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I have tried for the last 6 years to get my lawn looking as good as it can and it seems I am fighting a losing battle. I have a serious weed issue and even after pulling and applying weed treatments I still have them. I look at my neighbors yard and they just don't care. Right now they have weeds over 2 feet tall and I can pretty much watch the little dandelions flying over into my yard. I have called the county (as has just about every other neighbor) and they come out, the grass will get cut once, the yard half way picked up, and then it is back to laying on their @ss all day. The owner even told me she was doing it on purpose b/c the neighbor on the other side is trying to sell and she doesn't like them so she was going to do all she could to make sure noone bought the house - these are the type of creatures I am dealing with. It's frustrating when you put your hard earned money and time to make your house look nice and you have to see this everyday. We live in a very nice neighborhood but I, unfortunately, live next to the beverly hillbillies!!!!!! What can be done besides moving?????

You can hope they move. Unfortunately this is the way it is. You coulde move but there are no guarantees that the next place will not be the same. I had a similar problem. I could not stand the way the property was cared for so I installed a 6 ft privacy fence.

I'll tell you how bad it was, the owner would have his son (mid twenty's) climb a tree and jump on the branches to trim the tree. I'm not kidding. They we a bunch of drunks and finally lost the house. The new owners are 1,000 times better.

I guess what I'm saying is change can happen.

Hey, maybe my old neighbors move next to you.

This makes me really appreciate the elderly widows that make up 85% of my street.

Mr. Shamrock said:

What can be done besides moving?????

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I am not crazy about homeowners associations but this is an instance where they could be of good use. They could have the place made to look respectable and charge the homeowner for the services to go as far as putting a lien on the property.
As the saying goes if you have lemons make lemonade. Maybe going as far as offering to help out with some of the chores needed to be done like spraying their yard or mowing their grass yourself when you do yours. Life is not fair and sometimes it is how much you are willing to do to make a change and hoping they will see the light and change their attitude. Good Luck.

Sounds like time for a midnight stroll with some round up on the neighbors yard. Lol

Hey are you my neighbor I have been trying to get grass going good for 5 years but we have really bad soil for grass and I can't afford to pay a pro or water twice a day everyday. So every year I put down more seed and fertilizer maybe it will fill in someday. The weeds grow way faster than the grass so the grass won't need to be cut and there will be tall weeds.

The guy next to me has the golf course like lawn because he is old and retired and I think he wants to stay away from his wife because he is out there dragging the hose around watering all the time so he's probably saying the same thing as you

What can be done besides moving?????

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Should you decide to move, you may have difficulty selling your house for it's fair market value. If this is the case, and you could prove your neighbors are the cause of this impropriety, you could file suit for the "damages", depending on the laws in your state.
Or you could look at the bright side and be thankful your neighbors haven't exhibited the following behaviors:
1. Turned thier property into a race track and parking lot.
2. Breaking into your house or garage and stealing your valuables.
3. Smoking dope, drinking and yelling obscenities 12-15 hours a day or more on the weekends.
4. Modified every engine driven device that they own to operate at absolute maximum decibels.
5. Throw 2-3 loud parties every month that go on until the sun comes up, excersising thier rights to free speech and freedom of expression.
6. Have an arrest record that includes child abuse and possession of a controlled substance.

Things could be worse, their property makes yours look better, although it has a distinct negative impact on the value.
You can also be thankful that you don't have a homeowners association sending you letter about your Easter decorations, American flag, the pickup truck, or the color of the shudders or fence.
Consider that a lot of time you are spending on your lawn at this point is wasted.
Should your neighbors move or otherwise go away you could re-sod after proper soil preparation. Sounds expensive but look at all your spending in time and materials to fight this loosing battle.
I guess my point is: try not to worry about hings that you can not control and make the best of it.
This is the USA and you have a lot to be thankful for as a homeowner.
sorry I don't have any great suggestions.....Good luck with that

Thanks for all the input. Obviously I was kidding about moving, but it is frustrating. Supposedly they are about 10 months past due on their mortgage so hopefully we will get some new neighbors soon. I hate to see people down on their luck but there is no excuse to be as careless as they are. I just don't know how some people can walk by garbage and debris in their yard everyday and not pick it up or have a lawn that is over 2 feet tall and not cut it. They have plenty of time since she doesn't work at all and he goes through jobs like underwear and has been home more in the last year than at work. The strange thing is they used to have a lawn service and kept their house very presentable. There are all kinds of rumors of drug abuse and mental illness, but who knows. I will just keep fighting the good fight and hopefully the budget for a privacy fence will come sooner than later!

