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Hoarding and Its Impact on Neighbors: How It Affects Your Community

Hoarding is a widespread issue that doesn't just affect the person dealing with it but also has significant consequences for their neighbors and community. In this article, we will examine the various ways in which hoarding can impact the surrounding neighborhood, from property values to safety concerns.

Table of Contents

What is Hoarding?

The Effects of Hoarding on Neighbors

How Hoarding Impacts Property Values in the Neighborhood

Health and Safety Risks for Neighbors

How to Address Hoarding in Your Neighborhood

Conclusion

What is Hoarding?

Hoarding is a psychological disorder where individuals have extreme difficulty in discarding possessions, leading to a buildup of clutter that often overflows into living spaces. This condition can result in homes being filled with an excessive number of items, leading to hazardous living conditions for the hoarder and potential problems for neighbors.

The Effects of Hoarding on Neighbors

Living near a hoarder can present many challenges for neighbors. Hoarding behaviors often lead to unsightly surroundings, strange smells, and sometimes pests, all of which can disrupt the neighborhood’s atmosphere.

Visual Pollution: Hoarded items can spill outside the home, leading to cluttered yards or blocked pathways, which can ruin the appearance of a neighborhood. A poorly maintained property sticks out like a sore thumb, lowering the overall aesthetic appeal of the area.

Odor Issues: Rotting food, mildew, or mold can produce foul smells that drift into neighboring homes, making it unpleasant for people to spend time outdoors or keep their windows open.

Noise Complaints: Hoarding can sometimes involve collecting animals or running equipment in the home, creating noise that can disturb the peace of a normally quiet residential area.

How Hoarding Impacts Property Values in the Neighborhood

Hoarding doesn't just affect the appearance of a single property—it can negatively impact the entire neighborhood’s real estate value. Here are some of the ways hoarding affects local property values:

Decreased Buyer Interest: Potential buyers may be hesitant to invest in a neighborhood where one or more properties are visibly cluttered or neglected due to hoarding. This reluctance to buy can reduce demand and drive property prices down.

Appraisal Issues: The presence of a hoarded home in a neighborhood can lead to lower property appraisals for surrounding homes, as the clutter and damage may suggest a less desirable area.

Lowered Curb Appeal: Neighbors who take pride in maintaining their homes may find it frustrating to see their efforts diminished by a neighboring hoarder’s disorganized property. This can reduce the appeal of the area for prospective buyers.

Health and Safety Risks for Neighbors

Hoarding is not just an eyesore; it can also pose health and safety risks to neighbors. These risks include:

Fire Hazards: The accumulation of items in a hoarder’s home can create significant fire hazards. Stacks of paper, furniture, or debris can fuel fires, which can easily spread to neighboring homes, putting other properties at risk.

Pest Infestations: Hoarding conditions often attract pests like rats, cockroaches, or other vermin, which can spread into nearby properties. Once pests establish themselves in one home, they can quickly move to neighboring residences.

Structural Damage: Overloading a home with items can cause structural issues like sagging floors, collapsing walls, or broken pipes. If a hoarder’s home suffers significant damage, it could impact neighboring properties as well.

How to Address Hoarding in Your Neighborhood

If you’re living next to a hoarder, addressing the situation can be difficult, but there are steps you can take:

Communicate Compassionately: Approach your neighbor in a non-judgmental way. Hoarding is often rooted in mental health issues, and showing empathy can help foster a more constructive conversation.

Contact Authorities: In extreme cases, where hoarding presents an immediate safety risk, it may be necessary to contact local authorities, such as public health departments or fire safety inspectors. They can evaluate the situation and take appropriate action.

Seek Mediation Services: Some communities offer mediation services to help resolve disputes between neighbors. A third-party mediator can help facilitate a constructive conversation about the impact of hoarding.

Organize a Community Clean-Up: Some neighborhoods organize clean-up efforts to help maintain communal spaces. While this doesn’t directly address the inside of a hoarder’s home, it can reduce clutter in public areas.

Support Professional Help: Encourage your neighbor to seek professional help, whether through therapy or professional cleaning services. Addressing the root cause of hoarding requires mental health intervention, and they may not be able to resolve the problem on their own.

