It’s Going To Be A Record Breaking Year

For WEEDS, that is. It’s starting a few weeks early because of all the rain we’ve had. I’m seeing the first of their cute little heads popping up. They’re cute now! But just wait another week or so.

NOTHING will make a street or a block or a whole neighborhood look worse than one or a dozen dirt yards with foot high ragweed. It’s not my idea of ground cover.

Below is the post for March 12, 2008. The weeds have a month long head start this year.

Last year I was concerned for PRESERVING home values. That didn’t work out so well, as the market forces did us in. Now that buyers are snapping up ridiculously low, rock bottom, 1995 prices, it’s even more important to make the neighborhoods look as good as they can.

LETS GET PROACTIVE.

Weeds Are Popping Up Like Foreclosures – And Both Can Hurt The Value Of Your Home 

So the doctor says ragweed is the culprit! It’s evil in several different ways, and can have a huge effect on the health of people and the health of neighborhoods. I guess I’ve developed a new allergy. He says next year probably won’t be as bad. You can help me, and thousands like me who suffer every spring. GO PULL SOME WEEDS! Actually, it’s an annual battle to get rid of the sea of yellow flowered weeds that pop up anywhere there’s dirt and water and sunlight. I’m seeing some really big ones already, and millions of them all around Vintage Vegas that are just getting started.

Vacant Bank Owned Property Is Especially Vulnerable

With the new crop of foreclosures and vacant homes that dot our neighborhoods, there’s an especially good chance that no one is going to be taking care of the yards. Since the MARKET HAS SHIFTED DRAMATICALLY in the last few weeks, there are buyers out looking at the properties that are for sale. The better the properties look the more they are likely to be willing to pay. If there’s a vacant home for sale near you, spend a few extra minutes, and mow down the weeds, or pull them out by hand. It’s actually a fun, meditative, no-brain-power exercise that will improve the value of your home. Of course, do your own first! Last spring, in the first days of blogging I wrote that helping your neighbors helps to create equity in your own home. Now it’s more important than ever.

From April 1, 2007 on the old blog: AND THE VACANT HOME FORECLOSURE PROBLEM HADN”T EVEN POPPED UP YET!

All I started out to do was pull a weed from the side of my yard. I noticed a 3 foot tumbleweed (russian thistle) in my elderly neighbors yard. Once it was gone, I started pulling some of their bigger weeds. When those were gone, the medium sized weeds seemed really big so they got pulled out, and then I started on the littlest ones, and then I ended up raking and trimming the tree, and before I knew it…..One of the really great mid-century modern homes started to look pretty good again. The POINT??? Instead of moaning and complaining about something… let’s just lend a hand and offer some support. We have lots of neighbors who just can’t get to their yards, or have health or age issues and need some help. We also have a lot of rentals in the area, and by nature the landlords and the tenants don’t care. I’d bet if you offered to help, their yards might get cleaned up too. (or you can always call the city code enforcement and complain anonymously. They’ll get on the case ASAP. AND IT”S THE SAME NUMBER TO CALL FOR GRAFFITI REPORTING 229-6615. If you live in the COUNTY the number is 455–4191