable using.

[hedgerow]

I am lucky and own the half section I live on and am the only house in this mile. You get a mile or two from my house and there are a ton of acreages. We are too close to the city makes for lots of acreages. High taxes will probably make us sell our land someday. 

[barbender]

That's the unfortunate reality of urban sprawl👎 It's too bad there can't be a system in place to defer the high taxes until a property is sold or something, it makes my blood boil when old folks get basically chased out of their modest places they've owned for 50 years because the property taxes become unaffordable. I hate property taxes in general, anyhow. I'd rather have a county sales tax or something.

[btulloh]

Some states and localities do have a way to mitigate taxes in situations like this. It's unfortunate that all don't. Seems they can always find a way to increase tax revenue but can't control spending. I wish I could adopt that system myself.

[hedgerow]

We got caught both ways we had a drought in 2011 and 2012 and corn and bean prices shot up farmers started paying too much for land thinking grain prices were high and here to stay so more land came up for sale and the city people seemed to be doing well back then so they came out looking for land and paying up high so everyone's tax values went up. Its taking 1/2 of our gross crop not net to pay the land taxes on this farm they are three times what they were five years ago and we just pickup another $20.00 an acre on a school bond balloon for this year and the next ten. If my wife would sell we would be out of here and to a state with lower taxes. 

[btulloh]

I'd call that egregious to assess that bond by the acre. How many students per acre do you grow compared to a subdivision?

[btulloh]

If it were me, I'd be appealing to the assessors's office.  Here in my county, they'll up the assessment and if you don't appeal they get their money, but in many cases an appeal will be successful.  Seems to be a trend in everything from insurance rates to Sirius radio subscriptions.  Every year I get re-billed $240ish for a single subscription.  I call to cancel and end up back at $120.  Seems like the game that's being played across the board now. I guess if the frog in the pan of water doesn't complain about the temperature, he's going to boil.

===

I guess this topic has veered a little off the path.  That is so rare.  About time to swap gumbo recipes and sacrifice some of Yellowhammer's chickens.   :D

[Southside]

Don't move to Virginia for lower taxes, there are hidden taxes on EVERYTHING. I think the motto should be changed to "Virginia is for TAX lovers"

[crowhill]

Don't move to Virginia for lower taxes, there are hidden taxes on EVERYTHING. I think the motto should be changed to "Virginia is for TAX lovers"

No way they are higher than the Socialist Republic of Vermont!

[Chuck White]

And I always thought that NEW YORK WAS THE TAX STATE!

[GAB]

I think there is a race between VT, NY and Mass as to who will have the highest overall taxes.
GAB

[Southside]

Any of you have a pine lumber tax - not sales tax, specifically a pine sawn lumber tax paid by the mill above and beyond the sales tax, an egg packer tax, or a milk processor tax?  We do...

[hedgerow]

If it were me, I'd be appealing to the assessors's office.  Here in my county, they'll up the assessment and if you don't appeal they get their money, but in many cases an appeal will be successful.  Seems to be a trend in everything from insurance rates to Sirius radio subscriptions.  Every year I get re-billed $240ish for a single subscription.  I call to cancel and end up back at $120.  Seems like the game that's being played across the board now. I guess if the frog in the pan of water doesn't complain about the temperature, he's going to boil.

===

I guess this topic has veered a little off the path.  That is so rare.  About time to swap gumbo recipes and sacrifice some of Yellowhammer's chickens.   :D

Trust me we go round and round with the assessor's many a time. But with land still selling high to make acreages you don't have a leg to stand on. 

[SawyerTed]

Our closest neighbors are 3/10 of a mile away.  We rarely see any of them.  Between us and my BIL, we won't have neighbors any closer unless they are family.  We get along fine with most of our neighbors except one couple.  That one couple are the only ones we ever have trouble with, mostly minor stuff.  The lady is as nutty as squirrel droppings.....  

We use all of our property without worrying about the neighbors watching.    I've shot deer from my deck and front porch as well.  

Thankfully our county allows a lower propery tax rate for agricultural land.   We have a cow/calf operation and either graze or make hay to keep tha Ag rates.

