Well, you can't do anything about it unless you ask him.
Is there a history of bad blood between the two of you? Why do you think he's doing this intentionally? What does it matter if his car is on his lawn especially since you state it is far away freom the street?

My neighbour across the street tinkers with cars and putzes around his garage. Sometimes he has music on, which I don't mind since it's not often. It's one of those things that is not worth complaining about.

However, I have no qualms about politely asking him to tone it down while our house is for sale or if there is an open house.

If you have to ASK him, he won't "get it" so why bother? He probably doesn't see anything wrong with it. That is reason enough to want to move away, in my opinion.

YOu have my sympathy! Good luck to you.

Guess what? I took the OPEN SUNDAY sign down mid-day on Saturday just to manipulate this guy. The car was then moved to the street by Sunday morning. My other neighbor who I am friends with asked me what was going on. I told him about the car next to the house situation, and he said he and his wife noticed it too.

Anyway, two people came to the open house. My REA still thinks other agents and the MLS is the most likely source of a buyer. We shall see....

Do you think that he might have moved the car off the street to allow you to have more on street parking for the open house?

Is there a history of bad blood between the two of you? Why do you think he's doing this intentionally?

That's my question too.

Do you think that he might have moved the car off the street to allow you to have more on street parking for the open house?

Another good thought, but the music would make me lean more towards him doing it for spite. Having his car there sounds like a good place for him to be during the open house to be nosy; maybe he doesn't want the seller to be able to sell the house. Could also be he's thinking of selling and watching how much traffic the OH brings. He may not be aware of how loud the music is

Maybe he's touchy about his car, and moved it off the street to protect it from the open house traffic. While the car is near his house, might as well tinker with it. IMO this explanation, or lucky 181's version, is more likely than he's-out-to-get-you, in the absence of a history with the neighbor.

How old are you?! 12? Why not just ask the guy what's going on? Maybe you can work out a deal so he and his car aren't disturbed during your open houses and vice versa.

"the music would make me lean more towards him doing it for spite. "

If he has issues with you, wouldn't he want you out of there? Wouldn't he want the house sold?
Spite doesn't seem right.....

I don't see why you are afraid to talk to him either... you've been neighbors for 5 years; you should just ask!

I would not have any more open houses. He could ruin a possible sale.

Or if you must have an open house, have the agent advertise for it without the using the sign. Then on Open House day, just put balloons on the For Sale sign and something like "Welcome" and just leave a small Open House note on the front door (so he can't see it.). This way anyone that the agent sent your way can come to the Open House, but the neighbor won't know it is an Open House.

Sounds like he is doing this on purpose. I would not talk to him about it. It is a turf thing(he can do what he wants on his property, how DARE you try to control him). You could cause more problems and he might just put the car on blocks going forward.

I vote just don't have any more open houses. Normally here, they only have one when they first list anyway.

Thanks for your feedback.

I think he is doing it on purpose....my neighbors don't want me to move. And have all expressed their opinion about this. There is a "pod" of 4 houses here and we are stable neighbors. It's been 6 years of nice neighbors getting along. I think the others don't want me to rock the boat as you never know who's going to move in.

terrig - ahem! I'm not 12 years old. I'm quite verbal and had run-ins with a few of my neighbors early on - a couple with this neighbor until we became friendly. I just don't care to fight with anyone and tell them what to do in their own yard.

time2sell, I had a situation like that with my last investment property that I sold. The guy however, was doing it it kill my sale. He didn't like my buyers ethnicity and his wife even made sure I knew. He started parking all his cars in his front lawn, playing his country music very loud and doing little things just to try to scare my buyers off. There was no HOA so there was not much I could do. Luckily my buyer never said anything and the deal closed quickly.

There is some sweet irony to this story though, my buyer apparently did notice the cars on the lawn, but interpreted it that it was ok to park on the lawn in his new neighborhood and started parking one of his cars on the lawn. Last time I drove by the house, he is still parking his car on the lawn. I guess the neighbor that thought he was spoiling my sale, actually started a new trend for the neighborhood. Serves him and his wife right.

Time2sell hang in there. Focus on selling the house and not the jerk neighbor. Its juvenile and probably will have little impact on your sale. I also understand your not wanting to say anything to your neighbor. If the guy is this much of a jerk, he'll just be thrilled to know it bothers you.

"terrig - ahem! I'm not 12 years old. I'm quite verbal and had run-ins with a few of my neighbors early on - a couple with this neighbor until we became friendly. I just don't care to fight with anyone and tell them what to do in their own yard. "

You don't have to "fight and tell them what to do".
Just walk over with a bag of muffins and talk to him. The whole sign up/sign down game takes much more time than a brief talk would.

If all of your neighbors have expressed the opinion that they don't want you to move, that means this guy doesn't want you to move -- which must mean that he likes you. Why would anyone sabotage someone that they like? That doesn't make any sense. Just talk to him, for goodness sake! Sounds like there's way too much paranoia and not nearly enough communication going on here!

No way would I talk to him.

People can be very defensive when someone attempts to control what they do in their own home/on their own property. It really is a boundary that I don't like to cross under any circumstance, even when on great terms with a neighbor.

time2sell wrote: "I'm quite verbal and had run-ins with a few of my neighbors early on - a couple with this neighbor until we became friendly."

I agree with what redcurls wrote: "If you have to ASK him, he won't "get it" so why bother?"

Your neighbor never parked his car here until you put your house on the market? If he's NOT doing this on purpose, then his timing about when he parks his car on the lawn is uncanny. I also doubt that it is an "accident".
Why set yourself up to be harassed until you sell the house? You said your other neighbors noticed. Even a 12 yr old could figure out that doing this would create an eyesore that will turn away buyers.

I'd would try to sell the house without talking to ANYONE but your realtor.

Good luck.

With all due respect ... does anyone ever stop to think that this is largely what's wrong with our world? Misunderstanding, miscommunication, making presumptions without truly knowing the mind, motivation, and/or agenda of another.

I just don't understand what harm there is in trying to communicate and negotiate. You never truly know unless you at least make an attempt.

/rant

With all due respect, technicolor, one of the things that is wrong with our world is that people tend to stick their nose in other people's business.

There can be major issue if she just talks to that neighbor about his car fixing episodes.. He might smile and say ok but then get a chip on his shoulder for "being talked to" and he might just "show her" and park his car on the grass for the next few months. or he might "show her" and stop cutting his grass. Or he might start talking to buyers tellling them negatives about the area. You just never know.

"With all due respect, technicolor, one of the things that is wrong with our world is that people tend to stick their nose in other people's business."

Then this post should not even be here, as now others are sticking THEIR noses in this business....

It really is all in the approach. I think the OP should go to her neighbor and thank him for parking his car on his lawn to make more room for the attendees of the open house but tell him it is really unnecessary for him to ruin his lawn for her benefit. Either way the OP wins by being gracious.

Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it because it is a forum where I asked for help.

I appreciate all who affirmed what I am saying. I think you get where I'm at which definitely helps during a frustrating vent. Not that I don't appreciate differing suggestions and advice from everyone.

2 people said to talk nicely to him and work it out. HaHa. I am not a talk graciously type of person and would just make it worse. My approach would be more like saying something like "H- what's going on!? No you tell ME what's going on!" believe me not pretty. Better to continue as I am, not be stopped by my neighbor who is basically a good guy who may have a bit of a crush on me....or may be trying to control the ethnicity of the buyers toward his own, I don't know. It's a bit of sabotage but not selling is basically the market.