Helpful neighbor!

[Shield Arc]

What a story...and a nightmare....but a riveting story...(feel bad for your pain though).

Do you happen to know if she was one of the "bidding war bidders" that ultimately ended up losing out when the Alaska seller said he wanted you to have it at the realtor listing price? If she was willing to grossly overpay to buy that 5 acre parcel originally then maybe she indirectly felt she had money to waste on trying to steal that 1.3 acres from you as a consolation prize. Only thing I can even remotely think of that makes any semblance of sense. She may have thought that you would not spend the 30K to fight her and for the amount she was going to overpay on the original 5 acres that she could simply put that amount of money towards trying to at least obtain the 1.3 acres as a second choice consolation prize.

Not much else that I can think of that makes any sense at all. Short of mental illness not much else makes sense because all her actions defy common sense.

That is a thought, but I doubt it very much! I don't think she has any money to speak of. Another reason I say this, when my surveyors were laying out the 660-feet line every 150-feet or so. My buddy who is a retired heavy equipment operator, who was going to run the dozer I had coming the next day to cut that road you see in the pictures, so my fencing contractor could work. My buddy asked her if she was going to have a fit if he got on her side of the stakes accidentally. She through a little hissy fit. We kind of got into it there. I told her she had just as good of a chance to buy the 5-acres as I did. She replied she didn't want to buy it! I replied no you just want to steal it.
None of this would have ever happened if I could have got her to stay somewhat remotely on her property. I had every intension of leaving at least a 150-feet green belt between us. All I had planned at the time of purchase was clearing a section on the north end for a round pin for the horses, and a lay down area for my crap. She kept trespassing the first year, even though the barbwire fence was up. Then she sued me! And had me in court several times for different things. Falsely accused me of moving survey stakes, falsely accused me of beating her up! Now cuts my fence down! The way I see it, there is nothing this woman won't do, until the law makes a believer out of her!

 

[sdkubota]

Haven't read throuh all of the posts but would offer this advice to anyone putting in a fence...place it exactly on the property line. In most states that causes both landowners to share in the costs of installing and maintaining but more importantly a fence creates a perceived boundary. Most legal property lines are determined by existing fence lines regardless if they are perfectly on the property line. When establishing a legal boundry it is based on the historic perceived location not the location that can be established now with GPS equipment. Boundary/property law is fairly complex but generally is determined by original intent or delineation.

 

[sdkubota]

Shield Arc, I think you already answered your query on what to do with this mess.

Her sewer is not to code. Where does YOUR water come from? Ok, she's lower than your place, but what about the adjoining 5 acres? Her sewage will compromise ANYTHING it seeps to. That's a given.

Have your lawyer research this and consider making her an offer- sell the place for pennies on the dollar to you and she moves out immediately, or someone makes a report to the county and state health. The complications of ground water contamination are immense, Shield Arc. Now we're talking not just the county health, but state as well. Then the EPA may be interested. The state Department of Environmental Quality (or the Washington equivalent), then state Fish and Game (since there is a live stream the seepage will affect), and if any nationally protected aquatic inhabitants (fish, frogs, snails, worms, etc) are at risk, the US Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Services, then the USGS, POSSIBLY the USFS and BLM and any other government agency that has anything to do with anything that may be in contact with the contaminated water. Dude, I'm not joking around- this is some very serious crap. So either she sells out dirt cheap or she can lose far more than just everything.

I suggest you find a hydrologist or a civil engineer that likes beer and after a simple "trade" see is he can advise you. Certainly, before buying anything, consult with one of those two. There is a chance that if the contamination is already bad enough, you can do yourself some major world of hurt buying her rat shack.

Man, when you start messing around with ground water, that's a beast of a whole new species.

Be extremely careful and cautious before bringing governmental agencies into the discussion. Government has never been known to help a single problem and usually causes many. I know, I am an engineer.

 

[moguldave]

I have had the same issue in WA, and now in MD. I adopted hedge line battles that were not known to me...but it was clear the beautiful hedges were older than 10 years and had already established the line.

Not on the subject note though; why would anyone use barbed wire on a horse boundary? I've been in the horse business for 40 years, and that only spells dissaster for you, but you can put the knackers and vets children through college with that design.

