A family was devastated when they visited the site of their dream home and discovered a large transformer box had been installed just outside the front windows.
The Sydney couple bought the land and carried out a routine inspection of their ‘perfect’ home as it was being built.
“We went to inspect the property because it was almost completed and then we saw the giant coffin in front of the door,” said a friend of the couple.
The couple soon revealed that they had made the ‘rookie mistake’ of not paying attention to the land survey before purchasing the property.
They were concerned that the structure would devalue the house and property Adam Flynn confirmed that any permanent fixture in a front garden can cause a property value to drop by as much as 10 percent.
Their once perfect home is now ‘ruined’ after a large green transformer box was installed right next to their front windows
A summary of their situation was shared online.
‘I’m helping a friend with a house that her husband has registered for. She went to inspect the property as it was nearing completion and saw this green transformer box built in front of the house, very close to the front window.
‘Does this pose a health risk and a safety risk? Does this affect the property value? Can they do something about it?’ the woman asked.
The box causes the family a lot of stress and they are not sure if they can ‘fix’ the situation.
A transformer box also comes with several landscaping restrictions so that the couple cannot hide the unwanted feature in greenery.
Adam FlynnVictorian State Director of the Coronis Real Estate Group, also noted that the structure is a ‘compelling reason’ why a prospective buyer could be deterred from purchasing the house.
Mr Flynn told FEMAIL: ‘It’s like having a telegraph pole in someone’s front garden – you can negotiate why that makes you want to pay $50,000 or $70,000 less for the house.
‘The worst part is that it can’t be moved. It will be there 100 percent, even if you cover it with a tool shed or paint it a different color.”
The real estate agent also explained that while the state could argue that the transformer box is part of the common property, it does change the streetscape of the house.
“It may be a common area under the law, but it’s a person’s front yard, and anyone looking at it from the street will think it’s unattractive.”
The value of the house has fallen sharply as a result of the installation – with an expected drop of 10 percent, according to a leading real estate expert
Many were sympathetic to the couple’s plight, but agreed that nothing could be done to resolve the situation.
“I think your best bet would be to put up a privacy screen or see if you can have plants in the area,” said one.
“They are meant to be very safe and not make noise but they are an eyesore,” wrote a second.