@doschicos , yeah, ugh. And we’re getting ready to put out several more $K’s for house, roof and deck cleaning and resealing so this $2400 hurt.
But THIS is why folks need savings. Unexpected expenses. Which these days can be HUGE.
(just waiting for an appliance to conk out, it’s about time)
Yes, especially when it comes to home ownership. I am always surprised when I see folks purchase a home and neglect to maintain it given the investment they have made. I know sometimes unforeseen circumstances happen but sometimes it is a case of reaching beyond one’s affordability level. I remember from the article, the author seemed to have that problem with much deferred maintenance on his home. It also sucks to be the neighbor of a neglected house.
Just checking in…
Has Neal Gabler still ruined it for everybody who can’t come up with $400 in an emergency?
It also sucks to be the neighbor of a neglected house. >>>>>>>>>>>
Yes, it does. We are experiencing this.
It’s especially bad if the neglected house houses rodents and undesirables, which our friends have to deal with. After writing a pointed letter twice to the owner of the property, they at least got the overgrown vegetation cut (it was coming over the property line and shedding on their yard, PLUS rodents).
Speaking of neglected houses I came across this interview with Neal Gabler which shows his home. It is pretty run down and he says that he can’t afford to fix it and he would lose money selling the house in its current state.
http://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/486413/overcoming-the-shame-of-talking-about-finances/
I sincerely hope it was worth it dollarwise to Gabler to expose himself and his family to so much public scrutiny and humiliation.
I watched the video @AlbionGirl posted in #1005. I don’t want to sound uncharitable but I think there is something else going on w/Gabler besides his financial issues. That house is a mess. The clutter and stacks of crap in and around his home office, on the bookshelves…I can’t imagine not tidying up at least a little before having cameras in my home. As far as the state of his house, a cedar shingled roof is very costly to replace and obviously not a home improvement project that can be tackled by the Average Joe. But the Average Joe can buy some paint and the necessary items to do some repainting to avoid rotting window sills and porches. It’s a shame to see a major asset deteriorate like that.
Thank you for saying that. That’s not “disrepair.” That’s just being a slob. Huge difference.
^^
He is too busy meeting with reporters, which is probably also more profitable. Would not be surprised if he staged his home.
Honestly, putting that house on display, in that dilapidated and “hoarder-like” state, struck me as a cry for help. I don’t mean financial help, but major depression type of help.
If you visited a friend you hadn’t seen for a while and the house looked like that (inside and out), wouldn’t you be worried?
Idk, maybe he has always lived that way.
I’ve wondered about the depression thing, maybe for his wife? Obviously projecting, but the stories make it sound like she has never worked and given their financial issues, that seems strange to me. I’m surprised the family is ok with all the sharing and telling and selling of “the story”.
More details on his butcher friend and dealing with the costs and sacrifices needed to take care of an autistic child would have made his original story more compelling, honestly.
@AlbionGirl, thanks for the link, It was good.
You’re welcome @dstark 
Eh, I know lots of writers with offices like that. And I didn’t think the rest of the house looked that bad inside. The outside, yes, but projects like that dry rot can be overwhelming, emotionally. You just don’t know where to start and slapping on a coat of paint is just whitewashing a bad situation.
I’d hardly call him a hoarder based on his office. I think that’s going too far. And would it really be better if he “cleaned up” just to impress PBS? I dunno. I’m the type of person who cleans up before the cleaning service arrives, but I’ve also known a lot of true hoarders and they typically live in filth in addition to lots of “stuff.” I don’t see that here.
He clearly doesn’t care about everybody judging him, but I feel really bad for his wife and daughters. Some of these comments just confirm my fears for them. 
Ugh, do we really have to turn this into a Neil Gabler thread again? The topic itself isn’t big enough?
It is easier to attack somebody who is not the problem than it is to find solutions to major problems.
I think people who keep their homes messy like that are pigs. Not talking about the outside dry rot - that’s a big job and requires professional services and cost $$. That inside? Give me a day and I’d have that organized. That cost nothing to do. It takes very little to set aside a weekend and straighten yourself up. Unless you’re clinically depressed. Maybe he was / is.
The “solution” to NG’s problems involved having his wife work, not buying a house in the Hamptons, setting a budget and living within it, and not raiding a 401k for a wedding. They are simple easily identifiable solutions. The solutions to the lack of jobs for middle class America are entirely different.
I guess I am a pig. 
Note to self–rescind any invitations to PG!