The neighbors are trying to prevent me from selling my house!!!(blackmail/extortion?)

Wow, sounds like you got yourself a bozo neighbour. I am not sure of what the laws are in Washington, but in many places the town owns ten feet from the road. Does the sign happen to be in this zone? Maybe they can do something? :confused3

I wish you luck with the selling.

:drinking1 A toast to no more crazy neighbours.

:goodvibes
 
Please don't give in to this bozo! Come on! Do you have payments on two homes now or something that forces you to sell fast, and you are afraid it won't work because of his guy? HE HAS NO RIGHT TO TELL YOU OR ANY OWNER OF ANY HOME TO DO ANYTHING!!!!! Wait until tomorrow when things are open and you can talk to city officials, a lawyer, zoning people, etc.
Robin M.
 
they are gaurding the sign.

and the full price offer people walked once they saw the sign.
 
Rock'n Robin said:
Please don't give in to this bozo! Come on! Do you have payments on two homes now or something that forces you to sell fast, and you are afraid it won't work because of his guy? HE HAS NO RIGHT TO TELL YOU OR ANY OWNER OF ANY HOME TO DO ANYTHING!!!!! Wait until tomorrow when things are open and you can talk to city officials, a lawyer, zoning people, etc.
Robin M.

Even if I do get an attorney, it will take months to resolve and he could do so many other things to damage us if we sue..he could spray paint his house, put out garbage etc. and do all kinds of devious vindictive things to get back at us for getting a lawyer.

And we do have another house being built that will be completed August 15, so we are in a bit of a time crunch.
 

I don't really feel you should pay anything for doing something they want, but in the interest of compromise and selling your home, I would offer to pay half with them paying the other half. Tell them it's either that or you go to the police for harrassment and/or will file a civil suit against their homeowners and them personally for loss of profit if you cannot sell your home for what it's worth. Not really sure that is an actual recourse but it sounds good an might work! Don't back down they have no grounds to be doing this.
 
Hehe, I wish!!

I wish they would pay half!! They will not compromise in any way. They want them all gone or the sign stays.

I had a tree guy come out today. It is 3k to get rid of the trees. Then I have to pay $750 to the city for fines for cutting a tree, then I need to pay $250 each for new trees to be planted on the property.

So, guess I just lost close to 5k and lord knows how much more because now the property has no trees on it.

I have no other choice. I have to give in. I don't know what else I can do.
 
I agree with the others DO NOT give in!!! That's just CRAZY! And cutting down the trees could lower what you get as well - people want trees in their yard!

In our city you couldn't put signs in your yard of any kind...city ordinance & they'd come & take them down - even the garagesale signs were'n't allowed ===but they were overlooked since the city didn't work on weekedns & enforce it...but during the week they did! MAybe you have an ordinance like this?

I would certainly talk to your city officials 1st & I WOULD NOT give in, I agree with pp to put up a RENT sign (you could like it for sale still)

There has GOT to be a way to get rid of the sign ....

PLease post a photo of the sign....

I agree w/the others on suing for the lost value/time of the home pay for the attny instead of cutting the trees down...

If your property is in high demand (there's not much else out there) then it is likely that somone will buy regardless of what the neighbor is like if they are desperate to get into a place....
 
/
My concern would be that if you do give in, he will find another way to harrass you. I am sorry you're dealing with this - as if moving isn't stressful enough!
 
I have to say that seeing the sign and knowing I would have to live next to that pain in the nexk would make me walk away from buying it too....but so would the trees! We got rid of all our trees, no one tells you what you can do on your own property here so we can take down what we want to. Its bad enough I have to rake the leaves my neighbors darn tree drops on my side. Here you can trim the tree up the property line so the tree is half flat and then take them to small claims court for the price you paid to do it and they will award you the costs...BUT... I happen to like my neighbor and would not do that to them so I am going to be eating the cost of doing it!
 
Why don't you sneak over there in the middle of the night and take the sign from his yard? Then break into his house and beat him with the sign while he sleeps! :teeth:
 
Why would you give in? What he is doing is illegal. Have you called a lawyer? It has to be cheaper than that. He has no right to do that.

I'm sorry, when people are bullies it brings out a bad stubborness in me.
 
I would not give in. How do you know that once you cut down those trees that he will be happy and stop his protesting? There might be something else that has a bug up his pants and he will move on to that. You are obviously dealing with someone that feels they are above the law (demanding you do something beyond the town ordinance)

Rent the biggest UHaul you can the day you have an Open House and park it right in front of his house blocking the views to the sign - or does the wacko picket like a protester?

Talk to all of your neighbors. Get everyone together one evening for coffee and to talk. Inform them of this wacko's antics and how it's not just hurting you, but it's hurting the property value of each of their houses. If your house doesn't sell for top dollar, their house will not either when it's time for them to sell. Not to mention, will this wacko have a grudge against them when they go to sell. Who knows, maybe he won't like their license plate on their car or something. :rolleyes: Get them against him.

Call the department that handles this ordinance and act innocent. Tell the person you talk to that you are going to have to break this law because the homeowner next to you is harassing you to cut down more trees than allowed by ruining your ability to sell your house and you were wondering what your fine or punishment will be and give them the details about what this guy is up to. Get a little choked up and sound a little scared and upset. Maybe they will give him a little visit and tell him the fines will be on HIM for blackmailing you like he is.

Go to the courthouse today and file a lawsuit against him. You don't need a lawyer to file suit. Serve him with papers yourself and tell him if the signs come down, the case will be cancelled, if not you will sue him for the difference in price over what you eventually get for the house and what you almost got (make sure you have all the info from the sale that went bad) Don't go small claims, go higher. Let him know he will DEFINITELY be in the hole for over $10K and you will hold him accountable for every single damn penny. If he doesn't stop, then get the lawyer. The thought of a lawsuit may be enough to stop him though.

