Half a million dollars in fines
Over the years, Florida Realtor David Pipkin has racked up over $500,000 in fines for his properties in the Lake Morton area for which he now faces potential foreclosure, according to The Ledger.
Just since 2009, Pipkin has been fined over $200,000 for three of his properties after numerous neighbor complaints, one neighbor claiming rats scurry about one of the vacant properties.
Neighborhood services manager Brian Rewis says he doesn’t wish foreclosure on Pipkin, but the fines accumulating at a rate of $400 per day are followed up with status letters to his home address every six months.
Three troubled properties equals $200,000
In 2009, complaints began to roll in about 716 College Avenue, 748 College Avenue, then in 2010, for 749 Vistabula Street which has racked up over $100k in fines for damaged screens, rotten wood, and for the garage apartment in the rear of the property, plagued by a hole in the roof, broken windows and screens as well as rotten wood.
The College Avenue properties have been fined for damaged screens, rotten wood, missing siding, and a hole in one of the carport ceilings.
Vistabula property:
Click any of the images above to enlarge:
College Ave properties
$300,000 fined in 2003
In 2003, Pipkin had $300,000 in unpaid fines which he brought into compliance and paid a reduced fine of $7,000.
Neighbors are frustrated at the lack of upkeep and tell The Ledger it gives people the perception that the residents don’t care for the neighborhood, during a time when the community is attempting to “spruce up” the area.
Award winning brokerage
Pipkin works at Pickard & Pickard Inc. in Lakeland, Florida, a two man operation with roughly zero digital presence but is a small business award winner according to the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. Neither Pipkin or his broker have any complaints on file with the state and Pipkin had no comment for the local paper, and it is unclear as to why these properties continue to be fined for declining conditions.
