As they build the million dollar homes around me....

[ibewgypsie]

I foresee in the future I won't be able to have a piece of rusty metal stock, a half assembled old car, a noisy bridgeport, a hydraulic unit, a worklight in the back yard, a metal casting outfit, a planishing hammer, a welder to use in the door of my shop, (might blind a kid) and my dog. Plus taxes will go up to the point where I can't afford them. They started building two houses at the end of the street, sold before they got up the windows and siding. Minorities who work the mills. (Mexicans)

the property across the street is for sale and "investors" are looking at it.

I'm not feeling too well this morning about this. No ideal where to go to next.

[jfsmith]

Ask your city council or your county commissioners to grand father your tax rate until you sell your house. We had the same thing happen in New Albany. The people who had been there for many years couldn't afford the taxes, because the taxes were higher than thier mortgage payments.

If you want to make a real impact, look at the zoning rules about what you can have on your property, then put 20 old cars in the front yard near the street and if any one asks, tell them that these cars appeared over night, but you decided to keep them as valuable antiques.

Jerry

[ibewgypsie]

Anything not tagged, not running even is against county law. I have made it this far because of my privacy fence and bulldog.

Anything out in the yard "not normally" found in a subdivision is illegal. This is the way it is worded. Blacksmith and machine shops are out.

She made me sell a 39 ford truck for .05 cents on the dollar while I was working in Atlanta. I ran her off with a double barrel the last time she was here. She told me I didn't have a permit to have my house here. (I have bought all the permits, all the ecology studies, all the water permits)

I think I'll move as property values max out. They'll probably tear down this house and build a proper one. But hopefully the land will be worth enough to purchase a place in the country (side of a mountain?)

[Norman Atkinson]

David,
Commiserations and congratulations!

You may be sitting on a fortune- as the gardiner said to the art mistress!

I am presently watching those in London with average houses- a million or so Sterling selling them. They are moving to Spain where houses are perhaps a quarter of that. Buying at a quarter with a pool, a 4X4 and beer at 2/3rds of a dollar a litre!!!!

Remember my prediction.

Norman

[SGW]

It's all over the place. A developer with delusions of grandeur built some houses in back of me a few years ago. As part of "covenants and restrictions" in the deeds, you couldn't have an outside clothesline, couldn't park a boat outdoors, had to maintain your property "to the satisfaction of the homeowner's association," and on and on. Happily, we still have at least one pig farm in town.

[Bob-O]

Dave,
I share your pain. It's the taxes that are pricing me right out of my home of 18 years. Thanks to cheap money, investors are buying up nice, but small houses for close to 1/2 million, only to knock down and build McMansions on speculation. The town loves it because it raises the tax base. Through carefull planning, we're almost done with our mortgage. However, by the time I "own" the place, I still won't be able to afford the taxes. I would love to sell out before the bubble pops, but SWMBO won't hear of it.

As for the shop, I keep the doors closed, noise down, and take care of the neighbors, especially the retired ones. After all, they keep an eye on things while I'm at work.

[jkilroy]

Make sure you keep your place looking decent enough that they cannot deem it "Blighted". At that time they can immeninent domain your ass for "fair value". It would be way better for you to sell out to the highest bidder than go through all that ****. Take the money and run good buddy.

[snowman]

the cops used to visit my parents house weekly.

i had the MG in the backyard, no fenders, no windshield, no doors or seats.

I had read the county and city code. Had to be running, not driveable. If it wasn't, you would have two weeks to get it that way.

So, any engine work had two weeks to be completed...then pull the engine and start over.

They also had a "garage" clause. I bought some blue tarps and made a garage. Again, I read the codes, I was within. Pissed them off to no end. They kept coming by, threatening, I kept readin the same lines out of the code books. Nothin they could do.

Get yourself a copy of those books!

-Jacob

[J Tiers]

The city can, and has, declared attractive, neat, clean, areas, with profitable businesses and fully occupied malls, "blighted". It has NOTHING TO DO WITH APPEARANCE.

It is a legal term, that preserves the right to eminent domain (E-D). The cases where E-D lost were cases where "blight" was not declared first.

I think there almost has to be a crash coming in real estate. There probably aren't enough folks left able to buy the high dollar "woodwasters" that they put up.

And, those folks who do buy them are typically way over-extended, barely paying the minimum on the credit cards. They are paying for a house, two SUVs and a bimmer, private school and various activities for little Brandon and little Muffie.

With ARMs, and interest rates going nowhere but up, I see some fallout a-coming.

[Your Old Dog]

I moved all the way out to a one horse town. My house is completely surrounded by cornfields and that's not an exagerattion. The field across the street was recently bought by a guy whos going to build a store that sells hockey pucks! No kidding, going to cater to hockey! I can't imagine where he plans on getting his customers from. My fear is what will it become when he goes belly up?;

I told my wife if there is much more selling off in the area I will do exactly as my Dad did. I will have a backyard full of old lawnmowers, boats and a few cars spotted around. The next person to buy land around me will do so because he likes looking at scrap cars and old lawnmowers. I'm tired of running. And David, that fence of yours, have you painted nice artwork decorations on the outside of it yet? In this neighborhood the "Chosen Few" is more popular than "Hells Angels". Would make a great political statement !!