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Well, where'd the Pergo go?

This is the second home that I've had listed as a foreclosure property from which the Pergo flooring has been removed. It was kinda funny on the first one but this second one makes me wonder if it's easily transportable, sorta like a rug, and can be installed in a minute in someone's new house.

pergo here pergo gone

The first picture shows how the house looked when it sold for around $80,000.

The second one shows how it looks now as a foreclosure.

There had been lots of work done with replacement windows and siding and updated cabinetry and bath.

Now we're back to the original floor and it's pretty ragged.

The good part of me thinks that the owners probably had a leak which destroyed the flooring and they never replaced the Pergo. The bad side of me wonders if the Pergo is underfoot in another living space. The curious side of me wonders how hard it is to reuse Pergo.

It it just weren't for the first house where they'd definitely jerked up the flooring.....................

Posted by Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR on 10/10/2009 07:35 AM

Comments (30)

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pergo floors, reusing flooring, reo houses, foreclosures, white county arkansas, barbara s duncan, realtor

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30 Comments on Well, where'd the Pergo go?

OCT

Hi Barbara...my guess is that the Pergo flooring is now in another house....Pergo is not nailed....It's called a "floating floor".....sections are interlocked....easy to install AND REMOVE....much less expensive than a "strip oak floor"....

How interesting. I agree that its probably in a new home. I had a seller take all the light bulbs and cover plates to the light switches and outlets throughout the whole house. That struck me as odd too.

Its sad how desperate some people are. I am very thankful for what I have. Have a great day

Barbara - I've heard of pulling the rug out from under you...but the floor????

It's in a new home. I had one home where the sellers took everything and then went into the attic and cut all the wires. How do I know they cut the wires, they left the wire cutters up there I believe accidentially.

Oh my, we've had people strip the countertops and sink in one house. That was a shocker!

Barbara, people will remove what ever they can and resell or take it with them.

FYI - Pergo is a brand. Laminate is the type of floor that is usually a floating floor. Pergo is a brand of laminate floor.

Some lenders are prosecuting people who do extreme damage to homes or steal fixtures before leaving.

They took the flooring but left lighting fixtures? I guess with such a squared off room, the laminate would have been in nice straight strips. Maybe. But think of trying to lay used carpeting. It's never the same.

Barbara, Pergo type laminate flooring is so "cheap" with emphasis on the word cheap----seems like a whole lot of bother to take it all up and re-install it somewhere else.

Barbara, ha, ha, ha....

Where did the per...go?

lol, Deb

Hi Barbara..another shock and awe day in the life of a realtor. Yes, the people on the losing end are taking everything that isnt nailed down in some communities. They even have yard sales where they invite buyers inside... where they write on the walls: ceiling fan $30...Toilet bowl $50, Italian sinks $100 each...with big red arrows pointing to the bojects in the sale.

Of course, when you bring your buyers to preview, the house is vacant and some of the items remain...probably because the potential buyers were expected to remove the items themselves....When was the last time you went to a yard sale with tools? just like a u-pull salvage yard for car parts!

Glad you smiled through this one

Barbara, that may be a good guess. Perhaps that is why I see so many poorly laid pergo floors. The do-it-yourselfers don't know how to fix around the door corners. It makes strange noises when you walk on it. I didn't know it was called "floating" however. Thanks for comment.

Kim, the rest of the house was left nice and that's why I suspect there was a water leak or something that destroyed the floor. However, pergo seems indestructible.

Marilyn, that's a good description.

Kari, what a bad experience. I can almost see people taking some items but just deliberate destruction is bad. Did they steal the wiring when they cut the wires?

Wanda, that would have been shocking.

June, it does appear that way.

Michael, thanks for that info. I should have had that in my blog. I guess there are different versions of pergo.

Team Knowles, how do you get blood out of a turnip? That's an old Southern saying.

Kate, the fans are left. Because of that I think there must have been a water leak.

Charles, I've heard that pergo is almost as expensive as hardwood. But I'm sure there are cheap versions too. It must be great for animals who seem to live in all houses now.