[Chuck White]

In NY, neighbors can file charges if you are within 500 feet of their occupied dwelling when you fire your gun!

[GRANITEstateMP]

Here in NH if you have at least 10 acres being used for ag of tree type uses your land can be put into "current use". Fellow Granite Stater's chime in if I get this wrong. When we built our house, we had a 21 acre lot, the whole lot was in current use (trees / forest).  Taxes were a bit over $40 a year.  When we built the house we took about 2.5acres of that outta current use and paid a one time fee (10% of what similar 2.5 acre lots on town were going for) I think about $6,500. So we are now taxed on 2.5 acres at full value and 18.5 acres a current use levels.  Our annual tax bill is about $4,100.  It breaks down to 18.5 acres of current use land is under $100 and our 26x32 cape and 2.5acres covers the rest.  It's not perfect,  but it keeps folks from subdividing everything if they can afford to keep it whole.
We dont have sales tax in NH, I think that's great till the property tax bill comes in, then I scratch my head and think there must be a better way! 

[GRANITEstateMP]

Back to the ops original question; I figure it's my land, I am gonna do what I please!  If that means cutting firewood every Sunday morning, then so be it.  If I wanna sight in my pistols in the back yard "range", yup gonna do that too.  I get along great with the neighbors, they know me as the guy that makes a bunch of noise and waves from his tractor seat.  They also know that I'm  there to lend a helping hand when there mower breaks down or they get plowed in.

[Peter Drouin]

Back to the ops original question; I figure it's my land, I am gonna do what I please!  If that means cutting firewood every Sunday morning, then so be it.  If I wanna sight in my pistols in the back yard "range", yup gonna do that too.  I get along great with the neighbors, they know me as the guy that makes a bunch of noise and waves from his tractor seat.  They also know that I'm  there to lend a helping hand when there mower breaks down or they get plowed in.

You could have not said that better than that.  THAT"S the NH way.
usflag

[GRANITEstateMP]

Thanks Peter!

[rubberfish]

Are you uncomfortable using any portion of your land?

Absolutely not. It's ours, and my family will do with it as we wish.
If the neighbours don't like it and we're not doing anything unlawful, they can screw off.
Once they understand this, they'll find that for the most part we're good people and easy to get along with.
This applies to both my 1/4 acre here in the city and my 11 acres over there in paradise.

[TW]

I try to avoid disturbing the foundations of some 19th century cottages as well as the potato patches those poor sods cleared on a rocky hillside where they had to remove huge amounts of boulders just to grow enough potatoes to survive. I just cannot destroy their backbreaking work though it is all overgrown with trees by now. After all I am only one in a long line of caretakers of this land.

I also try to be considerate and keep the edge on our wood which is just a few metres from a neighbour's house as tidy as I can with a reasonable effort. To make his life as half disabled on minimum retirement a wee bit more enjoyable. He deserves a nice surrounding to enjoy when he sits in his tiny garden.

There are also some footparths used by people from the village which I avoid disturbing. Anyone has a legal right to tresspass anywhere they want in the woods as long as they travel by foot and don't damage growing trees nor crops. That is law in Finland. It is a fact of everyday life that legal trespassers are excellent guards against crooks and vandals and poachers of all sorts so I try to not hinder their passage in any way. They look after our property just as I look after other villager's properties when I trespass across them.

Then there is about half a hectare (an acre) which I am very uncomfortable using...... because getting there is a very uncomfortable undertaking and getting the logs out is even more uncomfortable. Huge boulders are piled upon one another since the end of the ice age so you don't walk there you crawl and climb. Last winter I fell into a two metre deep hole and ended up unable to walk for a week when I salvaged a windfall up there.

[rubberfish]

That is law in Finland. It is a fact of everyday life that legal trespassers are excellent guards against crooks and vandals and poachers of all sorts so I try to not hinder their passage in any way. They look after our property just as I look after other villager's properties when I trespass across them.

Isn't it nice living in a rural environment? My area in the Gulf Islands is like that.
We all have 10 acres or better. Lots of deer trails to follow which don't always
follow property lines. We all get along well enough. So it's ok to end up out of bounds.  ;D