Would you call city on neighbour if it meant they and you get a million dollars?

[pudding]

This is a bit of a theoretical conundrum. But also based on actual situation.

I have a house that I've posted about in the past. It's been a tough slog over the years, renting it, living in it, financing it... at times like a difficult marriage that you don't know wether to stay in it or not. Nine years so far.

I lucked out in that the house has gone up a lot over the years.   I almost sold it in the spring, but some developments in the area made me hold off to see if my own house might be part of a future development.

I contacted a realtor a few weeks ago that specializes in this kind of development called land assembly. It seems that my house and the other houses on my block could be assembled and sold off as a package. If the neighbours ALL agree to sell, they and me would get for this a million above current price...

The numbers are quite astounding, it would really be an extra million dollars for each home owner on top! of what we would get if we were to sell our houses individually. The guy did the same thing around the corner and I've seen the 'sold' prices that they went for.

So I chatted to the neighbours about it.  This is where it gets difficult. One or two get it, but the other neighbours don't seem to.  They say things like... "well it will go up in value if I keep it"... to which I say, "it probably will, but this is a unique situation where you can get an extra million, the opportunity is available now, it might not be in the future, and if you take advantage of this you can pocket a million extra and buy a house over on a quieter street".   

Then they say something like "well, the realtor can buy it then and he can sell it in 10 years".... and i have to explain that the realtor isn't the one buying it.. he's just putting the deal together.. then they look confused.

Our houses are on a busy street, which is a strike against them if sold individually, but is suddenly a million bucks bonus if sold together. I think we are all immigrants on the street with the exception of one or two neighbours, English is my first language, but not for most of my neighbours.

It's more like they don't get it... if they got it and had reasons they'd reached based on thinking over all the different bits of the situation, I'd just have to shut up and suck it up. But it's such a lot of money for all of us! To let it go just because my neighbours haven't thought it through or if I'm really honest about it are just maybe a bit stupid is tough.

I haven't just casually mentioned it, I've tried to push the agenda without becoming intrusive kind of thing, now I've sort of given up as I'm just getting frustrated.

Last year someone on the block or possibly a pissed off tenant I had called the city and told them I had a suite in my basement. It's a strange thing in this city that many many houses have a suite in the basement and city turns a blind eye to it unless they get a complaint, in which case they come around and create all kinds of mayhem.

So anyway, they came around acting on a complaint, its cost me about 60 grand to do all the upgrades and the lost rent. One of my prime suspects for calling them is my next door neighbour, though honestly I'll probably never know. He's also one of the people who has flakey reasons for not doing it.

Heres my conundrum question... I just walked up and down the block... 12 houses on the block, at least 6, probably all, and definitely my next door neighbour also have illegal basement suites.

Im almost of the opinion that as I've had to drop 60k to upgrade my place, then if a neighbour doesn't want to join in this assembly for dubious reasons, then it would be fair game to call the city about their suite, that way we are all playing by the same rules. 

In which case they would be looking at upgrading their place in order to keep the suite, which may nudge them to join the land assembly. In which case we all get a million bucks!

Just hypothetical question, but what would you do?  It's just a question, I know it has the potential for me being an a-hole kind of thing.. but someone was an a-hole and called them on me for no reason. I'd be doing it so that me and by proxy them would all be millionaires.

[UKMustache]

I understand your reasons for wanting the deal to go through.  There's $1million reasons to want that.

However I do think you're lying to yourself when you try and justify reporting them; it's an act born purely out of a selfish desire.

That's fine, I'm fairly confident that in the same situation I'd do it too.  Just be clear that you're taking this action for YOU and nobody else, someone anonymously reporting you is irrelevant to this current situation.

[Goldielocks]

There are three different things at play here:

1)  you want the rules for suites to be applied fairly, and want it to happen to your neighbors, too.
2)  you want to get back a little at a neighbor you ^think^ called in on you (hint, it probably wasn't him)
3) you want to realize a major sales opportunity.