Conclusion

Hoarding can have a profound impact on the surrounding neighborhood, affecting property values, creating health and safety risks, and altering the community's atmosphere. However, by addressing the issue with compassion and taking practical steps, neighbors and local authorities can work together to mitigate the negative effects of hoarding.

What To Know About Closing Costs

Now that you’ve decided to buy a home and are ready to make it happen, it’s a good idea to plan for the costs that are a typical part of the home-buying process. And while your down payment is probably the number one expense on your mind, don't forget about closing costs. Here’s what you need to know.

What Are Closing Costs?

Put, your closing costs are the additional fees and payments you have to make at closing. And while they’ll vary based on the price of the home and how it’s being financed, every buyer has these, so they shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s just that some people forget to budget for them. According to Freddie Mac, this part of the home-buying process typically includes: 

Application fees

Credit report fees

Loan origination fees

Appraisal fees

Home inspection fees

Title insurance

Homeowners Insurance

Survey fees

Attorney fees

 Some of these are one-time expenses that are baked into your closing costs. Others, like homeowners’ insurance, are initial installments for ongoing responsibilities once you take possession of the home.

How Much Are Closing Costs? 

The same Freddie Mac article goes on to say: 

“Closing costs vary greatly depending on your location and the price of your home. Typically, you should be prepared to pay between 2% and 5% of the home purchase price in closing fees.”

With that in mind, here’s how you can get an idea of what you’ll need to budget. Let’s say you find a home you want to purchase at today’s median price of $422,600. Based on the 2-5% Freddie Mac estimate, your closing fees could be between roughly $8,452 and $21,130.

 But keep in mind, if you’re in the market for a home above or below this price range, your numbers will be higher or lower.

Tips To Reduce Your Closing Costs

If you’re wondering if there’s any way to inch that down a little bit, NerdWallet lists a few things that could help: 

Negotiate with the Seller: Some sellers are willing to cover part or all of these expenses — especially since homes are staying on the market a bit longer now. Sellers may be more motivated to compromise, and you’ll find you have a bit more negotiation power. So don’t hesitate to ask them for concessions like paying for the home inspection or giving you a credit toward closing costs.

Shop Around for Home Insurance: Since rising home insurance is a challenge in many areas of the country right now, take the time to get a clear picture of all your options. Each insurance company offers its own policies and coverage, so get multiple quotes and see how they compare. Choosing a policy that provides reliable coverage at a competitive rate can make a difference.

Look into Closing Cost Assistance: Just like there are programs out there to help with your down payment, options exist to get support with closing costs too. While they’ll vary by area, there are programs for various income levels, certain professions, and specific towns or neighborhoods too. If you want to learn more, Experian says:

“Your real estate professional should be able to steer you toward applicable programs, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) maintains a helpful resource for finding homebuying assistance programs in every state.”

Bottom Line

Planning for the fees and payments you'll need to cover when you're closing on your home is important – and it doesn’t have to be a big surprise. With the right experts on your side, you can make sure you’re prepared. Let’s connect so you have someone you can go to for more tips and advice.

Summer is almost over in most parts of the country. Soon, the leaves will turn all sorts of lovely colors and a cool breeze will fill the air. For homeowners, fall is also the time to do some crucial lawn and yard maintenance. 

Cleaning up your yard in the fall can provide a plethora of benefits—from keeping unwanted pests away to giving your lawn and landscaping a lush head start come spring. Use this checklist as your guide to help you tackle a couple of tasks a day. And if you can get started early and do them regularly, it'll be for the better to avoid getting overwhelmed when the busy holiday season draws neare

  Rake fallen leaves regularly.

Raking leaves may seem endless, especially with fresh layers piling up on the ground every minute. But it's probably the only crucial task to do even just a little bit every day before winter. Dead leaves, acorns, and other debris that sit on your lawn for too long can smother the grass, prevent growth, or cause a build-up of mold or bacteria that can cause damage. If left over the winter, they can become a heavy, wet barrier that promotes rot and prevents your grass from breathing properly. Also, mice and other pests can find a safe haven under those leaves and weeds. Staying on top of raking will not only make the job much less stressful but will also prevent problems with your yard’s drainage.

