When I purchased my beach lot home (meaning small) nine years back, the property’s value was above average. Location, location, location. The harvest gold appliances, dark paneled walls and shag carpeting begged for remodel. But the location crowned its value—a hilltop ocean view. The neighborhood’s quiet and refined air piled on the value.
We treated this home to a complete remodel and upped its value, regardless of a slimy real estate market.
Today, if I listed this house, well, I’m not so sure what would happen. Last week’s murderous drama did not up my home’s value.
It’s not so much about my real estate and my pocketbook that angers me as much as the insolvent actions of the party that owns the rental behind me, and the fact that the renters appear so blatantly dysfunctional and unconscious of the world outside of their stink.
Why did the property’s owner or the rental agent allow these renters to stay when their behavior was a continuous menace to the neighborhood and a regular stopping point for the county sheriff’s department? “… dispatch records confirmed four contacts with the house since January, but details about the calls weren’t immediately available,” reports a local newspaper.
Did the property’s overlords not consider the piles of trash, the junk cars, and the constant traffic of rather unsavory types parading in and out of the rental? Was the person blind to the otherwise tidiness and quiet of nearly every home in the area? Did that property owner have a deal so sweet that it mattered not that he/she rented the low-end home to people with a history of forced removal from other rentals throughout the community, as alleged by an official in a private conversation?
Thanks to that portion of this scenario, my home and every home near this nightmare real estate where the murder occurred, lost market value.
We have the right to stink. But when my stink offends another, it is my responsibility to sweeten my stinky self. It’s called respect for those forced to brush against me for one reason or the other.
I grew up in dysfunction. I smell dysfunction’s stink in an instant. As an adult, some of the dysfunction from my childhood stuck. Several tragedies later, I recognized my behavior and how my behavior hurt others. My stinky self begged for a remodel. (It remains a work in progress.)
Mindfulness is my savior. But it is also my challenge because it requires a non-judgmental attitude. But when a violent intrusion from drug-addled brains creeps like poison ivy into unaligned persons, I’m unsure how not to pass judgment.
I asked this question during my earlier studies as a student of meditation and spiritual growth. The answer was to bless those who might be “younger souls” or those who still have much to learn.
So, do I passively find my quiet corner, light incense, pray for these “younger souls,” and share their visible filth, psychic intrusions, and disruptive-to-peace presence?
Community chatter has it that the older brother committed the grizzly crime against his now dead younger half-brother. There are a thousand questions about the family and what and when they knew about this bloody end to one of their own. The thorough crime scene investigation should pry some truth from the murder scene.
The family has returned to the nightmare dive. The murder victim’s autopsy is complete. His body has a date with cremation. The older brother remains in custody for an unrelated violation. How does a mother live with this?
Their sad saga will continue. I, however, will separate from it in every possible way I know how. My choice is to seek clean and uncluttered views from my window. My choice is the sound of crashing ocean waves, not violent voices. My choice is to return peace and beauty to that part of the world in which I dwell.
Get over it.
Retta: The ladies represented here are beautiful women who have been through hell and learned the lessons from living in that place. If they do "have it all together" it is only because of what they have been through and the hard work they have h
That’s a tough one. What is my responsibilty to my community? I left a dysfunctional family and didn’t look back. My family called it abandoning them. I get that. However, my choice was and is to live in harmony and peace to the best of my ability. I try and keep my distance from people who live in chaos whoever they are. What is my responsibilty to my community? Am I disloyal for keeping my distance? Maybe, but I’ve learned that when grown folks want to do better they do better. They get help, they reach out. No one benefits by my crawling down into the mud with them.
As I’m reading your post, the charmers behind me are arguing…
This will change. Yes it will.
Charmaine Coimbra
You know why you have those neighbors..it’s called “THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR”. The landlord has tenants and they are getting paid. They don’t care about the damage they are doing to the equity you have in your prime location, beach front/ocean view property.
One thing I did see my dad do as a kid was as the houses to his left and right were going on the market to be sold. He bought both of them for the very reason you mentioned above. He didn’t want just anybody living next to him.
I just had a single girlfriend who is widowed buy the vacate house next to her for the same reason. She didn’t want her property value to do down and she wants to control who is living next to her.
It’s a shame about what has happened to your piece of paradise. If the neighbors complain enough and the city can find some hazardous issues to the safety i.e, electrical problems, gas leaks, water damage etc to the home, that is definitely a way to get the place empty. If the owner gets fined by the city for noise, illegal drugs on the premises thats another way to get the place emptied out. The neighbors should meet regarding this issue and do a joint complaint to the city about the dwelling so it’s not just coming from one person.
The karmic angels work in strange ways. It appears this may be a HUD house. There are very strict rules. I’d guess about a gazillion have been ignored at this time. The KA’s had a local reporter interview the mother of the victim…she went on and on about the people living there, admitting to drugs, etc. Whoops!
And you are exactly right about the money. One neighbor has called the owner constantly. His reply, “These are terrific tenants!” Seriously??? A person in the know informed me the owner is a slum lord who lives out of area.
I now smell a change in the air.
Charmaine Coimbra:
Yes, there is a “change in the air”. Drugs? OK. Time to get with the reporter who interviewed the mom to see if there is documentation available to support the claim and file a grievance with the city regarding the property and owner. I would not call that owner not one more time. Let the law deal with him via a document stating, they have to clean up what’s going on at that house or they will be hit with substantial penalties and fines. In addition, HUD needs to be notified of the “alleged” drugs on the premises and that a grievance is being filed on the owner by the city of xyz. Guess what, they will IMMEDIATELY investigate it. If it turns out to be true the owner will NOT GET ANYMORE RENT MONEY from the government – HUD. Once the payments stop, yhe house WILL BE vacated. You and your neighbors have to power to bring this craziness to an end.
Thank you for the wise recommendation. I have a file dedicated to this issue–collection of news pieces, etc. I’ve located the local department of housing and it appears from their website that they are eager to clean up properties that skirt the law with a statement (paraphrased) “there are other needy parties.)
Another reliable source has indicated that this particular house is on a “watch list” by the local sheriff’s department for drug distribution.
The recent 4-day CSI on the property, I pray, found ample evidence of illegal drugs or controlled substance within the house.
Yesterday the mother was in her back yard loudly arguing (which is absolutely no surprise) with another person and said “I didn’t say there was ‘blood everywhere.’” The other person replied, “You know that everyone can hear you.”
And then they went inside. Good Lord, I do not wish to be the nosy neighbor…but I can’t help but hear.
This will end and the door that will close is the funds coming in from our tax dollars.