Neighbor is encroaching on my property line to sell their house
Neighbors often mow or expand into adjacent yards while listing their home to make their property look larger, usually taking advantage of times you are away. This creates sudden boundary disputes that derail home sales and leave you scrambling to hire a surveyor and untangle property lines.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 25 people.
- This comes up 17.8× more often in r/homeowners than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1calling the police2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Waiting for a professional property surveyDid this help you?
- 3Installing a fenceDid this help you?
- 4Mowing the lawn down to the dirtDid this help you?
- 5Putting up warning signs, gnomes, or flags to deter the neighborsDid this help you?
- 6Having the neighbor's realtor dismantle and remove the shedDid this help you?
- 7Hiring a real estate lawyerDid this help you?
- 8Rolling the shed to a new location using PVC pipesDid this help you?
- 9Checking closing property platsDid this help you?
- 10Talking to previous ownersDid this help you?
- 11Asking the neighbor politelyDid this help you?
- 12Considering hiring a surveyor or real estate attorneyDid this help you?
- 13Remove the attachment yourselfDid this help you?
- 14Confront or talk to the neighbor about the modificationDid this help you?
- 15Pruning the aggressive neighboring plant back to a sensible shapeDid this help you?
- 16Giving the neighboring bush a hard prune backDid this help you?
- 17talking to the mother directlyDid this help you?
- 18adjusting camera motion settingsDid this help you?
- 19using automated motion announcements to deter peopleDid this help you?
- 20Pitchforks are the way to move rotten cabbage. Throw them back over the fenceDid this help you?
- 21Make coleslawDid this help you?
- 22Applying non-selective herbicides like RoundupDid this help you?
- 23Hand-digging and pulling up the encroaching grass on hands and kneesDid this help you?
- 24Using alternative selective herbicides like Drive/XLR8Did this help you?
- 25getting a formal land surveyDid this help you?
- 26planting native ground cover or ivy to support the soilDid this help you?
- 27sharing the expense through an HOADid this help you?
- 28bringing it up casually next time you see her to askDid this help you?
- 29asking the neighbor directly how far they want you to mowDid this help you?
- 30Contacting the police to perform a welfare check on the uncooperative neighborDid this help you?
- 31stopping maintenance on the affected area and letting it grow wildDid this help you?
- 32spraying weed killer or brush killer along the property lineDid this help you?
- 33building a separate fence to block the viewDid this help you?
- 34cleaning up the neighbor's yard oneself to avoid dealing with the nuisanceDid this help you?
- 35moving the plywood yourselfDid this help you?
- 36talking directly and firmly to the crew about property boundariesDid this help you?
- 37filming interactionsDid this help you?
- 38taking down the unauthorized fenceDid this help you?
- 39Talking to the neighbor directlyDid this help you?
- 40Using a 2x4 and screws for a temporary fixDid this help you?
- 41Pushing the fence back up and nailing or screwing boards in placeDid this help you?
- 42Using fence mender plates like Simpson Strong-TieDid this help you?
- 43Getting estimates and splitting repair costs 50%Did this help you?
- 44Trimming the branches that hang over the property lineDid this help you?
- 45Checking local laws and codesDid this help you?
- 46Calling local tree companiesDid this help you?
- 47politely asking them on multiple occasions to stop playing thereDid this help you?
- 48telling him you are busy cooking dinnerDid this help you?
- 49talking to his wife about his behaviorDid this help you?
- 50making up an excuse like having herpes or COVIDDid this help you?
- 51having an intimidating male friend or partner pretend to be thereDid this help you?
- 52waiting until the planned fence installation next year to address itDid this help you?
- 53talking to neighbors immediately to explain future plans without demanding immediate removalDid this help you?
- 54throwing a trellis and climbing plants in front of itDid this help you?
- 55planting shrubs on your own property to hide itDid this help you?
- 56installing a faux stone facing or a wooden fenceDid this help you?
- 57offering to pay for or split the cost of a new wallDid this help you?
- 58installing curtains or privacy glass film on windowsDid this help you?
- 59considering putting up a fence to subdivide the alleywayDid this help you?
- 60pondering whether to refuse the request entirely or allow an easementDid this help you?
- 61Installing a physical barrier or rock dmz between propertiesDid this help you?
- 62Putting up metal edging to block grass and give a clear visual boundaryDid this help you?
- 63Ignoring the complaints or walking awayDid this help you?
- 64Asking the landscaping crew to change blowing direction or bag clippings in that areaDid this help you?
- 65Taking photos of the property and damageDid this help you?
- 66Contacting the contractor directlyDid this help you?
- 67asking the neighbor to remove the weedsDid this help you?