  Clear out garden beds and put away plant accessories.

Fall cleanup is a great way to get your garden ready for winter, so don't forget to clean out your garden and flower beds. Remove all plant debris before the ground freezes or after the final harvest of the year to help prevent insects and diseases from returning even stronger the following spring. As you clear out all leaves and weeds, put away garden items such as labels, stakes, cages, and trellises, as well. Clean them to kill any infections and store them so they’ll be ready to reuse next year. 

  Remove weeds thoroughly.

Common lawn weeds are tough and will start proliferating as the temperatures cool off in the fall. And any that didn't die during the winter months will just come back stronger and more stubborn next spring. Make sure you thoroughly and regularly weed your garden and other landscaped areas so you will have fewer to deal with next spring.

  Add a fresh layer of mulch.

Once you're done cleaning your garden beds, applying a healthy layer of mulch on your plant beds and around trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals will help keep them healthy through the winter. It helps the plants stay warmer and give their root systems extra protection against the cold elements. Adding mulch to your plants also helps prevent soil erosion and suppress weeds. You can opt for organic mulch such as straw, grass clippings, mulched leaves, and even pine needles to save money and add essential nutrients back into the soil.

  Keep your trees and shrubs hydrated.

Winter conditions can be harsh and dry. Providing plenty of water for your trees and shrubs, whether newly planted or already established, will help them better withstand the harsh winter and avoid sustaining serious damage to their roots. If there is no snow on the ground or there hasn't been any decent rain, keep them well-hydrated so they can come back faster and stronger in the spring.

  Prune dead branches and limbs.

Another important aspect of fall yard cleanup is removing dead or damaged branches from plants and trees. Dead branches can be a liability in the winter as heavy snow can cause them to break and cause more damage than if the limb had been pruned. They can even fall on your property in the event of extreme weather or wind. While you don't want to remove the branches too late in the season, it’s recommended to wait until after the leaves have fallen off your trees completely. Inspect your trees for any damaged or compromised branches, trim any overgrowth, and cut cracked, loose, or diseased limbs close to the trunk. Fall is also the time to prune spring-blooming perennials like lilacs, as well as shrubs that are prone to ice damage. Just take care not to prune any live or healthy branches so as not to damage your plants.

  Continue mowing your lawn.

Summer might be ending, but it doesn't mean the same when it comes to mowing your lawn. Fall is the best time to mow your lawn to help it finish strong for the year and grow lush in the spring. Frequent mowing helps to thicken up the lawn, control weeds, and prevent it from matting, which makes it prone to fungus, such as snow mold.

  Empty porch pots and containers.

The winter months can cause certain containers to chip and crack. Terra cotta pots, in particular, are easily susceptible to the freeze and thaw cycle. After cleaning your pots, store them in a dry, protected area, such as a shed or garage. If you do not have the extra space indoors, empty the pots, store them upside-down against the side of your house, and cover them with a tarp to keep the moisture out.

  Clean and organize your gardening tools and gear.

Gardening season is almost over and you're preparing for a well-deserved break. But before cozying up indoors to enjoy a cup of your homemade pumpkin spice latte or warm hot chocolate, don’t forget to give your tools and equipment some TLC before you stow them away. Remove dirt from hand tools such as garden trowels, weeders, as well as shovels and spades. Empty and wash out spraying equipment. Sharpen the blades of pruners and mower blades, then coat them with a bit of vegetable oil to prevent rust. Making sure that all of your gardening tools are properly cleaned and stowed for the winter will prevent them from becoming dull, worn, or defective when you’re itching to get back to gardening in the spring.

  Drain hoses and irrigation systems.

Lastly, before the freezing weather sets in, drain water from hoses, sprinklers, and drip irrigation systems. Standing water inside hoses and pipes can freeze, causing them to split or crack as they are incapable of handling the pressure of water freezing and expanding. This can cause water to seep down near your home's foundation or cause other structural problems that are challenging and costly to fix.