Neighbours react to Kelowna home with ‘for sale’ sign claiming neighbour is ‘a-hole’

Warning: Story contains strong language

Neighbours in a Kelowna community are reacting to an unconventional `for sale’ sign at a house that has gone on the market because the homeowners claim they are fed up with a neighbour.

Kane Blake, the homeowner, has posted a sign that reads: “Home for Sale by Owner, Because Neighbor is an A–hole.”

“I think it’s a great sign to be honest because it actually discloses to anyone who wants to buy this home that there’s a problem in this neighbourhood with this one person,” Sharon Gaudry, Kane’s mother-in-law, said.

Gaudry said the neighbour started harassing the couple when they moved in five years ago.

“He’s been victimizing, bullying, harassing this family, my family,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He's been victimizing, bullying, harassing this family, my family," she said.

Gaudry said she worries for the safety of her grandchildren.

“One of the grandchildren rides his bike to school. We’re not allowing him to ride his bike to school anymore because we are in fear,” she said.

Some residents in the area say the neighbour frequently and frivolously calls bylaw officers on the family.

“He’s just targeted them, he’s accused them of all kinds of things which just aren’t true,” neighbour Sandra Ainsley said.

The neighbour in question declined an interview, but his friend Keith Kish said he’s shocked by the sign — both its profanity and its message.

“It was unbelievable. I couldn’t understand why the RCMP was not here forcing him to take it down immediately,” Kish said.

“That is something that should never be put up in any neighbourhood.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That is something that should never be put up in any neighbourhood."

“There’s five schools in the area here, and that’s something kids should not be subjected to. What does that teach the kids?”

Kish voiced concern about bylaw enforcement in the area. He said officers aren’t doing enough about alleged infractions involving home-based businesses, speeding and erratic driving.

Bylaw officers could not be reached for comment.

Neighbours in the area had mixed feelings about the sign.

“It’s pretty funny actually, I thought it was funny,” Ainsley said.

“It’s not the kind of thing you like to see in a neighbourhood. You like to see everybody get along,” neighbour Terry Schlaht said.

Kane said the reaction to his sign has been largely positive.

“I’ve had people take photos with the sign, I’ve had cars stop and take pictures with the sign, everybody loves it,” he said.

Despite the warning on the “for sale” sign, Kane said the family has still received offers on the house.