Ouch! I don't think it's really going to matter in regards to selling. You are going to have to disclose all that you know about the construction and buyers will see that they will be stuck close to that. I personally would list it just to get away from the construction noise, but I can only imagine what kind of price you'll be able to get with that right out the back door. I think it's going to be a difficult sale. Best of luck to you.

Gloria

I too think it will be a difficult sale with the big box stores at your back gate. Of course you have to disclose it, but if you list it before the construction some buyers may not perceive it as a big problem. Case in point, my son looked at a home recently (he's since purchased something else), but the home backed up to acres of open field. He loved the home, took us to see it and it was only when WE asked the realtor about the zoning of the field behind the home did she disclose that it was permitted and zoned for a shopping center.

I'd personally try to sell the home before the construction begins because after it begins it will be more difficult to sell and get a decent price for the home. Before construction begins you may find an inexperienced buyer that doesn't realize the impact of the future construction. Also as Gloria mentioned, do you really want to be anywhere near the noise and mess of construction?

"Before construction begins you may find an inexperienced buyer that doesn't realize the impact of the future construction" yikes, hopefully such an innocent person will not show up.

I would hope their realtor would advise them well, or won't you tell them if they ask?; who wouldn't ask about future development such as what will be all too apparent as time goes by ?
there usually are signs announcing what is coming up, specially from the big stores.

Who knows, someone might see it positively to be living so close to the mall;
all the best of luck to you in this dilemma.

I agree with Corodovamom.

In addition, I would disclose that it is a shopping center. I don't it's up to you to say "yep with 4 anchor stores". Seems that would be up to dd by the buyer.

Thanks for your responses. This is a not a big town and everyone knows about this. A lot of people are thrilled with this shopping center going in. We'll be getting stores that previously we had to drive 35 miles to get to (i.e, Target). More info: two families on our short street did try to sell before the grading even began and their houses are just sitting with for sale signs.

As far as the mess of construction--it's been horrible with continual dump trucks running right past our fence as the grading seems to go on and on. Our thinking was to sit through this, wait til the stores are either close to opening or newly opened and people are excited-- best timing? I need help.

I agree with you, Deanie. Wait. Right now everyone knows that a shopping center is going in so all they can imagine is that worst possible effect on your property. However, once construction is complete and the stores are open, potential buyers can see the reality and perhaps think to themselves that this isn't too bad after all. In fact, they may like the fact that they can walk to the stores from home. I know that would be a selling point to my wife who doesn't drive. (The reason that we chose our present house even though it is on a busy street that would deter a lot of buyers, is because it is only 1/2 mile to downtown Bethesda and only four blocks to the Bethesda subway stop.)

Can you find out if there will be a landscaped or tree lined median between the shopping center/driveway property and your property? If not, maybe this is something you will need to add to the back of your property to screen the construction or the completed buildings. Look into Thuja 'Green Giant' for a tall, low maintenance evergreen hedge.

Good luck to you. Not everyone sees a shopping center as a negative. At least after 9pm, you can count on it being quiet.

Yes, the developers are going to put in some trees alongside their property separating it from ours and after 9 pm I'm sure the big box stores will be closed. But the outparcels are closest to our yard and they legally cannot tell us yet what will be there or if they've even been sold yet--it could be a McDonald's or a bank or a sit-down restaurant.

You all have such good points-thank you!

Ouch! Talk about the rock and the hard place. The last house I owned backed to a shopping center that had just opened. Prior to the development, the house backed onto woods. The original owner built the house as his "forever" home and was so distressed, he eventually sold...to us.

Many potential buyers couldn't get past it. We could. The house was gorgeous inside with wonderful finishes and upgrades that far surpassed other homes in the neighborhood.

We had concerns but we liked the house well enough to visit it at several hours of the day to gauge noise and light levels. Our imaginations were far worse than the reality. Frankly, as city folk, we were glad the house didn't look over dumpsters. But, the house was a tough sell, sat for a year, and we negotiated quite a discount. I'd wait it out because imagination may be worse than reality. I would never have purchased it during the construction phase...too many unknowns.

The original owner and the HOA made some very smart moves during the development process. The HOA realized that the commercial development might depreciate home values in the entire neighborhood of 40 houses...not just the half dozen that abutted the construction. So they banded together and hired an attorney to lobby the developer. The developer was suprisingly cooperative and made small changes that had a huge impact. They agreed to site and shield all the parking lot lights away from the housing development; they agreed to create and fund a 50 foot landscaped barrier; they split the cost of erecting a very attractive stone and wrought iron privacy fence with the HOA to keep out wandering pedestrians; and they agreed that no truck deliveries would be allowed before 8am or after 9pm on the side of the center that abutted the housing development. Perhaps, you and your neighbors may be able to influence the process.

The original owner also made some smart moves to improve the marketability of his home. He replaced all the windows on the back of the property with triple-paned glass. The sound proofing was extraordinary. You couldn't hear a thing inside the house. Of course, bad luck being what it is, the most used rooms (kitchen, family room, bedrooms) were on the backside of the house. Sound proof windows was a very smart move. He also started an evergreen tree and shrub barrier early in the construction phase...it meant losing a chunk of the backyard but I can tell you that the screening made a world of difference to us. By the time we saw the house, the trees had grown enough to make an impact.

Finally, he understood his house was going to command less than the others in the neighborhood so he remained flexible on price. We bought it 15% under the neighborhood comps. Our biggest concern was resale. So, we also continued building up the landscape and worked on screening the view of the shopping center from the back deck.

A year after we bought, we got transferred (again!) and faced our worst nightmare...resale.

That discount? We passed it right on to the next homeowner and added to it. We sold last fall in 60 days (in Ohio)...beautiful home at a great price in an excellent neighborhood...and very convenient to shopping. LOL

Sorry to bo so long-winded but I'm hoping you may find some value in our experience. Best Wishes.