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KEY POINTS:
Students de-value neighbouring properties by up to 10 per cent and living next door to them is only slightly worse than having a doss-house next door.
So says a survey from allrealestate.co.nz which said students were second-only to squatters in a worst-neighbour poll.
"Doof doof parties, long lie-ins and dirty dishes piled around the sink - these are the characteristics plaguing the residential reputation of students," said Shaun Di Gregorio of the website.
"Having students as neighbours could devalue a home by up to 10 per cent. The findings reveal not everyone loves their neighbours with 59 per cent of New Zealanders claiming students to be the worst neighbours, second only to squatters in a roll-call of undesirables that included residents in share houses and families with teenage kids."
Andrew King, vice-president of the Property Investors Federation, took issue with the survey, saying students had changed in the last few years, tended to have fewer parties and put their education well before their social life.
Child-less couples were not necessarily the best neighbours, he said, questioning the size of the poll and its results.
"One person's bad neighbour could be someone else's good neighbour. It comes down to perception," Mr King said.
Retirees could be horror neighbours, Mr King said, citing the case of one elderly man who stabbed a rugby ball with a knife in front of horrified children who had accidentally kicked it into his property.
The online survey of 242 New Zealanders was conducted during the first week of April.
Mr Di Gregorio said that with the average New Zealand home now priced at $337,500, the financial price of living next door to a neighbour from hell could have dire consequences not only for lifestyle, but also a home's value.
One in ten potential homebuyers believe that squatters next door devalue properties by up to 15 per cent while almost a quarter believe students could wipe off a sizeable $33,750 or 10 per cent from the average house price, the survey found.
"Party-prone young-ones living in a share house are also considered to knock 5 per cent off a homes value, with a quarter of respondents citing the lack of interest in the upkeep of a rented property such as rubbish over-spills, headaches caused by loud music and rowdy revellers heading home after a night out as key drivers."
Other residents could also slash thousands of dollars of the value of a property, he said.
"Slamming doors, arguments and musical instrument practice put families with teenagers in the top five neighbours from hell. On the flipside, childless couples, retires and singles were voted the perfect neighbours," he said.
"Students are notorious for having a good time and living in messy conditions, but our results show that a greater concern among householders regarding the detrimental effects different types of neighbours can have on the price of their property," he said.
Our neighbours have a significant influence on our quality of life, especially in suburban areas and increasingly, house hunters are prepared to pay a premium for a quiet, trouble-free life.
The worst neighbours:
* Squatters: 83 per cent considered them the worse
* Students: 59 per cent loathed them the most
* Share-house: worse for 44.5 per cent
* Families with teenage children: 27 per cent
The best neighbours:
The Best Neighbours:
* Childless couples: 55 per cent liked them
* Retirees: popular with 52 per cent
* Families with young children: liked by 36 per cent
* Singles: valued by 31.4 per cent
* Pet owners: liked by 23 per cent