My advice, what I would do

1 &2)  Get over it.   I had a neighbor call the city for a stop work order, wrongly, as the demo we were doing fell outside of the city's jurisdiction.   I understand.   But just drop it.

3)  a)   the Realtor should be the primary person selling the neighbors,, no?  with your help as possible, but the realtor
3b)  I would have a nice summary of the offer potential translated into your neighbors' language.   All of them.
3c)  I would keep trying, about once per month.

[pudding]

There are three different things at play here:

1)  you want the rules for suites to be applied fairly, and want it to happen to your neighbors, too.
2)  you want to get back a little at a neighbor you ^think^ called in on you (hint, it probably wasn't him)
3) you want to realize a major sales opportunity.

My advice, what I would do

1 &2)  Get over it.   I had a neighbor call the city for a stop work order, wrongly, as the demo we were doing fell outside of the city's jurisdiction.   I understand.   But just drop it.

3)  a)   the Realtor should be the primary person selling the neighbors,, no?  with your help as possible, but the realtor
3b)  I would have a nice summary of the offer potential translated into your neighbors' language.   All of them.
3c)  I would keep trying, about once per month.

Thanks goldielocks... 1 and 2... I agree, I chatted to neighbour about it and I dont think it was him... but who knows really. Agree drop it.
3. Yes the realtor should be, and I phoned him today and told him that unless he got going with it as he said he would that I'd be considering my other options (like calling other realtors)  the thing that complicates it a bit is a story in the paper on weekend saying the city are going to cap this kind of thing at 20 assembly projects (for now at least)  when I called realtor he hadnt been to canvas neighbours on the weekend about this as he said he would, he also said he would last week and he didnt... AND he said he has neighbours up the street on another block interested, plus another interested block where they already agreed between themselves to assemble the block... I just saw the 20 project cap and my million dwindling... it's a nail biter 

[pbkmaine]

Call another realtor.

[pudding]

Call another realtor.

Just on my way to bed and thought I'd check MMM before I do.
I was just thinking that. I think I'll let the current realtor know that I'm concerned and that so far he hasn't done a lot and unless he does something impressive in the next 2 days I'll be on the phone to some other realtors.

[Linea_Norway]

Some neighbours just will never join a joined deal to improve all houses. E.g. in my town, the phone company was offering to install fiber net for fast internet and digital TV. This fiber net makes your house more attractive when selling. You had to bind the deal for 1 year. If 75% of the houses ordered it, we would get a good deal which was way cheaper than ordering it separately later.
In our neighbourhood 75% of 1 street and 50% of another street ordered it. We still got the deal, despite the 50%. But my colleague in a different street didn't get the deal because too many of his neighbours didn't join. He is still p o with it, having slower and more unstable internet at home. Plus having a house that is less attractive on the market than a similar house in the next street.

[chasesfish]

Its called an assemblage in the real estate business -  They can give you a contract with a high price with the contingency the others sell.

You just have to explain to your neighbors its a once in a generation opportunity.   Sure, someone else might come along ten years from now and try to do it again, but the real estate market has to be right and the developer(s) could have moved on to alternate projects.

Its a free country, you can't force them to sell.  Some people don't want to move regardless of money

[BikeFanatic]

If you highly suspect that  your neighbor ratted you out, then fair game to rat them out IMHO. Although
I wonder why someone with and illegal suite would call attention to it by ratting out a neighbor.

A million dollars is a LOT of money, I wonder if I too would compromise my principals for that kind of dough.

[erutio]

What you are suggesting is an a**hole move, but not illegal. 
However, I'm not sure how much your million dollar extra quote is accurate or hyperbole, but for 1 million dollars extra, I'd probably be willing to a do lot of legal a**hole things. 

Heck, if we really examined ourselves, I'd bet there are a lot of illegal things we all may consider for 1 million dollars extra. 

[esq]

You say they don't get it, which is different from not wanting to agree to something that they do understand. I'm a special education teacher, and when someone doesn't get it, I put it in visual format. In this case I would put two or three different scenarios all in simple visual format to make it very clear what would happen in each case. For a million bucks, it's worth a try.

