can't sell house cause neighbors won't clean up their property

[tryingtosale]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? west virginia, okay thats enough, i'm trying to sale my house but we have two neighbors in the neighborhood that their yards are just awful. JUNK everywhere, eveything from cars trucks old tractors just old siding glass doors tires EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone else take pride in our homes. my home apraized for over 200,000 i have it on the market for 135,000, and still can't get it sold. we have a homeowners assoc. we have bi-law and restriction against this but noboby seems to know what to do, the assoc have sent letters to everyone in the neighborhood to correct the problem I have got to get this place sold before its to late. :eekWhat is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[FarmerJ]

Start with your city or county zoning depts and learn what if any junk and debris ordinances are on the books and if there are such ords bring them pics and tell them to go over and enforce the law. If they dont or wont them embarress them by calling the media ( local tv station consumer affairs desk ) ! even with a HOA city /county ords are still valid. If there are no ords addressing the junk and conditions of the yards BUT your HOA really has the authority to go after the property owners then its time to sit in a meeting or do what ever you have to to get a meeting going and demand a explanation as to why the board has not taken action , get your other nieghbors involved , your board is elected ? threaten replacement via elections and remind every one of your nieghbors how you all lose home value by staying silent.

 

[justalayman]

my home apraized for over 200,000 i have it on the market for 135,000, ?

then I would say your appraiser was wrong. An appraisal is supposed to reflect what a given house will sell for in the current market. If you can't sell yours for $135k, then it is not worth $135k.

when I went through school to be a RE salesman, we were taught the value of a property is determined by 3 things: location, location, and location. The fact your location happens to be near 2 junkyards makes it worth less than an identical house not close to 2 junkyards. I would say your appraiser missed the mark. Your house may be worth $200k when it isn't near 2 junkyards but that does in fact impact the value of your house and the appraiser should have taken that into consideration when he set a value.

so, depending on how quickly you need to sell, while FarmerJ's suggestions are great if you have the time, if you don't, you may be reduced to bribery or offering to assist the neighbors in cleaning their yards. Other than that or FarmerJ's suggestions, it sounds like you will have to figure out what your house is actually worth being so close to 2 junkyards if you really have to sell it.

 

[jumac]

also even if the town/HOA dose get invoid don't expect a fast fix for the issue. Unless one of them has a regulation/rule saying that unless someone dosen't clean up their porperty after x amount of time that they can go on and do it themselfs(town/HOA) pritty much all they can do fine them. After which time an HOA may forclose on the house for the fines or the city may try and take the property form them.

The town I grew up in had a older guy who ran a buiness that rip down old buildings/cleanup fire damage and stuff like that. He didn't run his buiness out of our town but had property that he use as his dumping grounds. The town fought for years to get him to clean it up as he didn't have permits for a few spots and in even the ones he did didn't follow the rules. It finaly toke him dieing and his only child(who living in the town) going to a town meeting and telling the town he didn't want anything to do with them and if the town wanted to clean them up ether 1. they could file claims what ever for them through probate or he would sign a contract with the town to claim them and give/sell very cheap to the town.

That was bout 10 years ago and the town is still cleanup the properties to make them usable again

 

[154NH773]

I agree that you should look into all available legal means to get the problem corrected, however; it may take years and lots of headaches, and may never actually happen.
I had a relative that had the same problem, and had to wait until the slobs sold and the new owner cleaned up, and was then able to sell for 30% higher.
I suggested, but she didn't accept my suggestion, that she offer to pay to do the cleanup, roof repair, and landscaping if they would maintain it untill she sold. She might have gained $50,000 and saved a year or more with a $10,000 investment in the neighbor's property.
I'm sure it's not what you'd like to hear, but the reality is that you will probably not get the property cleaned up any time soon, regardless of the law.
Someone else also suggested you "bribe" them to clean up, and that's probably good advice.