LOL'ing with you, Deb!!

Eileer, that's an interesting story. We don't have that happening in our little town yet. I really didn't know this house had ever had the pergo floor until I compared the photos that I have with the ones from two years ago when it sold.

Fortunately, the listing agent at that time had a few good pictures. However, the sale before that one had nothing but the front of the house. Pictures are so valuable and I get so put-out with the agents who probably haven't learned how to do a digital camera.

Thanks for comments.

Barbara - I have seen a number of things taken from foreclosed homes. I even know of a home that had white vinyl picket fencing in the front yard, that was removed and taken. I've not seen Pergo ripped out before. . .I'm suspecting it was taken, not damaged.

The worst case however, was where an owner apparently was so angry when they were foreclosed upon that they flooded the house, and ruined the vintage hardwood floors through a number of rooms.

It looks like half the floor is wood, and the other half vinyl..did I miss something ?? (that would not be rare)

Myrl, that's bad if they try to take out their frustrations on a house. The house, for sure, is innocent.

Konnie, what's the new picture about? I don't see you, do I? Yes, the floor has original hardwood from back in the 60's on half and old linoleum in the kitchen area, probably original also. They had put pergo on top of all of it, apparently. One bedroom of the two still has pergo on it but it is buckled in one place. The old hardwood has lots of stains so would need refinishing.

I hate to even admit this but in the early 1990s, I had Pergo installed in my kitchen. Today, I wouldn't touch laminate flooring, ish, ick. But somebody must have thought it was valuable, so they swiped it. Good riddance, I say. Now the new owners can put in real hardwood. LOL.

Elizabeth, I personally detest pergo also. It is in our hallway at the office and the noise of the girls in high heeled shoes is awful. Plus you can slip easily and break your bones. And too much is put in poorly and looks terrible at the edges. But it is almost indestructible.

Godmother Barbara,

When I worked late at night with Mr Charles, he taught me how to remove unwanted copper pipe from vacant houses and crawl spaces. He said that people did not want the stuff anyway and we were doing them a favor. But I think transporting pergo would be hard on a squirrel.

Nutsy

OCT

I do not like to see what people can do to houses when they are in financial trouble. I think removing everything that is not nailed down including the floor, when you owe on the house is a sin.

Godson Nutsy,

You are hopefully keeping a journal of all these "Mr. Charles" incidents. One of these days he will see you in court and instead of your helping him weasel out of a tight spot, you'll just pull out this journal and he'll be nailed!

Won't that be a fun day!

Godmoma Ms Barbara

Carol, I see absolutely no reason to argue with you about that. Thanks for comment.

I used to have a hair stylist who had gotten in over her head buying up property when the market was hot and money was plentiful; unfortunately, she couldn't keep up with her expenses and started falling behind. She let her brand new house at the river go into foreclosure, remarked to me one day her sisters told her she should have stripped the house of all the appliances, hardware, fixtures, etc. before she gave it up because "she paid for it."

I remarked to her, "well, actually, if you HAD paid for it, you wouldn't have been foreclosed on."

The entitlement attitude is so invasive, it is overcoming common sense. Disgusting. I never went back to her after that.

Susan, I loved your comment and I loved that you changed stylists. That was a great come back for her remark of her attitude of having paid for it. How'd you get so many points with no blogs? I added you as an associate.

Godmama Barbara,

We need to keep a file on that vile Mrs Kate as well. When we nail her I will click my heels in joy.

Godson Nutsy

Okay, Nutsy, put her in a journal too! Perhaps we can get them nailed in court together....

OCT

On the other hand...

When times are tough many people will start selling off furniture, etc. If the home still belongs to them, then selling the pergo flooring is legal!

On the other hand....

I did a second opinion BPO on a foreclosure. They were missing door knobs, wall sconces, and a bathroom sink. This in a home purchased in 2006 for $1.3M. The holes in walls and missing items did very little to the value of this now $760K home. You would think someone who had the money to buy such a home would not be so crass as to stick it to the bank!

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