- 68relying on city requirements for short vegetation along streetsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“The neighbor now cuts approximately 50 feet into our yard in an attempt to sell their house as a “spacious backyard “.”source ↗
“This is always done when we aren’t home.”source ↗
“As the neighbor continues to cut further and further into our property. I have finally heard from a Surveyor and should be having the property surveyed soon.”source ↗
“My shed encroaches on my neighbor's property by 3 feet. Now he's selling and the buyers are upset.”source ↗
“Now I’m stuck. I don’t want to start a neighborhood feud, but that two feet makes a real difference, I was planning to put in a raised garden bed right there.”source ↗
“Would you all push this legally or let it go? What’s my best move without being that neighbor?”source ↗
“Now the brush has gotten out of control next to the garage (growing weed-type trees) and it’s annoying for me to mow around.”source ↗
“The brush sprouted poison sumac which spread into our yard and got me pretty good for weeks.”source ↗
“I asked him to clean it up years ago before because I was having a hard time mowing around it and he did but now it’s even worse than before.”source ↗
“I feel awkward continually asking him since it is in his yard.”source ↗
“How do I get him to leave me alone for good? I do not want to know him or speak to him about anything ever.”source ↗
“How do you deal with creeps? Any women effectively handle a male neighbor like this?”source ↗
“I just had a survey done on my property. And they found that I am being encroched on all 3 sides (other then the street of course).”source ↗
“My question is when should I approach my neighbor about the encroachment?”source ↗
“If they want a gate they need a path, and if the path is through your property that's a hard no from me without some serious ground rules.”source ↗
“The issue I have is, once they put up this gate, the path from the front of the house to this gate involves traveling through a shared alleyway, and there's both privacy and liability concerns I have.”source ↗
“The problem started last year i kept getting nofis from my ring app (we all had rings) from my front porch of two of the little ones walking up on it or one time threw a water balloon at it.”source ↗
“Should I go talk to her to clear the air or let things be silent.”source ↗
“my neighbor next door in my duplex keeps throwing her cabbages onto my side of the lawn because she thinks it is funny when I go over them with my riding lawn mower, and it smells terrible. Any advice?”source ↗
“the neighbor keeps eroding the dirt with his sprinklers and blaming her sprinklers and plants.”source ↗
“He is the right house and wants her to put up a retaining wall where her plants are.”source ↗
“We’ve had a lot of rain this summer, and their fence is now very noticably leaning and threatening to collapse into our yard.”source ↗
“Not afraid to talk to the neighbors, I’d just like to have an idea of what the solution should be before I start the conversation”source ↗
“I'm worried about privacy, they can technically look into our windows if the shades are open simply walking to their yard. I'm also worried about random strangers walking through my driveway/alley way and potential liabilities.”source ↗
“Edit: also they might make me pay for it too which would most certainly be a spontaneous non trivial expense”source ↗
“Came home yesterday and found that my downstairs neighbour had put this contraption on my natural gas furnace vent/exhaust pipe.”source ↗
“My neighbor is getting their roof replaced and they are using my roof to hold the materials. Is this something I should be concerned about?”source ↗
“That’s also a ridiculous amount of weight in a small area”source ↗
“Yes tell them to get it off. Immediately, go up there and take photos. Lots of photos. Every little Nick and scratch. Get the contractors number and contact them immediately.”source ↗
“Recently purchased my first home and my neighbor is constantly complaining about grass in his rock bed after my landscapers are finished.”source ↗
“I noticed as the bush on the right grew, the hydrangea plant on the left worsened”source ↗
“That lilac-looking fella on the right is definitely bullying your hydrangea out of light and root space, give it a hard prune back so the poor thing can breathe”source ↗
“apart from putting up a fence, is there anything else that can be placed in between the houses to create some sort of boundary, or is a fence the only option?”source ↗
“As much as I want to, he would be back knocking on my door the next week, or waiting to see me go to my car so he can stop me.”source ↗
“I would just ask that they remove it since it's a significant source of allergens that affects everyone, don't bother with the gentle informing.”source ↗
“Have you spoken to her about it?”source ↗
“i’m starting to wonder if this is some sort of message or if she’s mad that my husband has mowed her front lawn occasionally? lol”source ↗
“so does anyone know if she’s trying to silently say something? lol”source ↗
“should i inform her that it's ragweed?”source ↗
“My neighbor to the north put up a fence along the road right away bordering my property.”source ↗
“Fast forward several hours and I am coming home and he is putting up another fence. I told him no, that I my property and I do not want his fence there.”source ↗
“He calls the police. I call my daughter to film. He tells the police that I stole his fence.”source ↗
“The rest of the wall is leaning significantly, and the top layer is gone. It hasn’t seemed to move since we’ve lived here (6 years), but I am sick of looking at it. Do I need to talk to my neighbor? Should I cover it up in some way?”source ↗
“My adult daughter's house, has found standing water on tile floor in dining room in middle of room and also on back porch.”source ↗
“Neighbor did not answer door or phone after months of trying.”source ↗
“She stated she is not over watering and unconcerned said it's not her problem .”source ↗
“If it really bothers you, I’d discuss it with your neighbor.”source ↗
“Over the past few months, I've found three decent-sized branches on my roof and in my backyard.”source ↗
“He said he's aware the tree is half on his property, but he can't afford to have it taken down and doesn't think it's his problem anyway because "the branches are falling on your side."”source ↗
“I just want to know my options before a branch comes through my ceiling.”source ↗
“The problem is their contractor keeps parking in front of my house and using my driveway as a staging area.”source ↗
“Yesterday was the last straw. I got home from work and there was a stack of plywood sitting in my driveway.”source ↗
“So now I'm stuck: * Do I talk to the neighbor or the contractor? * What do I actually say that doesn't come across as hostile? * If I talk to the contractor and they blow me off, what's the next step? * Do I call the city? The non-emergency police line? Does any of that actually help, or does it just make me look like the bad guy? * Is there a way to be firm about my property line without poisoning the relationship with the new neighbors?”source ↗
“If you're losing sleep and mad at your neighbor, it's not worth it.”source ↗
“This area close to my neighbors is being encroached by their grass that I want to say is called Johnson grass but idk what breed exactly. It's really invasive and grows shoots far and fast.”source ↗
“I've tried Roundup to kill to try to start over but their grass is almost immune to the stuff.”source ↗
“Aside from getting on my hands and knees and digging up their grass, is there any better way to either kill it all here and replant with Bermuda in the fall?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2Neighbor mowing lawn too short and damaging the grass
- 2How to stop neighbors from interrupting yardwork
- 5Neighbor AC leak caused mold and nobody is responding
- 2Neighbor parking in our yard and setting up competing food trucks
- 5How to deal with an abandoned house next door
- 10Can my neighbor legally let water run onto my property?