[pudding]

You say they don't get it, which is different from not wanting to agree to something that they do understand. I'm a special education teacher, and when someone doesn't get it, I put it in visual format. In this case I would put two or three different scenarios all in simple visual format to make it very clear what would happen in each case. For a million bucks, it's worth a try.

I thought about doing something like this. But as another poster says though it's the realtors job to do these kind of things and I think its become apparent that he's dropped the ball on this one.

I'm going to contact him again today to let him know its not irredeemable, but that I'll be calling other realtors to see what they can do, so he'd better pull his finger out if he wants the close to 3/4 million dollar commission he will get if he manages to get everyone on board.

[patchyfacialhair]

I'd ignore the your neighbors' illegal basement suites and contact more realtors. Someone will hustle and get it done.

If after that some of your neighbors don't want to sell...well then maybe I'd compromise my morals. A million bucks is instant FI for many folks on this forum.

[GetItRight]

I would not, as it benefits the government and is initiating an act of aggression against someone though outsourcing the muscle to a third party (government).

Not being rich, $1M in my pocket would make me FI and rapidly accelerate RE so I would be more adamant in my attempts to make the deal happen though, perhaps have an intervention with the other neighbors on board. Is this neighbor already rich and retired? Unless already FI and owning a very unique property in the area I wanted to retire to, I can't imagine a reason to not take the deal.

[fishnfool]

This deal is a "no brainer!"

Your neighbors are idiots for not jumping at this opportunity. ...ugh!

[soccerluvof4]

Out of curiosity is there not a tax code for those basement suites so you could see if theirs are in fact illegal? if they are then I agree they should be playing by the same rules but as others said separate from the sale of the homes.

It surprised me that the realtor is not being more aggressive. Even if there not selling the homes if their involved their making good money somehow and sounds like someone that is bilingual would be a great choice to break down the communication part of it. Maybe the people really "dont just get it" and need better communication." 

The real odd part to me is the realtor in all this.  If it was that kinda deal its either over the current realtors head or the deal is not what it appears to me. Or I am missing something.

[dougules]

With that much money on the line I would imagine the realtor could afford to do all kinds of explaining to your neighbors.  Or is it not possible that you could get somebody with working capital to come in and buy up your neighbors at like half a million over market value, then make easy money?  People can understand a huge on-the-spot offer.   

I personally think the whole basement suite thing is a bit mean-spirited, at least for the neighbors that aren't trying to be assholes to you. 

[Johnez]

Off topic, but with a bit of sprucing up on drama, this sounds like a hilarious plot to a movie.

The basement suite issue and your million dollars are two completely separate issues.

Your agent doesn't sound motivated. What's going on here?

[Digital Dogma]

I would have a guilty conscience if I reported someone to the city with the knowledge that it would have a potentially severe impact on someone's finances regardless of the scenario. This whole collective punishment approach towards influencing everyone to sell is likely creating push-back simply because it sounds too good to be true, I wouldn't be surprised if you have hold-outs who enjoy their ability to hold power over the entire neighborhood's decision to stay or sell. Sounds like a social experiment designed to see how fast civil society breaks down due to greed :)

[Prairie Stash]

Just hypothetical question, but what would you do?  It's just a question, I know it has the potential for me being an a-hole kind of thing.. but someone was an a-hole and called them on me for no reason.

If you do it for no reason you're an "a-hole", that's pretty much standard conduct for everything in life.

I have a rental on either side, I think about calling in on the one sometimes for doing stupid things and annoying me, stuff like parking extra cars in front of my house for months which causes my guests to park around the corner. In my city they are required to put in extra parking, its the good neighbor rule, don't be an ass and use the majority of the communal spots because you're too cheap to abide by the bylaws.

