Cheddarblog

The Swiss_Mouse has lived in his hood for about 7 years.

He moved from a nice hood, but one that had started to decline a bit during the housing upswing.  The homes in his old neighborhood started to become more and more like “starter” homes.  But “starter” homes for people at a slightly lower income bracket (NOT THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT).

Mrs. Swiss_Mouse was thrilled with the move.  Bigger house.  Wooded lot.  The neighborhood was secluded.  Rural, yet only 10 minutes from the city.  But even here things started to change.  First, the housing boom was in full swing.  In this area, people were not buying existing houses.  They were ONLY buying and building new houses.  And homes were VERY expensive.  (Please note: The Swiss_Mouse being a “wise” mouse did buy and existing house.  Saving probably 1/2 the cost of what a new version of his house would have gone for).  There were at any one time 3 to 4 homes for sale in his hood of just  13 or so houses.  One by one the homes were bought.

First some neighbors moved in who seemed nice enough, but,  the wife…would take her son on bike rides in the area.  He would ride a bike, she would ride around the neighborhood on a riding mower!!!  Okay…..

Strange yes, but they keep their house nice, yard nice.

As time progressed, several vacant lots in the neighborhood were sold and houses went up.  Small but tasteful.  THEN the trouble came……

One family bought a wooded lot.  But rather than build a home that faced the road, the built the house so that it was SIDEWAYS on their lot.  Sideways?!?!  The most likely reason is that the lot was actually too narrow in width.  And the house faces the BACK of their neighbors.  Something the Swiss_Mouse would never have done.

The situation cranked up a bit when the family literally picked fights with their neighbors on both sides!!!!  At first, the Swiss_Mouse thought it was the neighbors being petty.  But now…

So it’s now something like 2 years later.  The house was built, but not finished all the way.  The owner will “finish” it himself.  Right.  2 years later his driveway is still gravel and the gravel runs down the hill in the rain!  Junk is strewn over the yard and driveway.  Cars are always parked in the driveway or on the street, never in the garage.  The deck, has no steps.  Not a good sign.  Mrs. Swiss_Mouse says “I think they’re done.”  Swiss_Mouse agrees.

This does not bode well.  The Swiss_Mouses own direct neighbors are either aging or about to be empty nesters.  He hopes that if and when they sell, that the buyers are not another set of Beverly Hillbillies.