A Neighbor Interrupted A Home Showing And Yelled At Five Buyers. The Seller Says They're 'Livid'—But Unsure Whether To Sue Or Stay Civil

A homeowner trying to sell their property says a neighbor stormed into an open house and shouted at prospective buyers, potentially ruining the sale.

“My neighbor trespassed onto my property and came in and screamed at my realtor and five prospective buyers, telling them they can’t be parked on the side of the road and that they’re gonna cause an accident,” the seller wrote in a recent Reddit post on the r/RealEstate subreddit. The cars were purportedly legally parked in front of the seller’s home, not the neighbor’s.

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Hard Work Undone In An Instant

The seller said the experience left them “completely demoralized.” “I busted my ass to make this house look great,” they wrote. “Guaranteed I won’t be getting an offer from them.”

“If she had just come in and politely asked my realtor to ensure people park in the driveway, I wouldn’t have had a problem. But the fact that she came in and acted hostile towards prospective buyers and towards my realtor has me livid right now.”

The incident sparked hundreds of comments from other homeowners, agents, and legal-minded users weighing in on what the seller could or should do next.

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Private Showings Over Open Houses

Most agreed that open houses rarely result in offers and said the seller should pivot to private showings. “I’d stop having open houses and only do private showings from now on,” one user said. “Play nice until you can sell and move out.”

Another added to not “poke the bear” because “bad neighbors can do all kinds of things that will prevent the sale for months if they are determined.”

Is It Even Trespassing?

Legal opinions varied. Some commenters argued the neighbor didn't technically trespass since the home was open to the public.  Others said the seller could still issue a no-trespass order for future incidents.

“You can still serve a specific person with a trespass notice that bars them from your premises,” a person explained. “Then they will be breaking the law if they attend future open houses.”

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Tortious Interference? Probably Not Worth It

A few Redditors floated the idea of suing the neighbor for tortious interference, a legal concept where someone intentionally disrupts a business deal. But most people advised against it.

“Even if the neighbor is wrong, OP should eat some humble pie, apologize for whatever grievance the neighbor thinks happened, and get the house sold,” one person wrote. “After the house is sold, sign the neighbor up for a bunch of junk mail.”

Another supposed former real estate litigator added, “Escalating will be a giant headache, even if you prevail. Just suck it up and sell the place [as soon as possible].”

Humor And Shared Misery

The post also drew stories from others who had similar run-ins with nightmare neighbors.

One commenter recalled a neighbor yelling at buyers for standing on their grass during a showing. Another said their sale fell through after a neighbor began shouting conspiracy theories at buyers in the driveway.

The general mood, however, was to stay civil now, get out as soon as possible, and maybe be a little petty after closing.

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