Look at your behavior; were you and your tenant(s) behaving as good neighbours or were you infringing on their space? No one calls in for "no-reason", people are too last to bother unless you did something that stuck out. Loud parties, excessive outside drinking, yelling, poor lawncare, overflowing trash bins, rude behavior, having pets pee on their lawn are all forms of bad behavior that get people irritated enough to eventually call in. Why did someone single you out and not call in anyone else?

[Midwest]

Each neighbor gets $1M extra?  Why don't you (and or the realtor) make the on the fence neighbors an offer of $300,000 to $500,000 over FMV contingent on the joining deal going through.  As part of the offer you could disclose they will actually get more by selling to the developer.  If they choose to accept your contingent offer, you could do a simultaneous close with the developer.

I suspect many people, when faced with a real offer that is substantially more than FMV, might accept or do the rationale thing and decide they would like the $1M deal better and cut you out (thus getting you the result you want).

[SnackDog]

Forget reporting anyone.  That could greatly screw things up. Permanently.

Total up the total cash each stubborn neighbors would get and convert it to a house in a good area that is for sale now. Take them all there together for a tour.  Provide champagne.

[Jack]

Buy out your neighbors piecemeal yourself at FMV (or less, of course) and turn the houses into rentals until you've assembled the whole block.

[acroy]

This deal is a "no brainer!"

Your neighbors are idiots for not jumping at this opportunity. ...ugh!

yeah!
What Would Trump Do? ;)

[dougules]

This deal is a "no brainer!"

Your neighbors are idiots for not jumping at this opportunity. ...ugh!

Realistically this does sound to good to be true, so maybe your neighbors are right to be skeptical.  Maybe you should encourage them to find their own realtor/lawyer to talk to so that they can hear from an independent source that it's legit. 

[fredbear]

The good realtors I have known live by the Pareto Principle.  I think he's put together another block nearby which is not filled with intransigents and is going to make his 80% of the profit with less than 20% of the labor, specifically, the labor necessary to cat-herd your neighborhood.  Since the supply of boondoggle-blocks is limited, I agree with the posters above who said, "Line up another realtor."  Soon, too. 

[sonjak]

This deal is a "no brainer!"

Your neighbors are idiots for not jumping at this opportunity. ...ugh!

Realistically this does sound to good to be true, so maybe your neighbors are right to be skeptical.  Maybe you should encourage them to find their own realtor/lawyer to talk to so that they can hear from an independent source that it's legit.

This was my thought... someone will pay me $1m more than my house is actually worth?  Sounds too good to be true.

[FIFoFum]

Was it this guy making the offer?

[Iplawyer]

I'm skeptical.  Read this:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/vancouvers-land-assemblies/article24227142/

[pudding]

So far things are looking good, and looks like all neighbours are on board. We have a meeting on the weekend.

Will post at a later date when something concrete has happened.  Thanks for the replies.

[Linea_Norway]

I'm skeptical.  Read this:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/vancouvers-land-assemblies/article24227142/

From what I get from the article, is that it is not necessarily a good deal for people who want to keep living in the same area. But I guess it is still a good deal for those who are willing to live in a totally different place.

[dragoncar]

Off topic, but with a bit of sprucing up on drama, this sounds like a hilarious plot to a movie.

The basement suite issue and your million dollars are two completely separate issues.

Your agent doesn't sound motivated. What's going on here?

It was the plot of at least one movie, but the developers were the baddies: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batteries_Not_Included

[Iplawyer]

I'm skeptical.  Read this:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/vancouvers-land-assemblies/article24227142/

From what I get from the article, is that it is not necessarily a good deal for people who want to keep living in the same area. But I guess it is still a good deal for those who are willing to live in a totally different place.

But what the article made clear is that people only get what their house is worth - not a million more than it is worth. 

[BudgetSlasher]

First, I have to say that when I have tried to do the"push the agenda without becoming intrusive kind of thing" . . . well now I look back and realize that is exactly what I was doing. And I have experienced others trying to do the same thing and same deal, "oh god, here mr. pudding goes again". And I highly disagree with just mention it once a month; it will just be here we go again.

