Neighbors Can Make Your Life Interesting

[Julie Moriarty]

The house we're contracted to buy has, according to the seller, "the missing link and his dog beating wife next door." The neighbors have only been there a year but in that time they have called the police on the seller twice and they have gone to court once. And they have installed a security camera between the houses. The seller has called the ASPCA on them once and thinks the neighbor has listening devices because the neighbor testified in court that she heard the seller through the walls of her block wall house.

The house came up with a title defect so we started looking at other houses in case the defect can't be cured.

We were driving by one house that caught our eye, to decide if we would call the our realtor to see it. A man in his late 60's or early 70's was out in front of his house next door. He looked like he had seen a few bar fights in his time. He walked over to the car and I rolled down the window. In a very gruff voice he said he takes care of the house and will show it to us. I got the feeling we didn't have a choice. He reminded me of a Mafia hit man. Both arms were heavily tatooed and on one arm was a boxer, underneath the boxer it said, "Let's get started!" There used to be alligators and sharks in the canals behind his house but he scared them all away (just kidding on that last one ;))

While walking through the house, he pointed out the furniture and said it's all included with the house. "You don't need no other furniture. I've been taking care of this house for 10 years. It's fine the way it is." I was almost expecting to hear, "And you'll like it!"

When we were done, and standing back outside, he pointed to the for sale sign and said, "You call him. Don't go call no other people. He'll take care of you. Just tell him I sent you"

I told him he should get a commission for showing the house. He said, "Lady! I don't need no money." Then he pointed to his house, worth about 1/2 mil and said, "That house is paid for and so are those two new Cadillacs in the garage. I got plenty of money."

This is going to be an adventure.

[Rich Engelhardt]

There used to be alligators and sharks in the canals behind his house but he scared them all away

I literally - LOL! at that :D..

Thanks for the belly laugh.

FWIW - that could be a good selling point for that place. It comes with it's own security system ;).

[Julie Moriarty]

I'm happy to share the laughter, Rich. At one point he said he used to swim the canal over to a friend's house. I asked, "What about alligators?" because some residents tole me there were alligators in the canals. He replied, "Alligators? There are no alligators here!" That's when I wondered if he had already scared them away. That man was quite a character and no doubt if we bought that house, he would scare criminals away too. :)

[Ryan Mooney]

:eek: :D

Looking a houses a few years back we looked at one where the owner was on premises and in the middle of an apparently ongoing and horribly ill-conceived remodel (shag carpet in the bathrooms, floor moulding was run up the inside and outside corners of the walls, paint transitioned colors between rooms in .. interesting and non linear ways - you really had to see it I suppose but it was pretty bad). The owner then proceeded to say 'well I'm selling this house but will be living in the one next door so if you have any questions I can pop right over" (while I'm thinking the only way this place would be liveable would be to gut and re-do most of the current remodel).

Around then the realtor took the owner aside and said something to the effect of "we had talked about you not being here to 'help' while I'm showing the house before hadn't we now.."

Needless to say we didn't put an offer down on that one...

Or the trailer on rotten railroad ties with the "anteroom" addition with the 1/4" plywood roof that was 7' high max and fastened to the ?roof? on 4' centers. I don't know why the realtor even took us to that one, there was zero chance we'd have bought it.


Oh the joy.

[Brian Tymchak]

:eek: :D

...Around then the realtor took the owner aside and said something to the effect of "we had talked about you not being here to 'help' while I'm showing the house before hadn't we now.."

Needless to say we didn't put an offer down on that one...


Hopefully you ditched the realtor too. Think there was something shady going on behind the scenes, at least from the buyer POV.

[Brian Tymchak]

The house we're contracted to buy has, according to the seller, "the missing link and his dog beating wife next door." The neighbors have only been there a year but in that time they have called the police on the seller twice and they have gone to court once. And they have installed a security camera between the houses. The seller has called the ASPCA on them once and thinks the neighbor has listening devices because the neighbor testified in court that she heard the seller through the walls of her block wall house.

The house came up with a title defect so we started looking at other houses in case the defect can't be cured.



Hmm, I'm wondering where your mindset is on that title defect. I think I'd be hoping like heck that it couldn't be fixed...

[Matt Meiser]

The people we bought our house from moved abut 150 yards away as the crow flies. Maybe only 100. We corrected a lot of poorly done stuff most visibly landscaping. They drove by on their golf cart a few dozen times while the landscapers were here. I told the foreman about her and he started hauling stuff out to the road regular when she'd go by and yell to one of the guys about "removing that junk" and stuff like that. :D

We regularly get random people telling us how much better the house looks and making comments about the disimprovements she's made over there. The funniest was a small kid talking to his mom, maybe 3-5 about how much better it looks!

