Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
This General Chat area started off as a place for people to talk about things that are off topic, however it has quickly evolved into a community and has become an integral part of the GAW experience for many of us.
Based on its evolving needs and plenty of user feedback, we are trying to bring some order and institute some rules. Please make sure you read these rules and participate in the spirit of this community.
Rules for General Chat
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Be respectful to each other. This is of utmost importance, and comments may be removed if deemed not respectful.
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Avoid long drawn out arguments. This should be a place to relax, not to waste your time needlessly.
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Personal anecdotes, puzzles, cute pics/clips - everything welcome
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Please do not spam at the top level. If you have a lot to post each day, try and post them all together in one top level comment
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Try keep things light. If you are bringing in deep stuff, try not to go overboard.
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Things that are clearly on-topic for this board should be posted as a separate post and not here (except if you are new and still getting the feel of this place)
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If you find people violating these rules, deport them rather than start a argument here.
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Feel free to give feedback as these rules are expected to keep evoloving
In short, imagine this thread to be a local community hall where we all gather and chat daily. Please be respectful to others in the same way
I have a very serious problem, and I don't know where else to turn.
My house was destroyed by flooding in 2017.
My parents refuse to sell the place, continually holding out for even one more nickel. Despite us having to pay property taxes every month for a house nobody can live in.
A few years ago, we got a notice saying that we had to maintain appearances on the exterior of the building, or face a fine.
We kept an old lawn mower there for this purpose.
Then it broke.
We have been unable to maintain the property for months.
Meanwhile, we have somehow continued to receive mail at its mailbox...even though, again, no one has lived there for over six years.
Among this mail was a notice of a fine.
Which we didn't know about until today.
Also in that stuffed mailbox was a notice to appear in court because of failure to pay said fine.
Which we didn't know about until today.
Also in that stuffed mailbox was a notice that there is now an outstanding warrant for my mother's arrest due to failure to appear in court.
Which we didn't know about until today.
So my mother, in her 70s, will likely be arrested for being unable to keep a lawn mowed...with a broken lawn mower...that we are so broke we cannot afford to repair or replace.
We are being punished by the state of Texas for being poor.
I told them to sell the fucking house, but nooooo, dad just HAD to hold out for a better offer. Why sell for fourteen thousand six hundred twenty-seven dollars and eighty cents when you can hold out for fourteen thousand six hundred twenty-seven dollars and eighty-FIVE cents?
I told them.
And now we're fucked.
I don't think you're fucked. You need to go to the County, update the address on the property taxes (that is why you are not getting notices), explain the situation and ask for advice on what to do. Go to a garage sale/thrift store/craigslist and find a cheap mower and fix the issue. Continue to be proactive, not reactive.
Is your name on the deed? If it's only in your parents names, perhaps an attorney could advise you regarding how to get power of attorney over them since they seem to be incapable of helping themselves or making sound decisions. Even their inability to check for mail at their former home mailbox is telling. I wish I knew better advice to give you. And since money is a challenge, perhaps check with your local social services for a lawyer who works on a pay scale. All the best and I hope you keep us posted.
It looks like instead of selling the house, the court may end up condemning it. I pray you find some resolution to your problem really soon.
If you live in Texas, maybe SB Mowing can clean the place up for you. He does yard makeovers for free in Corpus Christi. He gets paid big money by YouTube for setting up the camera while he works. He's always looking for overgrown yards to do. His name is Spencer.
Holy cow, I watched that guy a couple of weeks ago. He's great.
You have to contact a lawyer, a good lawyer who will not over charge you.