Woman Says House Next Door Is So Ugly She Can't Sell Hers

Your home may be the biggest investment you ever make, and you work hard to keep it looking its best -- but what happens when your neighbor doesn't?

It's become a major problem for Mary Lee of Reidsville, North Carolina, and now she's fighting back.

The house next door to Lee is on Irvin Street in historic Downtown Reidsville. It has boarded-up windows, a porch that is falling apart and debris everywhere. Lee says she's been living with the problem for more than a decade.

"It's preventing me from selling my home and moving on with my life," she said.

The kicker? Lee says her neighbor also raises bees in the backyard.

"The city says we have no ordinance against him having the bees," she said. "Hundreds of bees, hundreds of bees that we have to deal with."

A realtor says it will be next to impossible to sell Lee's house if the property next door remains the way it is.

"I've gotten an attorney," said Lee. "I've gone to the historical society because we are in a historic district. I've gone to city council meetings."

Reidsville Mayor Jay Donecker says he feels sorry for neighbors on Irvin Street, but his hands are tied. The owner of the house is meeting basic requirements and the house is structurally sound.

"He's been able to use the system to do just enough improvements that we cannot do any actions against him," said Mayor Donecker.

Here's the irony: Lee had a metal carport built on her property, and she says the City of Reidsville made her take it down.

"I got a letter from the city telling me to tear it down because it did not conform to the historical standards."