When a gift comes with strings, setting boundaries can feel more complicated than saying thank you.

What would you do if your mother-in-law bought you and your partner a house, then started showing up unannounced, even bringing strangers inside without asking?

Would you deal with it because she paid for the house?

Or would you set some clear boundaries because it’s your home?

In the following story, one woman tries to draw a line between gratitude and privacy, and ends up stuck between her home and her husband’s family.

Here’s what happened.

AITA for saying my MIL can’t stop by the house she bought us?

My MIL bought my husband (29M) and me (29F) a house across the street from hers, literally across the street.

Our first home, already nearby, had severe flooding issues.

When the new (much nicer) house went on the market, my MIL offered to buy it for us.

My MIL was well off, but unexpectedly came into A LOT of money 8 years ago.

She has the habit of overspending on her children, like any mother would, I’m sure.

My husband’s extremely comfortable accepting her generosity, but it’s hard for me.

He said no and moved on.

Shortly after, we had the worst flood we had seen, and it was now a constant stress, and we were really struggling with it.

I caved and asked if she was serious.

He said yes, and he thought it was a nice house, so I asked him to set up a tour for later that day.

The MIL rushed and bought the house the same day.

By 3 pm that day, WITHOUT INVOLVING ME AT ALL, my MIL had made a cash offer on the house and we were under contract.

I’m wildly independent and private and have never allowed ANYONE to make decisions for me, but the ups clearly outweigh my discomforts.

But since this wasn’t the first time she’s pulled something like this, hubs said he would talk to her about how we appreciate it, but she crossed the line.

Apparently, they did have some version of that talk, but it felt like she got away with agreeing she overstepped but not acknowledging that it’s not okay to behave that way.

Now, they try to be grateful, but she makes it hard.

It felt wrong to be anything but grateful for the house, and I AM GRATEFUL, but she’s been stopping by and calling him more and more, and recently over with a STRANGER (to me, my husband knew them) to tour my house unannounced.

My hubs, bless him, wants to be on my side and has actively put me first multiple times since this behavior isn’t new.

But my MIL can be quite loud and guilt-tripping when things don’t go her way.

He cares so much about her, and it stresses him when he’s in the middle, so for his sake, I tend to back down because I know she’ll make him feel like trash otherwise.

I believe she has a good heart and means well, but she has her own issues and, in my opinion, is emotionally immature.

AITA?

Yikes! It’s easy to see why they’re so frustrated.

Let’s take a look at what Reddit readers have to say about this.

This person’s family was similar to the MIL.

Great advice.

Here’s someone who thinks she should’ve expected this.

According to this comment, they need to grow spines.

It’s time to have a talk.

Surely, if they sit down and explain it to her nicely, she’ll see where they’re coming from.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.