A vacant single-family home that has been the subject of neighbor complaints may find a buyer.
DALTON, Mass. — The rundown home at 27 Mountain View Terrace may have a potential buyer.
Roberta Steele and her niece, Katherine Winterstein, of Utah, have been making plans to improve the condition of their home since June, but a family emergency has prevented them from completing all the necessary work.
Neighbours claim that rats have been finding their way into the home through the neglected property and unkempt lawn in the backyard.
While some of the work has stalled, Steele and Winterstein said they have been in contact with a “serious buyer” interested in purchasing and renovating the home.
“He’s bought real estate before and done things like this. [renovation,] So he has experience,” Winterstein told the health board last week.
She described him as a “serious” investor making a “serious” proposal and said “serious” discussions were ongoing.
Interested buyers are in the process of drafting a purchase and sale agreement, and if an agreement is reached between timeline, attorneys, and state requirements, it will take 30-45 days for the deal to close.
Board Chairman Robert Kinser has instructed Winterstein to share the agreement with the board when he receives it.
Winterstein said her aunt has set mouse traps on the property since their last meeting and she plans to provide the locations to Health Officer Agnes Witkowski so she can follow up.
She said the landscaper she hired came to her house and demanded “five times” the quoted price in cash.
Steele attempted to continue cleaning up his yard, but health concerns and doctor’s orders meant he was unable to do much, which meant he was unable to attend the meeting.
“I really hoped I’d be in a more favorable position going into this, but I never expected what’s happened to me over the last month. I’ve been really, really overwhelmed,” Winterstein said.
“This is a very serious situation that needs to be addressed and I accept there are time constraints, but I was literally unable to do anything for most of July. [now part of] August.”
They also had hired a contractor who submitted a permit to complete work on the home, but due to a family emergency, the permit was not paid for.
Winterstein said some family members will fly in over Labor Day weekend to help with the effort. They will take over yard waste disposal, pest control and cleaning up the house and garage.
“They were able to address the immediate need there and then and then set the stage for the rest to fall into place,” she said.
The contractor’s plan is to tear down the roof, moldy interior drywall, porch and yard waste all at once, and once that’s done, renovate the inside.
The contractor said it would be better to have someone with more experience complete the roofing portion of the project.
Board member Cindy Geyer said it’s helpful for neighbors to know action will be taken on most of their concerns within the two-week period.
“I think they’re patiently waiting for things to be sorted out and they’re anxious, but it helps to have a plan in place, at least for the things that matter most,” she said.
Kinser said he understands why nothing has been done in the past six weeks, but he would like to see some movement to alleviate some of the minor issues that neighbors are concerned about.
Winterstein agreed, saying the board had been fair to them.
She also advises that yard work needs to be completed by the Friday after Labor Day, so plan ahead and contact Orkin Pest Control to see if someone can come on that day.
While the board understands the delay, neighbors have serious concerns. The board has agreed to hold off on seizing the land until its next meeting, but is asking the family to submit plans with a signed contract.
Tags: Board of Health, vacant building,
Source link