But whatever you do - do NOT cut down those trees!
 
DisneyPhD said:
Maybe, but if I had a neighbor I didn't like, I would help them sell their house. Really the more the house goes for, the more yours is worth and you get new neighbors.


I am with you there....I have the world's craziest neighbour and we have NEVER once ever done anything to provoke, harrass or anything!!! NOT ONCE EVER, and you never know if you are going to walk outside and him screaming at you! Actually, this spring all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he is being nice to us.... :rotfl: , I hope he has turned over a new leaf but still can't help but wait for the other shoe to drop.

If there was a long standing feud between these neighbour's I would think he would want her to leave.
 
Obi-Wan Pinobi said:
I would not give in. How do you know that once you cut down those trees that he will be happy and stop his protesting? There might be something else that has a bug up his pants and he will move on to that. You are obviously dealing with someone that feels they are above the law (demanding you do something beyond the town ordinance)

Rent the biggest UHaul you can the day you have an Open House and park it right in front of his house blocking the views to the sign - or does the wacko picket like a protester?

Talk to all of your neighbors. Get everyone together one evening for coffee and to talk. Inform them of this wacko's antics and how it's not just hurting you, but it's hurting the property value of each of their houses. If your house doesn't sell for top dollar, their house will not either when it's time for them to sell. Not to mention, will this wacko have a grudge against them when they go to sell. Who knows, maybe he won't like their license plate on their car or something. :rolleyes: Get them against him.

Call the department that handles this ordinance and act innocent. Tell the person you talk to that you are going to have to break this law because the homeowner next to you is harassing you to cut down more trees than allowed by ruining your ability to sell your house and you were wondering what your fine or punishment will be and give them the details about what this guy is up to. Get a little choked up and sound a little scared and upset. Maybe they will give him a little visit and tell him the fines will be on HIM for blackmailing you like he is.

Go to the courthouse today and file a lawsuit against him. You don't need a lawyer to file suit. Serve him with papers yourself and tell him if the signs come down, the case will be cancelled, if not you will sue him for the difference in price over what you eventually get for the house and what you almost got (make sure you have all the info from the sale that went bad) Don't go small claims, go higher. Let him know he will DEFINITELY be in the hole for over $10K and you will hold him accountable for every single damn penny. If he doesn't stop, then get the lawyer. The thought of a lawsuit may be enough to stop him though.

But whatever you do - do NOT cut down those trees!
I wholeheartedly agree. I understand that you want the house sold asap, but you may be cutting off your nose to spite your face. You may spend thousands of dollars and end up still having no sale because this neighbor wants more and more changes. Caving in now will only prove to the neighbor that he can force you to do whatever he wants. This person should not succeed in bullying you, only you can allow that.

I would start by calling the local police and asking if this constitutes harrassment. If so, they may stop and have a talk with him.

Just do not give in without at least trying to stop him from bullying you into spending thousands of dollars unnecessarily.
 
Tell your neighbor you are staying. Take down your FSBO sign. Sign with a realtor and have them list it on MLS, which your neighbor wouldn't have access to. The realtor can also advertise locally which the neighbor may not see. In the meantime, talk to a real estate attorney. Do not give in to this nutcase, because once the trees are down, that 1) may be more of a reason for people not to buy a house (no way would I buy a house where the trees were cut down) and 2) it would give your neighbor a whole new sense of power and wonder what else he could get you to do.

Edited to add: Maybe even have the realtor put up a FOR RENT sign to help explain the comings and goings of people in and out of your house.
 
Florida_Mom said:
Tell your neighbor you are staying. Take down your FSBO sign. Sign with a realtor and have them list it on MLS, which your neighbor wouldn't have access to. The realtor can also advertise locally which the neighbor may not see. In the meantime, talk to a real estate attorney. Do not give in to this nutcase, because once the trees are down, that 1) may be more of a reason for people not to buy a house (no way would I buy a house where the trees were cut down) and 2) it would give your neighbor a whole new sense of power and wonder what else he could get you to do.

Edited to add: Maybe even have the realtor put up a FOR RENT sign to help explain the comings and goings of people in and out of your house.


I agree. Do not give in to him and it is time to stop going at this alone. Sign with a realtor. It will cost you less in the long run and they are paid to deal with things like this. They will know all the ins and outs and beable to stop him.

Don't cut down the trees. The ONLY reason I would if the buyer only wanted the house with out them.

Also ask the realtor what his/her opinon on the value of the house with the trees is. They will know.

Good luck. DO NOT GIVE IN TO THIS LONEY!
 
Does the 3K to the tree guys include stump removal?

Personally, I wouldn't buy a lot that didn't have mature trees. I think that adds a lot of value to a house, but other buyers might not want trees, I guess. You are probably reducing the number of potential buyers by some degree, but it sounds like you just want to move on. It's sad when the bad guys win.
 
DO NOT CUT DOWN THOSE TREES. I know you are getting worried about selling the house, but you will really hurt your sales price and be out the tree removal money as well. Take your sign down and let the neighbor think you aren't selling. There are many services that will add your home to the MLS for something in the neighborhood of $400. You can mention that there isn't a for sale sign in the listing and you will move the house quickly if you offer to pay a commission to the selling agent. Otherwise, they won't show the house to their clients. Aren't there some FSBO services you can sign up with too? Just don't give in to the nutjob or you will always regret it.

I can't believe you don't have some sort of legal recourse though. I would continue to investigate those avenues as well.
 
I wouldn't buy a lot with no mature trees on it, unless the whole neighborhood were new.
 

PixFuture Display Ad Tag












Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE














DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter

Back
Top