Signs of bad neighbors when shopping for a house

After seeing a "For Sale" sign go up next door in the spring of 2016, a man in Brighton, Colo., decided he should warn any potential buyers that he was a lousy neighbor.

In a message stenciled on an RV parked on his property, the man said he owned three Rottweilers, was "anti-horse," and created plenty of noise through fireworks, parties, loud music, and rackety vehicles. He even posted a phone number for inquiries about his behavior.

Neighbors are rarely this forward about their habits. Buyers may think they have discovered the perfect home, only to be driven up the wall by the homeowners next door. Taking the time to assess the properties near the one you are considering buying can help you avoid this heartache.

There's more than one type of bad neighbor. One tends to think of loud and disrespectful neighbors as the most irritating, but you may also be annoyed by a neighbor who goes to bed early and chews you out for holding a barbecue past 9 p.m. Buyers are often advised to look for well-tended properties as a sign of a good neighbor, but that same person may disdain you due to a property line dispute with the previous owners.

Visiting a property will only show what it's like at a certain time of day, so repeat visits can give you a better sense of the neighborhood. Heather Unger, a Florida broker writing for the real estate community ActiveRain, says you should stop by during the evening to see if anything bothers you. Visiting during the weekend can also let you see the area when more people are around.

Making an effort to meet the neighbors can easily help you determine whether you'll get along with those living around you. Elizabeth Weintraub, writing for the financial site The Balance, says you can ask these neighbors what they like and dislike about the area and find out how well the homeowners in the neighborhood get along. She says these meetings can also directly warn buyers of a problematic neighbor if the person is hostile to them.

If there are any issues that will prove particularly bothersome to you, look for signs of them around the neighborhood. Swimming pools, basketball hoops, and motorcycles could be some potential turnoffs if you want to live in an area with minimal noise. Multiple visits to the area can also alert you to any noisy dogs.

Note the condition of the homes next to the one for sale. David Sedlak, a Realtor in Ephraim, Utah, says properties that are overgrown, strewn with junk, or otherwise neglected typically show that the owner has little pride in ownership. These habitats could easily annoy you in the future, particularly if the state of the neighbor's home drives down your property values as well.

Research the properties around the home you're interested in buying. Steve McLinden, writing for the financial site Bankrate, says this process can let you know if there have been any incidents reported to the police or if any registered sex offenders live in the neighborhood.

Look into property records as well. These can let you know if any nearby homeowners have filed for additions or other construction on their property, or if there are any issues that could lead to disputes regarding the property lines.

This search can also let you know about the zoning around your home. If any vacant areas near the property are zoned for commercial or industrial use, your neighborhood could easily get much louder and congested with traffic.