[Steve Peterson]

Or the trailer on rotten railroad ties with the "anteroom" addition with the 1/4" plywood roof that was 7' high max and fastened to the ?roof? on 4' centers. I don't know why the realtor even took us to that one, there was zero chance we'd have bought it.

This must be the realtor's version of good cop - bad cop. They are trying to get you to jump on the first house they show you after you see a few really bad ones.

The worst part for me is that my wife will still want to give the house a complete walk through because she doesn't want the realtor to think she wasted our time. There were a few houses where we both knew we didn't want them. I am ready to leave within 10 seconds and my wife will still spend 20 minutes checking out an obvious loser.

Steve

[Julie Moriarty]

Hmm, I'm wondering where your mindset is on that title defect. I think I'd be hoping like heck that it couldn't be fixed...
The contract gives the seller 30 days to cure the defect after buyer notifies seller the defect is unacceptable. We can't do a thing until 30 days expire. If the title company writes the policy, I'm good with that.

[Greg R Bradley]

Maybe time to consider another state? says the guy from California........

[Ryan Mooney]

Hopefully you ditched the realtor too. Think there was something shady going on behind the scenes, at least from the buyer POV.

Hah, yes. That was the least of what we saw with that outfit, some of it was well past borderline. "Oh I can't show you that house as its already under contract and off the market" (huh weird, the mls site never showed it going off market .. not then and not for weeks after - ooh it was being handled by another agency and you were going to loose that half of the commission.. I see.). "Hey this isn't on MLS yet but I know someone selling it and they'll cut you a good deal I'm sure" (looks. oh golly its owned by another realtor in the same office.. what a strange coincidence.. not).

We could have raised the issues I'm sure but just moved on and ended up with a FSBO that went really well. Both parties were surprisingly sane unlike when I sold the house before that (also FSBO).. "No you cannot have the keys until after (something complicated with) trusts actually deposits the money into the escrow account; yes I'll explain escrow to you again, no I do not have access to the money until the paperwork is filed".. sigh.

And then there was the house being sold FSBO by the couple having a bad divorce.. (highly summarized, I kind of liked the property sadly).
her: "we're really motivated and want to sell right away"
him: "I don't know why we're even doing this, we could just stay here. I don't have any plans to move or place to move to"
:eek: A few months later I saw where she'd placed an ad in the paper to get him a rental. Sad and terrifying.

I could go on.. the adventures! Whee! Like they say; I was born at night, but not last night.

And LOML wants to move again too.. just.. uuugghh. Its been 8 years and I'm still a bit twitchy from it.

That was after two remarkably smooth real estate transaction preceding both of these so perhaps I was just spoiled :D The realtor we got when we moved from HI to eastern WA moved heaven and earth for us, just amazing! That's one case where they really earned their money and the guy I had in AZ was also top notch - he spent way more time helping a mostly broke just out of college kid than was ever worth his time, another true star.

Julie, I hope your deal is smoother and it all works out so you can get back to making some more guitars (and other stuff ;))!

[Jason Roehl]

So the seller has 30 days to fix the neighbor? Or is that not the defect...?

[Joe Tilson]

Yeah, With the problems you folks seem to be having, Get out of there!!!!!
Says the guy from South Carolina?

[Julie Moriarty]

Maybe time to consider another state? says the guy from California........
We looked. No way we can afford anything more than a cardboard box. In 2009 we visited LA. We took a cab from the airport to our hotel. The driver said he owned a $400+K home in the valley. I don't know how you guys do it.


So the seller has 30 days to fix the neighbor? Or is that not the defect...?
I haven't figured how to work the neighbor into being part of the defect. ;)

[Greg R Bradley]

I wasn't suggesting California. I think this state attracts lots of crazies from everywhere else. Looks like Florida has its share, too.

[Howard Garner]

Yeah, With the problems you folks seem to be having, Get out of there!!!!!
Says the guy from South Carolina?

ah, but don't come here.
Say the guy just north of the other guy

Howard
Y

[Chris Padilla]

California is great! We don't even have any rain to deal with messing up your car and hair 'n stuff. No umbrellas to buy, either!! :D

[Jerome Stanek]

California is great! We don't even have any rain to deal with messing up your car and hair 'n stuff. No umbrellas to buy, either!! :D

Just earth quakes, drought, fires and brownouts

[Lee Schierer]

Just earth quakes, drought, fires and brownouts

You forgot the mudslides and heavy traffic.

[Chris Padilla]

Well, *I'm* here! :D