CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Houses are flying off the market these days - but a Florida woman said a big pile of trash was not just stopping her from selling her Cape Coral home, it was costing her money.
A duplex on SE 24th Ave in Cape Coral is for sale, but this eyesore of a mattress, old furniture and the takeover of flies is making it hard to seal the deal.
Carey Acosta requested Waste Pro pick everything up April 26th.
“They scheduled everything, and they never picked it up, and I since found out that I have a citation,” she said.
The City of Cape Coral sent her a code violation because eventually the trash spilled into the roadway.
“But, why is that my fault? Why are we being fined for something that you know is a problem?” Acosta asked.
The property belongs to her dad, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. So, they decided to sell his home and move him in with her. They found a buyer, but can’t close on the home with an open citation.
She said initially Cape Coral's code enforcement department offered advice she couldn’t follow.
“And then the gentleman suggested, oh, just shove the garbage back in the garage, and then I can clear the citation,” she said. “I had to pay somebody $550 to move this stuff to the side of the street, and I live in Miami.”
Acosta’s broker Kerry Constantine has worked in the real estate industry for more than 20 years and hasn’t seen anything like this.
“For code enforcement to cite a homeowner for something that’s beyond their control is pretty bizarre and not very fair if you ask me,” she said.
After Fox 4 reached out to the city, a spokesperson sent the following statement:
Since the property owner lives out of town and has no means to get the trash and debris picked up, one of our Code Officers will be cleaning up the property along the roadway.
Waste Pro picked up the remainder of the bulk trash Thursday afternoon. The City of Cape \Coral says the violation has been closed. If things go as planned, Acosta and her dad can close on their property Monday.
