Source: Reddit
Where I live, real estate developers have started snatching up family homes, bulldozing them and building enormous 2 million dollar houses on the plots of land. The houses also stick out horribly in terms of aesthetics – think single level brick homes with a 3-level gigantic white and black box in the middle.
My home’s been in my family for several generations. We have always been known for having a large, beautiful garden. We invited over kids to help with gardening, we gave away so many veggies, we’d hold parties, etc. It’s been a neighborhood treasure for years.
Until developers snatched up the lot next door, bulldozed and erected an enormous house that blocked out the light to most of the garden. Many of us tried to fight it with the city but everything was denied. It was heartbreaking. Our neighborhood has been changed forever. This was a link to my family and I almost have had to go through a grieving process for it.
The new owners moved in and were not welcomed warmly by people in the neighborhood. I avoided them for as long as I could, other than politely waving or nodding. It was a young couple in their early 20s.
We finally came face to face and the woman asked if we could chat. She said that they felt like maybe they’d done something wrong when they moved in, or if they aren’t pulling in their trash bins or something, being too loud, etc, because people haven’t been very friendly. The guy says that he’s surprised considering it felt like a “nice” and somewhat “affluent” neighborhood, and given the price, he was expecting friendly neighbors.
I asked if they had done any research about the area. They said that they moved from California, so no. I said that maybe that was their mistake?
They said they didn’t know what I meant, so I asked if they’d ever looked in our backyard. They said yes and said they think the garden is cute.
I said “Yes, the garden that now has about half less sunlight than before that house was built was a neighborhood treasure.”
The guy said “Well it’s not our fault you built the garden there, is it?”
I said “Well, you guys got what you paid for. 2 million dollars for a house that everyone in the neighborhood hates.” I said that I hoped it was worth it and wished them a nice day.
When I told another neighbor about the exchange, she told me that she does feel bad for them moving without having any idea what they were getting themselves into. I need some advice on if I’m wrong for telling them that they got what they paid for?
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