Been having a running battle with a neighbor for 8-years now. Year after we bought this 5-acres next to us she sued us for adverse possession. Cost me $30,000.00 to beat her in court. She appealed to the state court, and lost there.:laughing:

Last week she cut every strands of my 630-feet long 5-strand barbwire fence, rolled it up and through it way on to my property:shocked:. Bent most of the T-posts over. And top it all off................Admitted it to the cop my wife called out! She said another County Sheriff told her if my fence was on her property, tear it down! Oh this is going to be fun!:licking:

 

[classacthollow]

It would probably be good to install (in an inconspicuous place) a trail cam so you have some of the BS on video.

 

[satellite]

She wouldn't tear up another of my fences. She would be arrested and I'd press charges. A few trail cameras and a video camera should prove everything in court.

 

[flowerlady]

I am curious to know why she thought you had attained the property unlawfully.

 

[flowerlady]

Ah, excuse the question. Just read the previous posts. Sorry.

 

[HardlyWarcane]

That is special type of crazy you have there---maybe "bat sh%t" or "nucking futs", can;t be sure without a blood test.

You say it cost you 30,000 for the first court case!
Have either of you thought to hire a servaor to see who's property it is!
Land titles keeps these record!
You just bought perhaps your property stakes are in the wrong spot.
In any case she should sue not do will fill damage!
How far off does she say your fence is feet, yards or miles?
The land doesn't look like it is being used , not like either of you is farming right to the line!
Your just wasting money fighting!

 

[peh999]

Document...document & document.... and then video it all. Sue her for emotional strees and criminal tresspass. Then file and attach her property for payment.

 

[Shield Arc]

Not on the subject note though; why would anyone use barbed wire on a horse boundary? I've been in the horse business for 40 years, and that only spells dissaster for you, but you can put the knackers and vets children through college with that design.

No the horses were never allowed down there! The pasture is about 150-feet away from that barbwire fence. The pasture is fenced with panels like in this picture, back then I had electric ribbon fence in front of them. Horses have been gone for years now, granddaughter lost interest in horses when she discovered boys.


Hopefully we'll here something from the prosecutors office this coming week. The sheriff department must have got the message across to her, she hasn't touched the fence in almost a month now.

 

[Bill the Elder]

I picked this thread up from the August newsletter, I don't post here (or anywhere for that matter) much. When I found out you were in WA state I thought maybe you had property near one of our neighbors. But no, all that rainfall and lush greenness tells me you're over on the coast.

Sorry for your trouble but I guess if there were no problems like this living rural, everybody would want to live the lifestyle and you know where that would end up. Over here in Okanogan County we know we're all a little crazy but most of us aren't "padded cell and medication nuts".

We've got landowners on one of our lines like yours, we've worked really hard not to set them off. Like someone said very early on, there is just no way to deal rationally with crazy.

I will trust that this comes out well for you. From what I've read it sounds like you've done everything you can in an honorable manner. Stay strong, this too shall pass.

 

[aczlan]

You say it cost you 30,000 for the first court case!
Have either of you thought to hire a servaor to see who's property it is!
Land titles keeps these record!
You just bought perhaps your property stakes are in the wrong spot.
In any case she should sue not do will fill damage!
How far off does she say your fence is feet, yards or miles?
The land doesn't look like it is being used , not like either of you is farming right to the line!
Your just wasting money fighting!

Might want to read through the thread. All of those points have been covered. Her surveyor marked corners, his surveyor checked corners and marked the line every 150'. He built a fence, she claimed that the fence was on her side of the line, HER surveyor came back out and agreed with Shield Arc as to where the lines were and she went to court anyway.


Aaron Z

 

[Shield Arc]

All the woman needs is a tape measure. In the northwest corner of my 5-acres is a survey stake with the surveyor's number on it. Before any surveyors came out, a buddy of mine, and I measured 330-feet south to that little Hemlock tree in the top of this picture with the orange band painted around it. I turned and said to my buddy, Jack lets call this corner for now. Little did I know at that time I was standing right on top of her northwest and my southwest corner survey stake. It was buried with about 8-inches of leaves, and dirt.
She tried her best to steal 1 1/3-acres from me through the court system, and lost. I have know idea what she's trying to pull now!:confused3:

 

[bladesx]

This sure sounds like Dementia / AZ scenario. Having had to deal with it 4 times. The last 2 were very difficult. Little stuff at first, then paranoia set in, progression to memory loss not far behind that.

 

[moguldave]

Sorry, I made an assumption....and,i know what that spells....good luck!

