Anonymous
Post 08/10/2013 20:38     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood
Most property tax payers are keenly aware of the tax base discrepancy.

Methinks OP is upset about the shiny, new house being built next to her old house. OP's envy is obvious, transparent, and not pretty.

Anonymous
Post 08/10/2013 16:10     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood
Modest is one thing, rundown is something else.
Anonymous
Post 08/10/2013 14:35     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood
I have seen the below post before or very similar. Find the sentiment quite offensive, really. How do you know the owners of the old homes can't afford the taxes? People have other priorities beyond keeping up with joneses' ( not that there is anything wrong with a gorgeous, latest up to date large new build) However, some may prefer to direct their resources to investing, travel, etc., or may not care about having the largest home on the block.

Some very accomplished people I know live in relatively modest homes. They are simply too busy to decorate or renovate - something has to give and it can't be sleep or relaxation.

Yes, some people in older homes may just be hanging on. The same could be said for a number of people who overextended themselves with homes beyond their means. Bottom line - unless someone is creating a true nuisance, MYOB



Anonymous wrote:

OP, I would be FAR more concerned with an OLD house that the owners clearly can NOT afford (refusing to sell to someone who clearly can); than a new house that a new owner can easily afford, has the money to upkeep, and will likely sell eventually anyway.

There are many old house owners that can barely afford their taxes and should clearly be moving on. They need to realize that their having less money corresponds to their need to make sacrifices. Not stirring the pot, so to speak. It is that simple. And not very difficult to understand.

What I don't understand, is anyone in an old house causing trouble for anyone. Unless they miraculously have deep pockets to defend themselves in court. Which clearly they do not.

I wouldn't be worried about a NEWER house at all. The only possibilities are positive, as they are an asset to the community and county. Their taxes support the tax base of the rest of the the community and county.

You do realize this basic fact, right?

Using the term "McMansion" isn't going to save you from yourself. You need to be less naive and also take a basic economics course.



Anonymous
Post 08/10/2013 13:11     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood


OP, I would be FAR more concerned with an OLD house that the owners clearly can NOT afford (refusing to sell to someone who clearly can); than a new house that a new owner can easily afford, has the money to upkeep, and will likely sell eventually anyway.

There are many old house owners that can barely afford their taxes and should clearly be moving on. They need to realize that their having less money corresponds to their need to make sacrifices. Not stirring the pot, so to speak. It is that simple. And not very difficult to understand.

What I don't understand, is anyone in an old house causing trouble for anyone. Unless they miraculously have deep pockets to defend themselves in court. Which clearly they do not.

I wouldn't be worried about a NEWER house at all. The only possibilities are positive, as they are an asset to the community and county. Their taxes support the tax base of the rest of the the community and county.

You do realize this basic fact, right?

Using the term "McMansion" isn't going to save you from yourself. You need to be less naive and also take a basic economics course.



Anonymous
Post 08/09/2013 10:29     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I live on a street in Montgomery County where there is a house that has never been lived in (or fully finished on the inside) and is used basically as a massive storage shed by the off-site owner. There is never any junk in the yard but it is not landscaped and mostly overgrown. The lawn is cut regularly so that's a plus but that about it. I'm wondering if neighbors have any recourse. It's a massive eyesore. Does anyone have any experience with a similar situation?


I'm living next door to a person who does not care about the outside of there home... It's an eye soar and the town has done nothing. The next house I own ... Will have Hoa... I feel your pain. It's crazy that someone would not care about there home to maintain the outside...


Yep, because being told your shutters are the wrong shade of white is the way to go.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2013 09:15     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood
I lived next door to a home like that for 20 years, absentee owner, run down, and after railing against it for the first 10 years, I made it work for me. I enjoyed not having a neighbor nosing in on one side, and I trained my dog to go in the back yard of that home. I moved and don't miss the buttinsky neighbors with their McMansions, but do miss the solitude and watching the raccoons file in and out of that vacant home, which fortunately was mowed every week to keep the county away.
Anonymous
Post 08/09/2013 05:47     Subject: Rundown house in the neighborhood
I don't see what the big deal is with a house sitting empty, as long as the basics of lawn mowing are done. It doesn't sound like it's any threat to you. Why would you want to make trouble for the owners?
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2013 17:46     Subject: Re:Rundown house in the neighborhood
What happened to just going to talk to the neighbor to ask them? Maybe they are going through hard time, maybe it's just a temporary thing, go and ask, if this bothers you, you will have better idea and know how to react. Why ask strangers on the internet for their biased opinions based on their personal agenda.
Anonymous
Post 08/08/2013 17:39     Subject: Re:Rundown house in the neighborhood
If this is a new Mcmansion, I am guessing the owner is either out of money to complete work, maybe waiting to save some more, or maybe out of the country and has not time to deal with it? In any case, you need to research whether there is a limit on how long a construction site can go on legally and if it has to be shut down if it's been going on for a long time. But I don't know if you can force people to sell or repossess their property if they have been paying taxes.