Boor Next Door Could Scuttle Sale

Know the neighbor from hell?

He’s the one with knee-high grass and junk cars in his driveway. He’s the guy with the penchant for hard rock music at high decibels. He’s the one with the unbelievably large dog and the unbelievably low fence. Or, he’s the condo owner who cooks gourmet meals so unusual that the paint curls on your walls.

This kind of neighbor can become even more troublesome when it comes time to sell, real estate experts say.

“A neighbor who is obnoxious or outrageous and will not change can cause you to lose the sale of your house or accept less money for the property,” said Monte Helme, a vice president with the Century 21 real estate chain.

When dealing with an offensive neighbor, your options are limited--especially if the individual is stubborn.

You may simply have to take your lumps in the selling process--rationalizing that at least you’ll escape the unpleasant individual after you move.

Still, it’s worth trying to alter the situation in hopes you might succeed. That’s because a contrary neighbor can cost you a lot of money.

“How the neighbors behave and maintain their property is critically important to potential buyers. Nobody wants to move in near someone who is uncivil or whose property is unkempt,” said Peter G. Miller, author of “Inside the Real Estate Deal,” a HarperCollins book.

Realty specialists suggest these pointers:

--Look to neighborhood rules or local laws.

Condo apartment and townhouse communities usually have orderly mechanisms for controlling the behavior and maintenance standards of unit owners. In many neighborhoods, local laws can also help blunt a noise problem, control unruly pets and require the removal of junk cars. A few communities require exacting standards of home and yard maintenance.

In some cases, you can complain to the authorities anonymously, reducing the chance of reprisals by the offending owner. You can accomplish the same goal--and make your mission more effective--by getting others in your community to complain as well. No doubt your neighbors are as unhappy as you about the snarly dog or the junk cars.

--Never approach the offending neighbor in a threatening manner.

“The last thing you want to do is bring the demon out of hell,” said Norman D. Flynn, a former president of the National Assn. of Realtors.

Psychologists know that a frontal attack on someone you want to change is almost always counterproductive. No one wants to hear that his behavior is out of bounds or that his home is dirty. The instinct of most humans who are attacked is to become defensive or attack back. Indeed, a neighbor whose pride is wounded may decide to actively sabotage the sale of your home rather than help.

In our lawsuit-happy society it can also be risky to launch a verbal attack on a neighbor from hell. Who knows? Unless the guy is doing something that’s overtly illegal, he might haul you into court for a civil suit, claiming you tarnished his reputation.

--Offer to help a problem neighbor improve his property.

Very few people want their property to decline, and obviously it’s against their long-term financial interest for the place to go down. There could well be a good explanation for a homeowner’s failings. The neighbor may be a recently separated mother who lacks a lawn mower or the means to pay for mowing. Maybe it’s an elderly man who is puzzled by how to rid himself of an unoperative car.

Approach the neighbor in a diplomatic manner, offering to assist, and you may gain the individual’s cooperation, suggested Miller, the real estate author. He recommends a line like this: “We noticed that your flower beds took a beating over the winter. We’re going to the gardening center on Saturday. Would you like us to get you some plants?”

Making a friendly gesture to buy your neighbor’s flowers, mow his lawn or take his junk car to the salvage yard could cost you a little time and money. But think about it. That’s a lot better than losing big on the sale of your home.

--Use the art of explanation with home buying prospects if a problem neighbor refuses to change.

“Some neighbors just cannot be talked into bending. You simply have to explain the problem away when the property is sold,” said Helme, the Century 21 executive.

Suppose you and your agent are conducting a tour of your condo apartment when the guy in the unit above, Joe, puts on a heavy-metal CD and turns the volume up to the top of the range. The buyer hates rock music and makes a tortured face to show his disdain. What to do?

If you know for certain that Joe doesn’t normally live upstairs but is merely visiting his uncle there for a couple of weeks, calm your prospect’s fears by saying so.

Even if Joe is a permanent resident upstairs, you may be able to salvage your buyer’s interest by explaining that the police have been alerted to the noise problem and that Joe has been warned that further offenses could get him into trouble with the authorities.

While it’s smart to explain that the problem with the neighbor is temporary or solvable, it’s stupid to lie about it, Helme said. If you claim that Joe doesn’t really live upstairs and he does, the buyer will become livid when he discovers your lie.

“You’ve just given him a reason to back out of the deal or take you to court if the deal is already done,” Helme said.