Second, I as a native english speaker, would be highly skeptical of an offer of $1M above the value of my house and believe it too good to be true or honest. Unless, the house was already worth so much that $1M above market was not an additional 3 times the value of my home; maybe a 1 million premium on a 10 million house would seem more logical.

Third, can something be done it writing? As has been suggested an offer to buy will a price and conditions, including all offers must be accepted, may go miles to show this is serious.

Fourth, no I would not call the city. A) You don't know who it is. B) Even if you did know it may not change minds C) Even if changed minds it might not change all of the fined individuals D) Even if you do, how do you convince a non-fined individual E) This point is really about revenge.

Fifth, you seem to be making excuses as to why someone would come to a different conclusion than yourself.

[Goldielocks]

Second, I as a native english speaker, would be highly skeptical of an offer of $1M above the value of my house and believe it too good to be true or honest. Unless, the house was already worth so much that $1M above market was not an additional 3 times the value of my home; maybe a 1 million premium on a 10 million house would seem more logical.

I believe that the increase in value is the land value increase.

When the city decides to redo their long term city planning concept, and identifies your block long term as future "Townhouse" or even "high density commercial / residential", then the land value goes from single family residence value (like the house 3 blocks away) to "lots of profit".... but ONLY, if the land parcel can be assembled into a large enough piece that makes it possible to actually build that townhouse / apartment / commercial building.

That is how a $2 million dollar SFR lot gets to be worth a $3 million dollars, almost over night, and a "once in a decade" type opportunity...


The challenge identified in the article is when the city has NOT officially identified the underlying property as desired for higher density in the long term plan.   Then it is just speculation that they would do so, sometime in the next 20 years, or that you can sell a rezoning to them the hard way.

The easy way to rezone, of course, is when the city has already decided that your property should be rezoned, and they just wait for the (new) owners to make the application and pay the development fees, subject to design approvals.

[StartingEarly]

Pm me if you run into holdouts again. I have a pretty creative mind for such things, nothing extreme.

[pudding]

Pm me if you run into holdouts again. I have a pretty creative mind for such things, nothing extreme.

thanks, I will if things don't go well at our neighbours meeting. So far it seems like everyone is looking at it logically and not being too greedy or weird about things.

[powskier]

Maybe the realtor is working for the city and now that he got you to get the neighbors together , the city can throw a low ball offer?

[arebelspy]

Following.

Seems extremely unlikely you'll be able to get everyone on board.

[pudding]

Hi folks, an update on this one;

Me + the neighbours and the 2 realtors had our meeting at my house yesterday.

There was 17 people in my front room, and as we were all talking the possibility of becoming millionaires it was really, really  *&^%  intense.

It went fairly OK... I say fairly as it was a mixed bag...   some of the homeowners thought their homes were worth a few hundred thousand more than they probably are, but I think presented with the evidence that they aren't they'll probably see why.

The biggest thorn in every bodies side was my neighbour, the one who I suspect called the city on my basement suite.

He said that the price the realtor could get for his house was no good, as he says his house is worth $3 million !!!!! when he said that the whole room let out a huge groan and everyone was WTF  kind of thing, its probably worth 1.3 million so he's only over by a whopping 1.7 million!

So it's kind of back to the original title of my post as I'd sort of anticipated it would be.  "would you call the city on neighbour if it meant they, you and 12 of your neighbours ALL get a million dollars"

The more I heard my neighbour talk yesterday and listen to his totally unreasonable ass backwards way of thinking, the more I was thinking "totally I could see this guy being the one who called the city on me"  It's just right up his alley kind of thing.

At the moment I'm not calling, BUT I am thinking of ways to craft a way to let him know that.....  'look, there is an issue here, you have a basement suite, it's not authorised, you have built walls around your porch and made a room out of it and didn't get a permit, done things in his garage that would need a permit. 
And if the city were to come along as they are entitled to do, you would be looking at a lot of money and a lot of hassle to get them off your case'

I mean I don't have to knock on his door and hand him a letter, I could just mail it anonymously.

