‘We were shocked’: Couple hit with problem while trying to sell land in New Mexico

By John Cardinale

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Vast nothingness for miles is what makes Edgewood New Mexico so serene.

“We used the property sometimes on the weekends. Just go by and enjoy nature,” said Celia Namvar

But sometimes in the quietest places, peace doesn’t seem to exist.

“We were shocked,” Namvar said.

Namvar no longer lives in New Mexico, she and her husband have been trying to sell their piece of property in Edgewood, but they have a problem.

“It began to get serious with the language that he was using when he decided to write derogatory things on the wall of his house,” Namvar said.

Messages written on her neighbors property, saying go away, buyer beware, and some too explicit to show.

Namvar said she never had a problem with the person next door.

“Now that we’ve received a lot of inquiries into people trying to buy it, he just got angry and frustrated and he started to deter the buyers,” Namvar said.

Namvar thinks she knows why the messages have been displayed.

“I think he really wanted to purchase the property, but not at the price that we were asking,” Namvar said.

Target 7 went to the property in remote Torrance County, there we met the man behind the messages.

“If anybody else put themselves in my shoes, they would understand. I was very, you know, apprehensive about what who might end up living back there, because, in the past, there have been a lot of problems with people in having a neighbor from hell,” Jan Zacharias said.

Zacharias admits he wants to buy the property, but the price is too high and he’s offered to buy it at the price they originally bought it for. He said his messages have been put up for a different reason.

“The problem is, is it goes through my property, but I can’t deny access to that property in the back,” Zacharias said.

Zacahrias said the problem is the property is on an easement. With his property in the front, he is wary of having a new neighbor as he says the easement comes within 15 feet of his house.

“I have to count on them to keep the gate closed for my horses. Who knows what kind of friends they might have. And they are coming close to my house, always. It compromises my security big time,” he said.

Because the messages are posted on private property Zacahrias is within his rights.

KOAT legal expert John Day said the owners could file a civil suit.

Namvar said she is going to do that, but she would rather have Zacharias call her and figure it out together.

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