Comments on: Should You Perform Maintainance on the Empty House in Your Neighborhood? http://steadfastfinances.com/blog/2009/06/15/should-you-perform-maintainance-on-the-empty-house-in-your-neighborhood/ A Personal Finance & Investing 101 blog that delves into current events, consumer education, and techniques to improve your bottom line. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:59:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Matt http://steadfastfinances.com/blog/2009/06/15/should-you-perform-maintainance-on-the-empty-house-in-your-neighborhood/comment-page-1/#comment-2829 Matt Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:03:05 +0000 http://steadfastfinances.com/blog/?p=1089#comment-2829 @ Mike, Hey that’s just southern hospitality! The ill will factor is certainly a possibility, which is why I delicately hinted they hire a Realtor who knows the market instead of trying to sell it themselves to save cash. Can't fault them for trying, but I just don't think they did enough advertising. Personally, I don't think they priced their home as competitively as they should have considering their time frame. Then again, no one wants to hear their home is actually worth versus what they think it "should be" worth. They're moving 500+ miles away, so doing the exterior upkeep on their property isn't feasible. They were going to hire a landscaping crew to come in, but myself and another neighbor volunteered to do it for free. No real reason why we stepped up, but just seemed like the neighborly thing to do. It might cost me 20 minutes of work twice a month, but I consider it a good karma investment. @ Mike,

Hey that’s just southern hospitality!

The ill will factor is certainly a possibility, which is why I delicately hinted they hire a Realtor who knows the market instead of trying to sell it themselves to save cash. Can’t fault them for trying, but I just don’t think they did enough advertising.

Personally, I don’t think they priced their home as competitively as they should have considering their time frame. Then again, no one wants to hear their home is actually worth versus what they think it “should be” worth.

They’re moving 500+ miles away, so doing the exterior upkeep on their property isn’t feasible. They were going to hire a landscaping crew to come in, but myself and another neighbor volunteered to do it for free. No real reason why we stepped up, but just seemed like the neighborly thing to do.

It might cost me 20 minutes of work twice a month, but I consider it a good karma investment.

]]> By: Mike http://steadfastfinances.com/blog/2009/06/15/should-you-perform-maintainance-on-the-empty-house-in-your-neighborhood/comment-page-1/#comment-2827 Mike Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:11:48 +0000 http://steadfastfinances.com/blog/?p=1089#comment-2827 I wish I had you as a neighbor. It's very generous of you to voluntarily cut their lawn, but is there a reason why your neighbors couldn't hire someone to do it, or do it themselves? Are they moving far away? If so, in hindsight, they should have taken the best offer and ate the loss. In the long run, it may just cost them more than they would have initially lost selling underwater. Believe me, I've learned this myself the hard way. I guess that if you're expecting to sell your home in the near future, concern about property values would be important. But, if you plan on living in your home for a long time (or forever) it shouldn't matter. IMO, it's your home, not an investment. But, if you're planning on selling soon, what the markets do are out of your control and you'll have to play the hand you were dealt. Although you would like to be a good neighbor and help preserve home values in your neighborhood, it sounds like you are taking on more responsibility than is warranted. If it was me, I wouldn't let their problem become my problem. I'd let them handle it on their own, in their own way. Too much intervention on your part may create ill will and make matters worse. I wish I had you as a neighbor. It’s very generous of you to voluntarily cut their lawn, but is there a reason why your neighbors couldn’t hire someone to do it, or do it themselves?

Are they moving far away? If so, in hindsight, they should have taken the best offer and ate the loss. In the long run, it may just cost them more than they would have initially lost selling underwater. Believe me, I’ve learned this myself the hard way.

I guess that if you’re expecting to sell your home in the near future, concern about property values would be important. But, if you plan on living in your home for a long time (or forever) it shouldn’t matter. IMO, it’s your home, not an investment. But, if you’re planning on selling soon, what the markets do are out of your control and you’ll have to play the hand you were dealt.

Although you would like to be a good neighbor and help preserve home values in your neighborhood, it sounds like you are taking on more responsibility than is warranted. If it was me, I wouldn’t let their problem become my problem. I’d let them handle it on their own, in their own way. Too much intervention on your part may create ill will and make matters worse.

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