A Villager claims a rebuffed buyer reported deed compliance violations at his home after an offer was rejected.
John Davis originally listed his home at 1988 Dove Hollow Run in the Village of St. Charles for $859,000. He thought he had a buyer on the hook, according to information he submitted earlier this month to the Architectural Review Committee.
When the potential buyer realized that the home was not in compliance due to landscaping improvements made without approval from the ARC, the buyer realized he had the upper hand.
“He demanded an $80,000 price discount, which we rejected and so he brought this complaint in retaliation,” Davis said in an appeal for an “exemption” from the ARC.
When Davis refused to budge, he claims the soured buyer called Community Standards to report the violations.
Davis bought the four-bedroom two-bathroom house in 2010 for $406,000.
He admitted that in 2015, he installed a paver pathway on the side of the house and that the pathway does not comply with the property line.
“It is worth noting that our next door neighbor likes the pathway and it is aesthetically pleasing,” Davis told the ARC.
That same year, he put in a small 3-foot water feature that flowed to a small pond that recirculated and a 16-inch wooden bridge over the flowing water.
Davis has confessed that he went beyond the original ARC application.
“To make the entire front yard more visually appealing, some beds were installed that were not included in the original application process,” he said.
For more than a decade, the improvements to his property have not been an issue. But then he put the house on the market.
“For the past 11 years, there have been no complaints by neighbors or any issues whatsoever. The recent complaint was made by an individual whose bid to purchase the house was rejected, and this prospective buyer’s complaint is pure retaliation,” Davis said.
He asked the ARC for an “exemption” for his improvements. The ARC has rejected that request.
Davis has cut the asking price for the home to $814,900. Photos of the home in the real estate listing appear to show the home remains out of compliance.