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PEOPLE ARE ROBBING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS... HELP STOP THEM

Homeowners and real estate agents unite! Many neighborhoods are suffering from the gutting of vacant homes. AS agents, we have seen homes stripped of cabinets, lighting, doors, pool equipment, AC systems and more. Sometimes this is done by frustrated/mad homeowners losing their house. It is also being done by opportunistic thieves.

As homeowners and agents we need to try and put a stop to this activity. Gutted homes destroy property values in the entire neighborhood, creates blight and hightens criminal activity.

Thief It is high time we, as homeowners and real estate agents, get involved in creating a solution. I would ask that all agents inform the surrounding homes if you have a vacant listing. Advise these people to be on the alert for suspicious behavior. Some of these crooks pose as bank representatives contracted by the bank to clear out the home. Banks do not do this, thieves do. Advise the neighbors to call the police immediately if they see trucks, cranes (the use cranes to remove AC units) and strangers removing items from a vacant home. Please advise them not to intervene directly, leave that to law enforcement.

If the neighborhood has a WATCH program, put together a special meeting to advise the homeowners of the problem. I am sure many real estate agents would be happy to provide a list of vacant listed properties and update that list as new homes come on the market

The future of our neighborhood and our personal home values are at risk. Together we can make a difference!

Gene Urban

Posted by Gene Urban on 07/17/2008 10:18 AM

Comments (10)

homes, theft, foreclosure, neighborhoods, thieves

Post is included in group: Realtors®

10 Comments on PEOPLE ARE ROBBING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS... HELP STOP THEM

It is a terrible shame, but there is no way to tell who the possessions actually belong to. If you were to catch them anyhow.

07/17/2008 10:26 AM

by Fort Myers Florida Homes, Deanna Casalino, Remax Realty Group (Remax Realty Group)

Gene, thanks for the exellent blog and poignant reminder to all agents who list a vacant property. I have never had the experience of either vengeful owner or neighborhood thief defiling and/or robbing a property. However, there has been a spate of copper stealing from older homes in our area. I will be careful to mention the possibility of this unfortunate occurrence when my next vacant house listing comes along.

07/17/2008 10:28 AM

by Roseann Annis (Prudential Homesale Services Group)

Good post Gene. This is happening here in Florida too. If people are selling new construction, ask the builder not to install the appliances until closing. Also, most keyboxes now have a way of tracing which realtors show listings, so as agents we should make the question "did you notice anything unusual" as part of our showing feedback.

Neil G. Blair-Bennett
Broker-Associate
Alliance Realty Group
14090 Metropolis Avenue, Suite 206
Ft. Myers, FL 33912
Cell: (239) 645-3798

www.TheMoneyTrein.com

07/17/2008 10:29 AM

by Neil G. Blair-Bennett (Alliance Realty Group)

Banks seem to have little interest in preserving the homes they foreclose on. Its really sad.

07/17/2008 10:34 AM

by Michael Creel (Brio Realty Inc.)

Great Post Gene. Good foood for thought to motivate us to be more aware of what is happening, not just there' but across the country. We had a big wave of "pure vandalism" in several vacant NEW homes this past month. The good part, they were caught. The sad part, they were 13 and 14 years old.

07/17/2008 10:35 AM

by Linda Mae McCannon (20th Century Realty)

Excellent post. We had a client's heatpump walk away, less than 1 week after putting it on market! Sad part of the story is the home is being sold because the owners son was in a car wreck and is now paralyzed so the father must move in to take care of his son! Write/call/email your state representatives and ask for stricter laws regarding scrap metal sales today!

07/17/2008 10:36 AM

by Mark Brian (Silver Star Real Estate LLC)

Very good idea. My neighborhood does not have a lot of foreclosures...but overall everyone needs to pay attention to this.

07/17/2008 10:38 AM

by Chuck Carstensen (Re/max Associates Plus inc)

I can only say this disgusting!!! Neighborhood watch programs are important for a variety of reasons. Keeping our children safe is the number 1. I don't think it has to be a formal watch - just if neighbors take care of one another...

07/17/2008 10:42 AM

by Joan Wexelbaum (Hamilton Mortgage)

Yet another reason to work with short sales... Many agents shy away from it.. but the extra effort to negotiate a short sale is worth it to avoid having a vacant home on a block, vacant homes will bring down the value of a neighborhood fast.

07/17/2008 10:44 AM

by Robert Rauf (REMN The Real Estate Mortgage Network)

Gene, this is happening every where isn't it!? It seems to me that neighbors could help. What ever happened to those neighborhood watch programs? I have shown more than a dozen homes that have been stripped of thier AC units and copper pipes which hurts both the home owner - present and future

07/17/2008 11:30 AM

by Birmingham Alabama Real Estate, Stephen Wolfe (LivingInGreaterBirmingham Team of Powell Properties)

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