May 6, 2009

One more thing.....

The question everyone has been asking... why didn't we buy out the cottage from David...well, first off there wasn't a real clear opportunity for that. I'm sure he would disagree but once it went into the court it became the courts responsibility for managing that process. Did we want the cottage? Of course we did. Did we want to force David out? No. We wanted to create a legal environment for co-ownership of what was a "family" cottage. Buy out arrangements could have been made to make the transition to different ownership possible without any of the "dirty laundry" airing that went on. Guidelines and clarification of the "rules" would have been possible and perhaps, a happy arrangement could have been made to continue, at least for awhile the "family" cottage tradition. This of course would have been ideal. It would however required that the parties involved actually speak to one another. For reasons unknown to any of us, David refused to speak to us about any of this. He opted instead to channel all actions and information through his attorney. Why? My guess is that he was a bit afraid of us. None of us will really ever know. So, there is apparently a clear difference in opinion of "family". I'm pretty certain that both of my grandparents are rolling in their graves. Little did they know....

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really want to thank you guys for publishing this excellent blog. It is too bad that a discreet buy out arrangement couldn't have been reached. Since David was obviously the main, or perhaps only, malcontented one-- he should have been the one to get bought out. Yet there seems to be no justice, since he's the one with the cottage in the end, along with the mysterious "Radke Trust."

Anonymous said...

I think he's craaaaaaaaazy!

Anonymous said...

Joey, are you able to disclose what the final, agreed upon valuation of the cottage was? And were you guys at least happy with that?

I hope you can find another cottage in Lakeside eventually to buy.

Anonymous said...

I would venture to guess that most of the cottages in Lakeside are co-owned by tenants in common, extended families, etc. No doubt there is lots of similar frictions going in with other families. That is normal- but David's response/ reaction seems abnormal, borderline diabolical.

Joey said...

Sure I can share that information. Oddly enough, both my mother and uncle got appraisals of $665k. David then found an appraiser that decided since there were "critters" living inside this dump of an old cottage, (not winterized or anything) she arrived at $545k. (not a legal appraisal btw). The court appointed receiver decided that an "auction" would be appropriate and bids could start at 575k. He never finished the instructions on the bidding process and so the long answer is NO. We aren't happy about the price. It was hugely mishandled by the courts.

Just your under average blogger said...

Joey, one small correction, the original bid amount was set at $545.00 and were it not for our efforts, letter, and phone calls was it raised to $575.00 an amount that was still in difference to what the facilatator had told us he was going to do, but more on that later.

Anonymous said...

Yeah- it figures David would try to whore down the price once he decided he wanted to get rid of his siblings and/or their children and own the place outright.

Joey said...

He sure did that. The courts were NO help at all. Once it was in their hands...it was messed up big time. Course the court appointed mediator/receiver was supposed to go up and look at the place. He never got there. He also never got around to figuring out the actual process for the sale. It was a BIG mess.

Anonymous said...

What a grand idea, get rid of all your siblings, nieces, nephews...while at the same time steal the family gift all at one time....How can he sleep at night?

Anonymous said...

He can sleep cause he doesn't give a shit what or who says crap about him. He probably can take the heat because in 20 years or so he won't have to worry. He's a greedy old man that wants what he wants and doesn't care what happens to the people he takes it from. What a piece of SHIT!!!!!!