I live across the street from a home that is in a potential short sale scenario.  In less than 2 years of ownership, the owners have taken a lovely home & decimated it...hideous colors, a non code compliant red roof, dead lawn outside, and on the inside--more atrocities.  It has been on the market for many months listed by an out-of-town realtor, sight unseen.  Two days ago, in response to another neighbor's concerns about the property, I called the agent & asked: what is going on?  Candidly, but courteously, I told her that the home is in great disrepair, that the price is too high given the condition & competition, etc..  She replied that the city has already contacted the owners about code violations & that the owners don't want to deal with the property.  Nonetheless, it appears that our conversation had some effect.  Yesterday, the owners were seen at the house emptying it of some of the garbage & the price was reduced $40,000.  Let's hope that those initiatives are the beginning of the end to that sale...and that we soon get good neighbors!