When selling your home, one thing sellers seldom forget to
take into consideration is the current neighbors. Did you know that your neighbors overgrown
yard, clutter, and even paint peeling from their home can easily knock 5-10%
off the sale price of YOUR home. It’s
true, a junky home in deplorable condition or a yard packed with toys and
debris could cost you. Right now with so
much supply on the market, a potential buyer is likely to pass you by, due to
the home and living conditions next door.
If you neighbor has a messy yard, approaching them in a
friendly, yet low key manner can be and effective tool. Simply talk to your neighbor let him know
that you are putting your home up for sale, and not only do you want your home
to show well, but that your afraid potential buyers who don’t know what nice
neighbors they are, may be a little put off by the unsightly condition of their
yard. Simply offer your neighbor to help him clean up his yard, he will not only
be thankful but so will other surrounding neighbors, and who knows the
surrounding neighbors may even pitch in as well.
Your neighbor may be elderly or disabled and unable to
maintain his property on a regular basis.
Habitat for Humanity has a program called “A Brush for Kindness” that
offers landscaping, exterior painting and minor repairs to low income home
owners who can’t care for their homes due to their age, disability or family
circumstance.
If the neighboring home is vacant, you can find out the
owner of the property thru the county tax assessors office. Once locating the owner, send a certified
letter complete with photos and a request for action in getting the property
cleaned up.
If the above suggestions do not work in helping clean up the
eye sore, simply contact the City Code Enforcement. The City office will send out a letter
stating the violation, and require that said violation be remedied within a
certain amount of time or a monetary fine will be issued.
Don’t let your neighbors cost you money!