Mr. Shamrock said:

There are all kinds of rumors of drug abuse and mental illness, but who knows. I will just keep fighting the good fight and hopefully the budget for a privacy fence will come sooner than later!

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OK now that's significant. if that's the case, expect the best but prepare for the worst. I suggest you keep a close eye on this guy and understand that when people get desperate they take desperate measures.
Mental Illness and drug abuse creates behaviors that CAN'T BE PREDICTED.
Situational awareness and keeping things locked (and loaded) is key.
by all means do not piss this guy off, he's probably at the end of his rope, so give him lots of slack and maybe, just maybe he will hang himself....(speaking figuratively.... of course).
What state do you live in?

RobertBrown said:

OK now that's significant. if that's the case, expect the best but prepare for the worst. I suggest you keep a close eye on this guy and understand that when people get desperate they take desperate measures.
Mental Illness and drug abuse creates behaviors that CAN'T BE PREDICTED.
Situational awareness and keeping things locked (and loaded) is key.
by all means do not piss this guy off, he's probably at the end of his rope, so give him lots of slack and maybe, just maybe he will hang himself....(speaking figuratively.... of course).
What state do you live in?

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Actually the wife is the one I think has the biggest issues. The husband has actually confided in me about her drug issues and some of the things she has done. Either way I always keep my head on a swivel and keep everything locked and plenty loaded. The house has an alarm and I try not to let my dogs get to used to any strangers so they will let me know when there is someone around who isn't supposed to be. They aren't mean, but are very good at letting me know what's going on = if they are barking somone is out there. They both are around 90 pounds so they are a little intimidating. Plus they know I'm a little crazy so I don't think the want to be on this side of the fence without an invitation, but I know what you mean about desperate people. I live in SC where we shoot now and ask questions later.

Mr. Shamrock said:

Thanks for all the input. Obviously I was kidding about moving, but it is frustrating. Supposedly they are about 10 months past due on their mortgage so hopefully we will get some new neighbors soon. I hate to see people down on their luck but there is no excuse to be as careless as they are. I just don't know how some people can walk by garbage and debris in their yard everyday and not pick it up or have a lawn that is over 2 feet tall and not cut it. They have plenty of time since she doesn't work at all and he goes through jobs like underwear and has been home more in the last year than at work. The strange thing is they used to have a lawn service and kept their house very presentable. There are all kinds of rumors of drug abuse and mental illness, but who knows. I will just keep fighting the good fight and hopefully the budget for a privacy fence will come sooner than later!

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You have a long time before you get new neighbors if they get foreclosed on. It will be a year with the house empty before it even goes for sale.

Mr. Shamrock said:

Actually the wife is the one I think has the biggest issues. The husband has actually confided in me about her drug issues and some of the things she has done. Either way I always keep my head on a swivel and keep everything locked and plenty loaded. The house has an alarm and I try not to let my dogs get to used to any strangers so they will let me know when there is someone around who isn't supposed to be. They aren't mean, but are very good at letting me know what's going on = if they are barking somone is out there. They both are around 90 pounds so they are a little intimidating. Plus they know I'm a little crazy so I don't think the want to be on this side of the fence without an invitation, but I know what you mean about desperate people. I live in SC where we shoot now and ask questions later.

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Sounds like that situation is going to change....so hopefully, it will be for the better.

