Neighbor doesn't like my garage sales

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
It never fails that when I have a yard/garage sale, the new guy next door has to get out an mow his lawn with his huge riding mower. It makes quite a racket. He's been mowing for 2 hours now - jeez I can mow my lawn in an hour and I just have a little push mower.

Last night he sent his kids out to play in the front yard after I got my tables set up (I do it the night before, then cover them - less to fuss with the next day). Inevitably, they throw the ball over in my yard several times which necessitates them having to come over and retrieve the ball. Sometimes the ball hits the table or they bump into my tables (no actual tip-over yet, though), but nerve wracking. I never see them playing in the front yard when I don't have tables set up.

A couple of times the cops came to my house on a traffic complaint when I was having a sale. He said that someone (I assume it was Mr. Neighbor) called in a complaint that there were cars blocking traffic. I asked them to point out where was this violation was. They said there really wasn't any, but if they get a call, they have to respond.

What could be this guy's problem with my sale? I don't want to confront him in person if he's so irascible. It's not like I'm having a sale every weekend, just 4 or 5 times between May and October.
 

Maybe he feels the traffic and people are intrusive, I don't know. The only way you'll know is to talk to him but it sounds like he may have made his feelings clear with his actions. If you want to keep peace, maybe limit to say, two a year? It may not be you as much as some of the people stopping by. I have been behind people looking for sales that will park anywhere or stop suddenly, never using a turn signal. Neighbor had one a year ago and people were in my yard too--which didn't bother me but for some, they feel it to be an encroachment. A neighboring town has a law making people register for a sale and they may have only one a year. ( which I thought was a little harsh) I am neutral on this subject, believe me, but I can also understand that it could bother someone.
 
No wonder the neighbour is annoyed, I would be too!
We were only allowed two a year in our town.
Having that much traffic coming so often is just too inconsiderate in my opinion!
 

Maybe he's trying to give you a message that the frequent yard sales are disturbing him. Less is often more when it comes to those things.
 
I've asked other neighbors that I am on speaking terms if they have a problem with my garage sales. The consensus of opinion is that if I have more than one sale a year (like when we have our designated community-wide sale day), it is no longer a garage sale, it's a business and I should have permits as such and obtain a dealers license. I have a friend on the village board and asked her about it. She said there's no limit to how many sales a person can have, so I don't know where other neighbors say I need a permit. I don't feel it's a business or that I am a dealer - I'm just trying to liquidate the contents of the house and I have a limited window of opportunity - late spring to early autumn. I have also educated myself on the value of antiques - does that make me a dealer? One neighbor said that she has an aunt and when the town she lives in has a community-wide sale, aunty gets her cars out of the garage and parks them on the street in front of her house so no one else can park there. I wish I had that many people stop.
 
Some cities do have permit requirements and frequency restrictions. Some folks want their neighborhood to look as pristine as a cemetery, they hate vehicles parked outside, garage sales, etc. Some cities like Boca Raton FL are "chicken" about everything.
 
What seems important here is to have a good relationship with your neighbor. From re-reading your post, it doesn't sound like that you have a speaking relationship. Is there a way to bridge this in an easy and friendly way, such as bringing over a pie and apologizing for the neighborhood congestion?
 
From your description it doesn't sound like you have so many customers at any given time that it should annoy anyone. Some people are just control freaks. Are you sure it's not a coincidence?
 
Deb, do you have any consignment stores in your area? It might be easier than these garage sales...just a suggestion for you.
 
SeaBreeze said:
Deb, do you have any consignment stores in your area? It might be easier than these garage sales...just a suggestion for you.
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So many went out of business in the last 2 years. Even the one to which I took items for them to sell didn't sell one thing of mine. That is a sad comment on how bad things are here in upstate NY - consignment and thrift shops are going belly up, nobody shopping at garage sales, etc.
 
We have a little high end ladies wear consignment shop that's stayed in business here since at least the late 80s and probably well before. The rich elderly ladies sell their designer stuff there including accessories, and it goes for a moderate amount, although still out of my price range and not even to my taste. However, our big downtown Goodwill went under a few years ago, where I liked to shop for super bargains.
 
It's your home an yo should have a right to have as many garage sales as U want to need to. Your neighbor sounds like a real jerk. An frankly it's none of his business is it??
With that said I would def go over an ask him why it seems to be such a problem for him....how can you make it better for both of you. I mean how bad can the traffic be, I'm
from up state NY an the towns up there are small so there can't be to many people that come. Gheez ,the guy needs to get over it an get a life.
 
happytime said:
I'm from up state NY an the towns up there are small so there can't be to many people that come. Gheez ,the guy needs to get over it an get a life.
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I wouldn't care if my neighbors had garage sales. With my head stuck to a computer monitor most of the day, I probably wouldn't even realize if they did. It's rental property anyway, so he is a tenant, not the property owner. I had a sale yesterday and today, and I haven't heard a peep from next door. Maybe he went away for the holiday weekend.
 
Unless there are actual traffic issues I don't see where they could shut you down. I must admit customers going to garage sales like to get creative with their parking since they plan their stop to be brief. Parking on sidewalks can not only damage the concrete but damage a curb and lawn as well. Some communities ban sidewalk parking and it a fine/ticket.

There are some homes around here that always have something on their lawn. One person always has boxes of shoes and sneakers. Alot of old, discontinued, defective/recalled store merchandise goes to auction by the pallet. I'm assuming that's were the lots come from.
 

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