Back in 2004 we bought a HUD repo singlewide on an acre of land well & septic for 21k. It was a 2001 unit, so we got a good deal. Bad news it was family property & dear old Dad still lives next door. This property has a 20' right of way drive into it that has a few potholes in it, as it is a long drive off the highway. Over these years we've had three loads of gravel delivered & spread.

Today the neighbor calls in a threatening manner, insisting that we put gravel on the drive as "it is in the contract". Meaning deed. I asked him if he was using the road and he said "No, but it didn't matter, it was my responsibility!" I have read the agreement, it actually states that the cost is to be shared on a pro rata basis. He doesn't seem to understand it that way.

The family has a reputation for being in trouble a lot and I thought about getting an attorney to explain it to him in a letter (we also have a drainfield easement onto his property if we ever need it, Heaven forbid.) I thought they were over losing it 16 years ago, I guess not.

In their mind, you stole their property. Though they let it go to foreclosure, obviously, to them, the bank deliberately did not listen to their excuse. You, by buying it, are in cahoots with the bank to steal their land as far as they are concerned. They will not listen to any lawyer or to reason.

They will NEVER forgive you or be reasonable. They will do everything to make you miserable as long as they live. There is no reasoning with people like this.They are filled with hate and you and the bank are the targets. It would not surprise me if you experienced vandalism, thefts and destruction on the property over the years. I'd likely take the opportunity to sell it now as the market is up.

+100 points to Richard's answer. Cash out and let someone else deal with the crazies. You can argue with them until Doomsday and you will be the evil thief who done did them wrong.

It's my pride, I confess. I want to one up him & prove to him he is supposed to pay equally, since he wants to be a butt about it. It was the tone & the "instruction" that he felt he had to enlighten me. That would be fine if he was right, but I know the graveyards are full of people that wanted to be right! LOL

Dealing with HUD was so much easier back then Pat. Around here Golden Feather had the contract. They would even reply back to you and answer real estate questions.

I like that Ken, makes so much sense except I don't think he has any idea what "pro rata" means, and I'm pretty sure he isn't going to take my word for it.

Put LOTS of gravel on there so there's a 1 ft rise in the road at the property line.

Seriously, sell

I think RICHARD is correct.

Gravel the road and then sell.

Hopefully the sale may be to some one that is just as big a but hole as the neighbor.

What happens if you ignore the s o b?

Pat,

How about grading it to even out the potholes?

I know a guy with a quarter mile long driveway, shared by four houses. He just drags a blade behind his tractor every so often to dress it.

Wanna be right or rich? I would not waste one ounce of my energy arguing with this guy. Richard is right you will always be the person who stole their property. Repair of the driveway on your schedule to your satisfaction.

Also clarify Right of Way or Easement.

It is a 20" wide deeded ingress/egress, signed by his daughter (that lost the property), he, and his wife. We have filled in the potholes with quickcrete at times to help and it did. We just ran out before we got all the way out to the highway. So we can do that. This rental is 20+ miles from us so we can't do it with our tractor. We have mostly ignored him when he has brought it up in years past. Partly because I didn't want to fight with him & partly forgiving his ignorance. But it totally hit me wrong yesterday so I told him what I thought. He owns the land beside the driveway, it was wooded and he cut & sold the wood a few years ago, so they did use the driveway to do that. But his home is way back behind our property, accessed by a different state highway! He doesn't even have to see our drive unless he drives down a different way. We are getting 550.00 for our trailer which may be a little under market, this would be a good time to think about selling and be done with him.

Who drives on the driveway? Only your tenant? If so, I wouldn't consider selling if this is the only "issue" with the property. Call him up and ask if you can stop by to talk to him. Calmly explain how you understand the agreement to be. Calmly explain that since your tenant is the only using the driveway you'll maintain it as you have been without asking for funds from him. Send him a nice letter confirming the conversation. Ignore him going forward.

I would never go in person, the family has a lot of court cases, some involving drugs. This guy is older, like us, but obviously it is still a thorn in his side and always will be until we sell. He has no reason to use the drive whatsoever, unless he wants to access his cutover wooded land to hunt and he'd be blocking the drive for our tenant. He can walk straight back behind his house to access the same land, or drive across his backyard/garden area. We just own a one acre parcel in the middle of his property. Two different state paved highways run perpendicular to the properties. His house goes out to one side and ours to the other.

Pat,

Pay a neighbor $100 to grade it.

I sense you are emotionally involved - which can lead to trouble.

We can change the house but cannot change the neighborhood.

I predict this will never end and might get worse.

BRAD