This is a question you really don't want to hear, and probably don't want to answer. But given what you've described, I think the possibility of drug use has to be considered. Is there any chance he could be using/dabbling in prescription drugs, or street drugs or steroids? Sadly, children who have money, but few financial responsibilities often find themselves tempted by pills that help them party, or make them feel better when they aren't. If he's not drugging himself or drinking, then you have a child with some serious problems with responsibility. You probably can't 'fix' him at this point, unless you're willing to be really tough and make him face teh consequences of his actions. I will warn you, though--keep bailing him out, and unfortunately you may find yourself in the same position as my in-laws. They had one responsible child, and 3 who were money pits. One--their only daughter--expected them to bail her out even after she was married. Her husband had a good job (6 figure salary) but it wasn't enough for her. Their bills were unpaid (FIL had to more than once pay the water/sewer and other bills to keep service on and prevent liens on SIL's property). When they needed a new roof? FIL had to pay for it. FIL had to buy their appliances when they broke. Eventually, SIL coerced her parents into changing their wills, making her their sole beneficiary--but she flubbed up, lost the new will, and MIL died intestate. But I'm getting ahead in my story. After FIL died, there was about $700 left for MIL's end care (she had alzheimer's). that included the house she lived in. Within a little over a year, SIL had spent a QUARTER OF A MILLION $$$. MIL was in a paid off house, being cared for by family members. SIL was spending her money on: family vacations, helping her brother buy a house, $200-300 restaurant meals, and all sorts of things that weren't for MIL's benefit. DH and I had no choice but to hire a lawyer to stop the hemmoraging. We're out of pocket over $20,000 in legal and forensic accounting fees at this point, the nighmare has been going on for 7 years, and is not over yet. I'm just letting you know one of the possible outcomes of helping children a little too much, and not allowing them to become responsible for their own bills, welfare and messes. Please--don't do to your son what my in-laws did to most of their children. Don't do to YOURSELF what FIL and MIL did to themselves. FIL ended up working as a plumber into his 80's--until he went into the hospital for the last time--to support his daughter, and his 2 deadbeat sons (I lucked out and got the one responsible one of the bunch, thank goodness). Look, it's a lot easier, to 'help' children who seem to need constant propping up. But the real help is when you let them fall a time or two, and to claw their own way back up.

My comp quit working and I finally got a new one. When we lived in Bismarck one of my DD friends won a trip for 4 to the MOA. The kids were about 9 years old. It had to be taken before school started and I was the only parent that could take them. I had only driven in Minneapolis one time before and I was following my husband then. One of the kids had an Aunt and Uncle who lived down there and he helped guide me a little bit. There were 2 girls and 2 boys who went. The package included 2 night stay in a Double Tree Inn, tickets to Camp Snoopy, tickets for the Aquarium and food at the Rain Tree Forest Cafe. I can't remember if there was anything else. I know this isn't very nice but I let the kids do anything they wanted at the hotel. The first thing one kid did when we got there was spill a bag of chips on the floor. We kind of made a disaster out of the room. The kids had a lot of fun. When we went to Camp Snoopy it was on the last day and I knew I had to drive the 400+ miles back to Bismarck and I was tired. I layed down on one of the benches and went to sleep. One of the security guards came over and asked me if I was OK. The kids got a laugh out of that. All in all we had a good time.

Sounds like an urban nightmare. What can you do?? First I would look for 2 or 3 trees of the variety you like best, 3 year old trees; and plant them in a part of the garden where you are in control. In a couple of years the new trees will begin to produce; and when they are big enough, you can let go of the older trees. Second, I would definitely prune back any limbs touching the new fence; after that you can reduce the height and let in more light at the same time using a method called "drop crotch pruning"... you can google that and easily learn how to do it. Personally, for oranges and grapefruits of that size, I would not lower the height by more than maybe 5-7 feet. You can repeat the procedure in subsequent years, if you wish more change. Next, give your trees a big shot of a good citrus fertilizer applied at the drip line/fence line and watered in deeply. Lastly, being in Florida, I would treat your trees with imidacloprid foliar application and/or soil drench 3 times per year; ask your local nurseryman or home supply store for the best product to use. Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide that is also topically active; but enters the plant tissues, killing any insect that sucks on or chews the leaves, without killing the beneficials. Unfortunately, it will not affect your seemingly obnoxious or uncaring neighbor.

Your home looks much more classic than McMansiony to me. You could extend the existing forward facing front gable to cover your steps as shown in the pic just posted by houssaon. That's where I'd stop; however, If you want to try to do more: ... If you create a shed roof just beneath the upstairs windows and to create a front porch across the full width of that part of the house, you will lose the visual appeal of the copper top of the bay windows so, ... if you want more front porch, you might consider extending the upstairs roof either as a shed roof two story front front porch or changing the front half of the roof line for a wide forward facing gable however, I cannot recall seeing a home similar to yours with the upstairs roof extended for the porch without also seeing a balcony above / in between the roof and the front porch -- and, a word of caution here, that may well be a structural as well as a decorative issue.