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