Bad Neighbors Directory: Let Your Fingers Do the Talking

Don't have time for the latest gossip in the neighborhood? No problem, just get on the computer and find out. Pittsburgh, Seattle, Denver: most of the country's larger cities are listed.

A service which lets people write posts about the neighborhood nincompoops is now up and operating. Anyone thinking about buying a house can check out the neighborhood before they plunk down the money.

The Rocky Mountain News has more on this new neighborhood service:Rotten neighbors, Beware!

Just plug in an address, a zip code or a city, then click on the little red houses that pop up to see what people are saying about a neighborhood, a neighbor - or you.

The Web site, created by San Diego resident and unhappy neighbor Brant Walker, allows people to take nameless swipes and touts itself as a research tool for home buyers.

Under "What We Believe," the site says, "If a bad neighbor exists, this information should be made freely and easily available to everyone," and "The more bad neighbors you add, the better the service."

Sounds like a terrific service to have, unless you happen to land on the listing. Of course, too many bad neighbors make up a bad neighborhood.

And who wants to live in one of those?

Speaking of property values - don't you hurt your own by dumping on the neighbors? Absolutely, said Susan Mathews, a broker with Perry & Co.

"Everything changes all the time. Their neighbors could be someone else tomorrow," she said. "I don't think this would be the smartest way to judge where to buy a house."

Find out who are the bad neighbors in the area? What's the latest scoop on who's doing what to who and why? Denver is cutting edge?

This service has long been available in many small, rural communities for years.

It's called "Ask Aunt Edna".

By Mondoreb




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