Well Paul. I guess I'd ask them to keep that spot open but you are really
asking them and no law or ordinance to reserve that spot because like you
say it is a public street. Hopefully they are nice folks and will honor
your request, even if just on your garbage pick up day. As far as houses
for sale, we are experiencing the same in our town, where we normally have
a great deal of buying and selling in real estate here because of our
proximity to the Twin Citites, but there are far more homes sitting with
signs than ever before. It oculd be the time of year as well, as it is the
worst for selling houses. If it doesn't clear up by summer, I'll be
concerned. Here I think it it is due to layoffs at Northwest Airlines, 3M,
Anderson Windows, Ford Motor plants and etc., but likely a comination of
things.

Brad

At 01/04/2004 on Sunday, you wrote:
>Hey, Family
>
>Two questions about being a homeowner.  I know we're to love our neighbors,
>but...smile...I've only been a homeowner about two years and don't know much
>about the etiquette of it.  For some reason even though my neighbors have
>garages they park in the street.  I don't know how they can afford the
>insurance on two or three or four cars anyway, but that's the way it is.  It
>never bothered me much (other than having to drive around them coming down
>the road) until yesterday.  One of my neighbors has parked a car directly in
>front of my house, next to my driveway.  The curb bends in there so I guess
>it's designed for someone's car to be parked there, but I'd assume that to
>be my guest, not my neighbor's from around the corner.  This is also
>directly in front of the spot where I am supposed to leave my trash and if
>it's blocked the trash guys won't pick it up.  Do I have a right to ask my
>neighbors to move the car or is it a public street (I live on a cul de sac)
>so I can't say anything?
>
>Also, as I walked the neighborhood today I noticed that a good 10 percent of
>the houses are for sale.  Is this something that should concern me?  I know
>there has been a lot of advertising lately to sell to lower income folks who
>are being given bargains to get into the houses then signing their lives
>away to keep them since they can't afford to keep up the payments.  Is this
>some kind of sign that I should think about moving too or just part of a
>neighborhood's life?  People came and went constantly in the apartment
>buildings but I thought there'd be more stability in a community of houses.
>
>Anyway, I'd appreciate the thoughts of any homeowners out there.
>
>Land Conscious Lion