Is Your Las Vegas Neighbor’s Home an Eyesore? What You Can Do About It
They’re a growing problem, especially in those Las Vegas neighborhoods most heavily affected by foreclosures. You know who they are – they’ve got weeds as high as corn and chipping paint on the outside of their homes. They can wreck havoc on the value of any neighborhood.
No one wants to live near an eyesore and have to see that mess every day. But homes like that can also affect whether or not buyers will buy in your neighborhood. It’s bad enough living near an eyesore, but if you’re a buyer, of course an eyesore is going to affect whether or not you buy. Why? You know, who wants to live next to an ugly house or yard?
And remember, the kind of neighbors who don’t keep up their homes and yards are the kind of neighbors who can be problematic in other areas – loud noise, disruptive behavior and police visits at all hours of the night!
For those reasons, if you’re thinking about selling your Las Vegas home and there’s an eyesore nearby, you’ve got to do something about it. After all, it’s still a buyer’s market and competition is still tough. To maximize the chances of selling your home (and selling it for the most money), you want your neighbors to be “on their best behavior.”
What you can do about it
. . . If the home has been foreclosed (or is being foreclosed and is empty), then it’s the bank’s responsibility to maintain the home – especially if there’s an HOA or city code. You’ll have to investigate what the codes are (no weeds, overgrown shrubs or peeling paint, for example) to determine if the home is in violation of any codes.
Since most Las Vegas bank-owned homes are listed for sale by a real estate agent, you may be able to call the listing agent and point out the problem. If that doesn’t work, file a complaint with the HOA or city code department.
Resolving the eyesore problem may take time, so one of the quickest (and easiest) ways to get the problem fixed is to clean things up for yourself. Band together with your other neighbors to at least remove weeds, mow the grass and trim shrubs. Be sure to get permission from the owner before your start; you don’t want to be charged with trespassing.
. . . If the home is owner-occupied
If someone lives in the home, use tact and diplomacy when confronting them about the problem. Try talking to them face-to-face (maybe bring over some fresh baked cookies or cupcakes to ease any tension) to resolve the issue. If the lawn needs to be cut, then bring some names and phone numbers of lawn service companies with you.
Explain why their untidy yard is important to you and your neighbors and that you are willing to help them if they need it. If kindness doesn’t work, then file a complaint with the HOA or city code department (again, assuming that the problem is an infraction of the code). Most HOAs take those kinds of complaints seriously and will work hard to resolve the problem.
If you’re thinking of listing your Las Vegas home for sale, give our agents a call at (702) 376-7379 to see how we can help you.