I could just make it out to be from a concerned neighbour reaching out to his neighbours and talking about the possibility of someone calling the city on unauthorised suites and the shit storm it would rain down. (which it does, trust me I've just been through it)

Sure he would probably think it was me that sent it, but he wouldn't know for sure, as I don't know for sure who called the city on me.  And at the end of the day I'm not talking about calling the city, just letting him know that IF someone did then this is what would be the likely outcome, in order to put a bit of leverage on him to go the way everyone on the block (in their right mind)  thinks is the way to go.

And then let him think on it.

[TrMama]

Vancouver? Insane speculation + corrupt city? Smells familiar.

As you've learned, the devil's in the details with land assemblies. There are several stumbling blocks:

1. Getting the neighbours to agree.
2. Getting the buyer to actually pay you. See, "But so far, he’s had only one taker – someone who wanted to tie up the properties with conditions for possibly as much as a year." from the article posted above. Closing dates of 12-24 months are the norm. No, that is not a typo. And all the sales agreements have a non-disclosure clause that prevents you from talking to your neighbours about what each of you have been offered.

My best advice for selling your place is to only try to get the neighbours that border your property to agree. Ignore the guy 3 houses down entirely. He may as well be on Mars. Doubly so if a lot between your property and his property doesn't want to sell.

You need a development realtor. Someone who only does residential deals will be useless. Or, you can try to find a developer on your own.

When you're offered a deal, take less money in exchange for a reasonable closing date. Those 12-24 month closings ensure that no one else will make you a serious offer while your buyer dicks around trying to get more properties or secure financing or waits to see whether the market will tank or whatever. So the opportunity cost to you is enormous.

Finally,

At the moment I'm not calling, BUT I am thinking of ways to craft a way to let him know that.....  'look, there is an issue here, you have a basement suite, it's not authorised, you have built walls around your porch and made a room out of it and didn't get a permit, done things in his garage that would need a permit. 
And if the city were to come along as they are entitled to do, you would be looking at a lot of money and a lot of hassle to get them off your case'

I mean I don't have to knock on his door and hand him a letter, I could just mail it anonymously.

Ratting our your neighbour is the dumbest possible thing you could do here. If your goal is to make money off this house, the last thing you need is a an enemy next door. Paste a smile on your face and just leave this guy alone. Just stop talking to him entirely. Don't invite him to the assembly, don't even ask him about his day.

If you want petty revenge instead of a giant wad of cash in your stash, then by all means rat him out. However, not only will you blow up your assembly, he'll probably find a way to cost you even more money.

[Goldielocks]

Do NOT send an anonymous letter.  That is just crap and won't help a bit.  Do NOT call the city.

Instead, you need to get him to see that his house is not worth $3 Million.   

1) Talk to your realtor.  Perhaps he/she can give this neighbor a tour of actively marketed properties for sale right now...   Show the other assembly offers.  Talk about why yours is a good bet versus some of the others that are not earmarked already for long term zoning changes to increase density.

2)  Talk to your neighbor,  remind them about his unpermitted suite, enclosed porch, etc.  all of which are problem areas for potential buyers of his house, dropping its value greatly..  He would likely need to tear it out or bring up to code in order to sell, if the buyer is even interested in waiting for it, and that many would just pass it by.  Tell him that yours cost $60,000 to bring to code, without a porch that would be another $40k.

As to the suite issue -- yes this sounds like a bit of an asshat neighbor, not likely the one who called...

You are forgetting that maybe a tenant of yours (now or previous tenant for prior owner) made a retroactive complaint once they were free and clear, so that future tenants don't have to live in a under-code suite.  That is the most obvious "tattler" to the city.. The second most obvious is a "concerned citizen" from 2+ blocks away that has taken it upon themselves to improve the plight of those poor tenants in Vancouver as a whole...
... and not your neighbor, especially if you were the only one called out for it on your specific block.   Neighbors like him are much more likely to call about outdoor issues like parking and unmown grass.

[FIFoFum]

There is a term for making "suggestions" to someone that act as "leverage" to encourage the person to make financial decisions to avoid a bad outcome or consequence.

Generally, this behavior is frowned upon, and it may be accompanied with substantial financial costs as well as diminished choice in housing.

[pudding]

I have to say that in the past, when I've come across similar situations to this one I posted about today, that putting a bit of a squeeze on someone worked out really well and got me the result I wanted.

Sure you're not winning the Mother Teresa award of excellence, but are you getting rich.

[arebelspy]

There is a term for making "suggestions" to someone that act as "leverage" to encourage the person to make financial decisions to avoid a bad outcome or consequence.

Generally, this behavior is frowned upon, and it may be accompanied with substantial financial costs as well as diminished choice in housing.

Also... passive-aggressive as hell.  Deal with the situation directly, or not.  His unpermitted addition has nothing to do with selling the properties, and shouldn't come into it.

[pudding]

There is a term for making "suggestions" to someone that act as "leverage" to encourage the person to make financial decisions to avoid a bad outcome or consequence.

Generally, this behavior is frowned upon, and it may be accompanied with substantial financial costs as well as diminished choice in housing.

Also... passive-aggressive as hell.  Deal with the situation directly, or not.  His unpermitted addition has nothing to do with selling the properties, and shouldn't come into it.

I wouldn't say it's passive aggressive. The term I think I'd use is covertly aggressive.

[arebelspy]

Also... passive-aggressive as hell.  Deal with the situation directly, or not.  His unpermitted addition has nothing to do with selling the properties, and shouldn't come into it.

I wouldn't say it's passive aggressive. The term I think I'd use is covertly aggressive.
[/quote]

An anonymous letter seems about as passive aggressive a thing as I can think of.

[LeRainDrop]

There is a term for making "suggestions" to someone that act as "leverage" to encourage the person to make financial decisions to avoid a bad outcome or consequence.

Generally, this behavior is frowned upon, and it may be accompanied with substantial financial costs as well as diminished choice in housing.

Also... passive-aggressive as hell.  Deal with the situation directly, or not.  His unpermitted addition has nothing to do with selling the properties, and shouldn't come into it.

I wouldn't say it's passive aggressive. The term I think I'd use is covertly aggressive.

Coercion?  Extortion?  Don't bet on it to persuade a jerk of a neighbor -- it may make him angry enough that he tells you to F off, makes the repairs to get his basement suite into code compliance, and holds out on the deal just to spite you.

[Linea_Norway]

Coercion?  Extortion? 

The whole situation reminds me of a good book I read years ago, that was about a hotel being built on a place where there was a row of houses. Two of the neighbours didn't want to sell. Eventually the hotel was built around those houses.
http://www.letterenfonds.nl/en/book/187/public-works
With a picture of the hotel:
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publieke_Werken_(roman)

[pudding]

There is a term for making "suggestions" to someone that act as "leverage" to encourage the person to make financial decisions to avoid a bad outcome or consequence.

Generally, this behavior is frowned upon, and it may be accompanied with substantial financial costs as well as diminished choice in housing.

Also... passive-aggressive as hell.  Deal with the situation directly, or not.  His unpermitted addition has nothing to do with selling the properties, and shouldn't come into it.

I wouldn't say it's passive aggressive. The term I think I'd use is covertly aggressive.

Coercion?  Extortion?  Don't bet on it to persuade a jerk of a neighbor -- it may make him angry enough that he tells you to F off, makes the repairs to get his basement suite into code compliance, and holds out on the deal just to spite you.

Coercion?  Extortion?  Don't bet on it to persuade a jerk of a neighbor -- it may make him angry enough that he tells you to F off, makes the repairs to get his basement suite into code compliance, and holds out on the deal just to spite you.
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I agree, it could back fire.. the way things are playing out so far is that the neighbours on the other side of me down to the corner seem to be keen and cooperative, thats not a bad thing for me as we have everyone from the corner up to me and then the others that want in are stranded on the other side of 'grumpy old man' next door.