'100% of his house is on our property': Resident discovers neighbor's new house is fully on the wrong side of the property line, seeks legal action

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Sep 18, 2024 2:00 PM EDT

Some neighbors really think they can get away with just about anything. We've seen various iterations of this problem, whether it's stealing packages to spying on one another. 

However, this neighbor really took things too far and managed to build an entire house on the wrong side of the property line. We're pretty shocked that this Redditor had no idea this was happening until months down the road. It turns out this was not his primary home, so he didn't notice during the winter months when construction of this other house began. The most amusing part of it all is that the neighbor even admitted to measuring from the wrong fence line but has put his foot in the ground and refuses to fix the situation.

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from folks in the comments section, many of whom were attempting to provide legal advice. For more stories like this, check out this post about a frustrating pair of kids on a flight.

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  • 01
    "This neighbor has no intentions of trying to rectify anything"
    via Alex Simpson
  • 02
    Neighbor built his house on our property Our family owns land that we use for recreation and just getting out of the city for the day. It is 15 acres
    via pyroimpala
  • 03
    in a rectangle with approximately 525 feet along the front and rear and approximately 1200 feet along both sides. We
    via pyroimpala
  • 04
    don't go often but someone is usually out there at least once a month. It's heavily wooded along the front
    via pyroimpala
  • 05
    and one side that we share with a neighbor who bought his property at the beginning of this year. Between the months
    via pyroimpala
  • 06
    of January and May the neighbor cleared land and built a barndo style house on a section of land behind a wall of trees and terrain that completely
    via pyroimpala
  • 07
    blocks the view from our house so unless you walk out the back yard and around the trees into a clearing you can't see their house.
    via pyroimpala
  • 08
    When this was discovered in May, the neighbor admitted that he knew he might be over onto our land and said he measured from the wrong
    via pyroimpala
  • 09
    fence line based on the description on his deed. He said he was too cheap to have a survey done.
    via pyroimpala
  • 10
    We have since had a survey completed and 100% of his house is on our property. The property lines starts 25 feet before his structure.
    via pyroimpala
  • 11
    My question is what are the possible outcomes of a situation like this? This land holds great sentimental value to our family but we're getting
    via pyroimpala
  • 12
    the impression that this neighbor has no intentions of trying to rectify anything.
    via pyroimpala
  • 13
    oOPonyOo . OP said neighbour cleared the land of a heavily wooded area. What about the trees? Would the cost of replacing the trees be a factor in a rural location?
    via pyroimpala
  • 14
    ackrgyrl • House moving is a thing. He can contact a structural moving company in your state & they will come move the house onto his property on a new foundation.
    via pyroimpala
  • 15
    The cost will depend on the size of the house & how the structure was built. It is definitely cheaper than tearing it down & building a new house.
    via pyroimpala
  • 16
    If you decide to sell him the portion of the property that the house sits on, you should bear in mind that there will be costs on your side,
    via pyroimpala
  • 17
    such as surveys (oh, the irony), sub- dividing the lot, legal fees, closing costs. Make sure that HE pays for all of those things.
    via pyroimpala
  • 18
    Dense-Re... Speak with a real estate attorney that has ties to code enforcement in your jurisdiction. Your neighbor is a new transplant to the area, this land is sentimental to you;
    via pyroimpala
  • 19
    don't be rushed into losing your property. You want to make sure all your options are outlined-
    via pyroimpala
  • 20
    keeping in mind you are the wronged party. Will the neighbor move their structure restoring your property to original condition?
    via pyroimpala
  • 21
    Do they want to try to sell the structure to you (do you want to purchase it to maintain some goodwill?) Do you wish to divide and sell some of your property (keeping in mind your neighbor
    via pyroimpala
  • 22
    hasn't demonstrated they are 'good neighbors' so far!) and if you sell, at what price do you want your sell? Was
    via pyroimpala
  • 23
    the structure appropriately approved by local building codes and zoning?
    via pyroimpala
  • 24
    JimmyFly... Too many non- lawyers trying to give legal advice in here...
    via pyroimpala
  • 25
    You need to contact an attorney in your state. You need to document everything and you need to do it ASAP.
    via pyroimpala

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lawyer house neighborhood neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories petty revenge petty property reddit thread Reddit
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