 

[SmokehillFarm]

I hope this works out well, though from my perspective it won't be right unless you're reimbursed for the 30K (plus) that you're out. Being a rather vindictive character with a long memory, I'd make this a priority, one way or another. I am not as kind or tolerant as you, which is probably a character flaw in me.

I was born and raised down in Pacific County, on Willapa Harbor, but left for the Southeast Asia war games & never went back, and part of the reason was that sometime in the 60s & 70s the entire character of the State seemed to change, and the nut level seemed to rise drastically. One of my uncles up in Poulsbo claimed that all the rain melted the brain cells of those unaccustomed to the wet climate, but I'm not sure there was a lot of science behind his theory.

A lot of very odd people seemed to move to Washington during & after the 60's, and perhaps your peculiar neighbor iss one of these unfortunate imports that gradually seemed to replace the good, solid stock of farmers, aerospace workers, fishermen, oystermen & lumbermen. I used to visit every few years, between military posts, but gave it up in the 70s and haven't been back since. Now when anyone asks where I was from, I just say "Virginia," since I've lived here a lot longer than my 18 years in Weyerhaueser country. Sure do miss the greenery, and real mountains, though. Out here, what they call mountains are little more than hills.

 

[Ross71]

Ok, I'm no proper psychologist, but here's a thought that might help people understand apparently crazy people.

In Britain(where I live) we have folk we call Bull****ters. They lie a lot. Not little "get out of trouble" lies but socking great big "I used to be in the special forces for twenty years but it was so secret I have no photos, paperwork, old uniform" sort of lies. I've had to deal with a few people like this over the years, and I have a theory about it. In their mind, they aren't actually lying(although they do know that they are), they are telling you what, somewhere inside, they think ought to be the truth, if only life had treated them the way they think they ought to have been treated.

Sometimes, they will tell you that something is definitely going to happen for them,( new car, new job) when it is only what they hope will happen. Chance, on occasion, will give them what they have told you they will be getting. Then something in the mind makes a wrong connection. The idea is planted that if they can convince enough people that something will happen, then it will happen.

Such folk often have some peculiar ideas about what they should be entitled to. Even though they can't afford what they want, they still think they deserve to have it.

Say you have a '67 corvette in your garage that you use on weekends. John, our crazy, despeately adores such cars. he has this idea in his mind that if only he had a gorgeous bright red 67 corvette then his life would turn out fine, like in a movie. He'd have the car, the friends, win the race and get the girl. He starts to think " you have the car I desire, and deserve. You don't really need it or use it, or look after it the way I would, therefore really I deserve to have your car" He doesn't want to steal your car, he can't buy it, he just wants it. And he hopes that because he deserves it, the car will be given to him.

If this woman is convinced that she deserves some of your land, then everyone who says she can't have it, courts, surveyors, you, are all trying to cheat her out of what she deserves. Such people are so self deluding that they cannot be reasoned with or argued with. you might think you are getting somewhere talking to them, but in the mad bit of their mind where the little cogs go upside-backwards, nothing changes, because that part of their mind is simply unable to accept, the realm truth of their situation.


We had a situation a few years back, where we bought a piece of land, but were not immediately able to stock it. Someone approached my wife to ask if she could graze her pony on our land. I had misgivings, but grudgingly agreed for a peppercorn rent and repairs to fences etc.and that they had to have public liability insurance on the horse. Oh they assured my wife they had insurance. From the name of the insurance co. I guessed it was insurance for vet bills.I asked regularly to see the insurance certificate, , and was fobbed off "tomorrow, tomorrow" My wife told me I was mean and suspicious. After a little while the rent wasn't being paid. When I spoke to the woman and her boyfriend about it they told me what a lovely piece of land it was, how much they appreciated it, how happy they were that the pony lived somewhere so nice, how much their children loved visiting every day..... My wife told me to be patient, we didn't really need the money.

A couple of days later I heard from a neighbour of their's, they were telling people that I liked them so much, and the way they looked after the pony, that I was going to give the piece of land to them:shocked:

I gave them 48 hours to quit my land. When they didn't, they told me I couldn't make them leave legally, as the horse was on the land and they had nowhere to go. They were telling all their neighbours that I could never make them leave, or pay rent. But in a small village you can't say things like that and expect they won't get around. Fortunately my wife finally saw that I'd been right about these people. They charm, they lie, they tell you what they think you want to hear.

Ross