Bad Neighbors Can Decrease the Value of Your Home

If your home is surrounded by neighbors who aren't taking care of their place, such as a messy driveway or no landscaping, that can hurt the value of your house when you're trying to sell it. The real estate market is already tough with plenty of houses in the national inventory, low prices and competition at every corner. Dealing with neighbors who don't take care of their home shouldn't be an added issue. According to MSN, the President of Appraisal Institute says that a nearby property with overgrown yard, peeling paint and clutter can cost you 5% to 10% off the sale of your home. A home in a disaster state can cost you more. Neighbors can have all sorts of things littering their yard and driveway such as toys, holiday decorations, trash, tools and more. The maintenance of properties sometimes depend on who's living inside. If it's a person that's elderly or a disabled person, it might be harder for tem to repair, maintain and keep up with the chores. For those specific situations, there might be help available with free or low-cost services. Habitat for Humanity for example has a program called “A Brush With Kindness” that offers exterior painting, landscaping, weatherstripping and minor repairs to low-income homeowners who can't care for their homes because of age, disability or family circumstance. Some local governments also offer help. If you're dealing with the situation on your own and you're hoping to get your neighbors to clean up, try to first approach them kindly. State your case. Explain that you're interested on selling your home and want to showcase it in the best possible way. Acknowledge they are great neighbors but that the condition their yard is in, might put off some potential home buyers. You can even offer to help clean up, if this makes things move forward or offer to help pay for someone to come and help out. Your neighbors might not be the people who actually own the home they're living in. So another tactic would be to reach out to their landlord. You can write a letter or call and state your situation. Another reality in today's real estate market is that the property next door to you can be foreclosed on, which can be the cause of its state. There's no one to take care of it. If this is your case, try reaching out to the lender. Ask for assistance. If you live in a condominium, you most likely have a homeowner's association. In this case, you can ask them for help. You regularly pay fees for landscaping and cleanliness within the building and the outside parameters, so things should be maintained. Hopefully these tips help you in your quest to sell your home. Once the sale is done, give the Maryland movers a call for a stress-free move into your new place. The Maryland moving specialists will quilt-pad wrap your personal belongings to further protect them from damage, so you have nothing to worry about. All My Sons of Maryland has four generations of moving experience, so your move is in good hands.