When you buy a home, you need to consider the neighborhood. There’s a saying that the most important thing in real estate is location, location, location, and that’s true because it’s the one thing you can’t change after you purchase the property.

Imagine buying a home that backs up to a pond. You get approval from the HOA to build a privacy fence, but then your neighbors complain because your fence would partially block their view of the pond. Would you build the fence anyway or change your plans to avoid becoming enemies with the neighbors?

In this story, one family is in this exact situation. They want to build their fence, but they’re not sure if they should now that they know how unhappy the fence will make the neighbors.

Keep reading for all the details and to see what you would do if you were in this situation.

Neighbor upset about our HOA-approved privacy fence blocking pond view — what would you do?

We live in a neighborhood where most homes back up to a pond, on a 15 degree slope.

Almost everyone has a black aluminum picket fence so the pond view stays open.

One neighbor has a black solid 4 ft fence and another with a wooden picket fence.

When we built our house, our plan was always to build a 4 ft privacy fence for gardening and more usable backyard space. We went through the HOA and got approval for a full perimeter 4 ft privacy fence.

One neighbor is unhappy about their new fence.

Today, when our fence contractor came by, our neighbor talked to me for the first time since moving in six months ago and approached me saying they were pretty disheartened. They love sitting in their backyard for the pond view, and our fence would partially block the view they can see through our yard.

Standing or sitting in chairs, they can see it. But lounging or sitting low, they wouldn’t be able to see over the four ft wooden fence.

I tried to be respectful and mentioned maybe tying into their fence on that side as a compromise, but they suggested we just do an aluminum picket fence instead so their view stays open.

Now I’m stuck. On one hand, we planned this from the beginning and got HOA approval. On the other, I don’t want to create tension with neighbors right away.

OP isn’t sure what to do.

What would you do in this situation?

• Go forward with the full 4 ft solid fence as planned?

• Compromise and leave that side open / tie into their fence?

• Try some kind of hybrid solution?

Would appreciate any perspective, especially from people who’ve dealt with neighbor + fence issues before.

I honestly don’t think it sounds like their view will be too obstructed if they can still see the pond when they’re standing or sitting in chairs. I’d go forward with their HOA approved fence plans.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a family who is resisting pressure from the HOA to remove their tree and lights.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This sounds like good advice.

This person votes for building the fence.

Another person thinks the neighbors are acting entitled.

Everyone thinks they should build this fence.

There’s a saying that good fences make good neighbors, but in this case, it’s a fence that’s building a wedge between these neighbors.

I think they should build the fence. They’re not completely blocking the neighbors’ view, and the fact that they like to stare at the pond which means staring through their backyard seems like all the more reason to want to build a privacy fence.

If the neighbors cared about the view so much, they should’ve bought a house that was right next to the pond.

It was okay for the neighbors to ask, but they can’t really expect them to change their minds.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a woman who was in love with her dream house – and then spring came and her neighbor’s trees caused her to question the purchase.