Selling Your House Next to the Neighborhood Eyesore

Sellers often work hard to improve their yards and homes before putting up the “For Sale” sign. It can be frustrating, to say the least, if a seller’s home is immaculate – and their neighbor’s home is anything but. What can a seller do to eliminate the eyesore next door? Should they even try to influence how the neighborhood looks, or merely focus on their own home?

Real estate agent Patricia Alfonso says the sellers should definitely take a look at their own neighborhood, because potential buyers certainly will. “The buyers will definitely look at the surrounding neighborhood, and even if your house is fixed up, if other homes aren’t maintained, it will affect the value of your property,” she explains.

Alfonso relates a recent sale she was making, where one serious buyer, initially interested in the home, turned away because of the condition of a nearby home and the people who lived in it. “They said, Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½I don’t like the neighbor’. That can really keep buyers away, no matter what you do to your own home.”

Most communities in the East Bay have an agency they can report problems to, but which agency handles the problem depends on the structure of local government. Frequently, the Planning Department, or Public Works Department will handle this type of complaint. Of course, eyesores which are also fire hazards may be handled by the local Fire Department as well.
In 1999, the City of San Leandro transferred most of these duties to the Community Compliance section of the San Leandro Police Department. Headed by unit supervisor Bill Baptista, the unit is charged with enforcing the zoning code, as well as preservation ordinances and related laws.

Baptista says before talking to the problematic neighbor, the seller should think about their relationship with that person. “It depends on how much rapport you have with your neighbor. If your neighbor doesn’t know you well, and you bring it up, then they are likely to reject any suggestions. Then, when you call the enforcement agency, they will know who called, even if you phone it in anonymously, because you just had that conversation with them.”

Baptista encourages sellers to think about their neighborhood at the time they are thinking about sprucing up their own home. “Don’t wait until the Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½For Sale’ sign is going up on your lawn. When you are cleaning up your own yard and home, start thinking about your neighborhood at the same time.”

Baptista says calling early can allow the process to occur. “The full process may take three or four months, so give yourself enough time.” He notes that he frequently receives calls from real estate agents, who drive around the block of a house soon to be on the market, calling in various problems.

Baptista also encourages citizens to call, even if they are uncertain as to whether a particular problem is a code violation. “We don’t always expect citizens to know whether something is an actual violation. I would say, if you’re in doubt, call it in anyway, and let our inspectors investigate, so they can decide whether the situation is a violation of the code the way it is currently written. I would much rather that someone call than not say anything,” he notes.

While citizens can often go online, Baptista encourages San Leandro’s citizens to pick up the phone and call the Community Compliance section, so that they understand what is or is not being done, and why.

Sometimes, very little can be done, due to the specific nature of the problem. “Sometimes, a property may not look nice, but it isn’t in violation,” he says. “For example, grass which is six inches high can be unsightly. But it isn’t in violation unless it is at least 18 inches high,” he explains. Other examples of eyesores that are usually not violations include short (but brown) grass, and cars in the driveway with a bad paint job. “The vehicle code talks about a car’s driveability, not how a car looks,” he explains about the latter.

Of course, if the home in disrepair is an elderly couple who cannot do the work, or normally tidy people who have fallen on difficult financial times, there is some help available. Eileen Dalton, Redevelopment Manager of the Alameda County Development Agency, says that their agency offers, “the carrot, rather than the stick” when it comes to sprucing up neighborhoods.

“We have a single family [home] rehab program, where the homeowners can borrow money, or receive a grant, to fix up their home,” she explains, referring to the agency’s low-interest and forgivable loans. “And what we have found is that the pride of ownership spreads. So, when one property in the neighborhood gets fixed up, others improve, too.”