If they do get foreclosed on, about two hundred bucks will help that house sell and keep yours looking good. On a weekend so the bank isn't around to stop you, round up the yard. Then roughly a week later, rent a walk behind sliver overseeder and seed theirs and yours. Then keep it watered. It will cost you in the beginning, but may help to get some better people in there also.

Holy crap it is as if they read this thread. They are out there as I type this cutting the lawn. If I knew they were members here I would have posted this a lot sooner LOL!!!! I guess their once a year lawn cutting was due again. I feel like they are doing me a favor by cutting their grass - should I take them out some cookies and sweet tea?

I only wish that was my neighbor problem. My neighbor has dogs and cats that use my lawn as there personal toilet. Then every Sunday night they they burn there weekly garbage which stinks up the whole neighbor hood. I went to the town, but nothing can be done so I just live with it.

Mr. Shamrock said:

I have tried for the last 6 years to get my lawn looking as good as it can and it seems I am fighting a losing battle. I have a serious weed issue and even after pulling and applying weed treatments I still have them. I look at my neighbors yard and they just don't care. Right now they have weeds over 2 feet tall and I can pretty much watch the little dandelions flying over into my yard. I have called the county (as has just about every other neighbor) and they come out, the grass will get cut once, the yard half way picked up, and then it is back to laying on their @ss all day. The owner even told me she was doing it on purpose b/c the neighbor on the other side is trying to sell and she doesn't like them so she was going to do all she could to make sure noone bought the house - these are the type of creatures I am dealing with. It's frustrating when you put your hard earned money and time to make your house look nice and you have to see this everyday. We live in a very nice neighborhood but I, unfortunately, live next to the beverly hillbillies!!!!!! What can be done besides moving?????

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There must be some sort of legal action you can take ?

The man next door to me USED to mow his yard at 5am we had a not so nice talk now he waits untill I leave for work

Sent from my iPhone using LMF

Almost everyone here that has a decent yard mows at five in the morning or late at night. During the day in summer it is very hot and very humid. Others do so as they cannot find any other time to do it or rains keep them from doing it on their days off. I have good neighbors for the most part, but if they give me anyy trouble for noise of lawnwork or generator noise at my father in laws house I just remind them of all their transgressions. In my neighborhood most folks start out with a bang on lawnwork in April and last into Memorial Day. From there they go downhill until about July first when the heatwave comes on, then all the way down into about Thanksgiving when they manage to mow the grown over lawns, weedeat the really grown over rough areas, and pile up a few leaves if the leafblower will start on Aprils gas. Come snow moving time there are always some bikes sticking out of the piles of snow and lots more smaller stuff after the first melt. Trash is my complaint. Those folks who drive around throwing out flyer newspapers on every lawn are the worst as no one picks them up, they just mow over them and it all blows. After a good wind like yesterday larger trash is in every yard. Yesterday I picked up about 60 gallons of paper stuff from the Dairy Queen in three yards, one item was a empty case box of Quaker State motor oil. At least the neighbor kids from beside my fatherinlaw have at last grown up to the point they no longer come home and camp in their folks back yard all summer. I got really tired of picking up used condoms they tossed into his yard.

The trash that drives me nuts are the shopper newspapers. They throw one one every door step even if there are old ones still there because the house is empty. I also see them soaked laying in the gutters.

I got really tired of picking up used condoms they tossed into his yard.

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Kansas huh?
Fascinating! How exactly do you pick up a used condom?

The same way you unwind them from a sewer roto rooter cable, toilet, tree limb, or anywhere else. With gloves on. Or at least a pair of pliars. Try cleaning up a parking lot after a large wedding dance. About 500 cars were parked there and one big party.

Go to Becker hardware on line in NJ .
Look at the lawn packages they sell .
All the lawns look like a golf course in a few months .
Maybe you can locate the same formula near you .

Mower manic said:

Kansas huh?
Fascinating! How exactly do you pick up a used condom?

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Um, carefully, and with latex or nitrile gloves and a set of pliers. I do have a story about returning a used condom back to its rightful owner under the windshield wiper of his car, but decorum forces me to delete the details...:wink: