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List the property online FSBO or through an agent and provide photos as well as a sat image or a map to it. No physical signs. He can't do anything about THAT! I like the game trail camera idea too. He can't stop the world turning.
#1....I would ask this guy if he wants to buy or knows anyone who wants to buy. Now is the chance to choose the neighbor if he doesn't like you.
#2....Tell him if you don't sell it your going to see if you can bury nuclear waste there.
#3....Get a realtor to help you.
#4....are there any restrictions to the signs? I've had HOA take them down, neighbors who thought they were the HOA police take them down. In my fair city, the city used to take them down, now they pay volunteers $5/sign to take them down. You can have a sign in the yard, but no where else...no directionals....not on the corner, etc.
#5....could be someone else taking them too. Recyclers....I've seen builders take them.
#6...any chance you could sell it an the others to a builder who needs lots?
The neighbor sounds like a nut case. Get evidence and get the authorities involved, or take him to small claims if you can get proof.
I'd also list online, and anywhere else you can list. It also sounds like you have rarely gone there, start going there weekly. You may want to meet folks there who are interested in buying.
If you put signage, get creative.
Put a large tall post up with your sign up high and a game camera visible above the sign. I think that will stop your neighbor.
Hide a video camera to record his thefts from your property. Then call police.
Thanks pikabike. I had thought about a camera. The problem might be that the sign out by the inlet road is the most important. Assuming these cameras are motion activated, it would be activated very frequently by cars driving by. It will be around 3-4 weeks between my being able to visit the property because I live more than an hour drive away. Would the camera have that much recording capacity? I will look into the camera idea though.
in your long OP, you never described telling him you owned one of the parcels. And that you were selling. And that maybe you asked (passively aggressive if some feel so) - "Have you seen any punks hanging around and stealing all the For Sale signs?"
Clearly, it's wrong IF he was the one who removed the signs. But thus far, your 2 pieces of evidence are 1. that the signs didn't seem to start disappearing until he started building and 2. that he questioned you as if you might be somewhere you didn't belong.
Thanks BoBromhal. You are correct - I don't have absolute proof and will not take any action against him until I do.
Keeping in mind the almost frantic manner in which he behaved with regard to someone simply driving down the road, there is yet a third item combined with the two you mention that makes me certain it is he who removed them.
During our initial conversation, I commented on how serene and quiet the little valley is. His immediate response was, "yes, we need to keep people out of here to keep it this way".
During that conversation, I did explain that I own the property we were standing on at that point (at the moment I drove by his driveway he was still walking down it toward the road. When I didn't stop to meet him at the end of his driveway and drove further down the road to my own property, he walked down the road and across several other lots just to confront me - clearly on a mission).
I was cordial the entire time and did not mention the missing signs.
#2....Tell him if you don't sell it your going to see if you can bury nuclear waste there.
#3....Get a realtor to help you.
#4....are there any restrictions to the signs?
#5....could be someone else taking them too. Recyclers....I've seen builders take them.
Haha. I like the nuclear idea.
Several folks have suggested a realtor - which I am open to. But what could a realtor really do - without proof? Keep in mind, this is very rural... I doubt even the most dedicated realtor would camp out to try to catch him.
Very rural area - no HOAs.
Given the three circumstances I've mentioned, there is no doubt it is him. Clearly someone back in the valley is trying to keep things from selling. Of the only two others that live there, one is a school teacher and the other is a fireman - I've come to know them both over the last 12 years - there is not a chance it would be them.
The signs contain very little salvageable material and, again, signs have never disappeared in the past.
Put a large tall post up with your sign up high and a game camera visible above the sign. I think that will stop your neighbor.
I plan to make a more robust sign. However, if the sign gets taken, so would the camera. I had thought about a camera that uploads to the cloud, but would need internet (and that is probably getting a bit crazy).
I also think what just_because and jackmichigan say is true... if someone wants it down this bad, it will be gone.
Are you not using a realtor at this point? I am not a big fan of them, but if you are just relying on drive-bys to advertise your property, you are missing out on a lot of buyers. It should be listed on the internet in some form, whether a realtor or FSBO, or even Craigslist.
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