FREE FOR THE TAKING? Free stuff... come on.. just read me to find out...

With the increase in foreclosures and short sales has come the increase in vacant homes. With these vacant homes has comne a free for all of sorts. The people trusted to inspect them, appraise them and show them are helping themselves to items lft behind as well as the neighbors, friends and people just driving by.

When i get a new listing and it happens to be vacant, the first thing doen is to secure the properties by changing the locks, locking the windows and boarding up any that are broken. The second thing done is to take a picture of the house, rooms, yard and everything in them.

The sadest part is i have come back to see workers stuffing their trunks or the neighbor dragging the hose and pool eqipment accross the back yard to all the flowers dug up and nicely planted accross the street. of course this is better than arriving at the house to have the furnace, hot water heater, appliances or all the plumbing removed.

Welcome to the new wild west, however it is not in the west, it is in your own back yard, down the street and throughout the town or sity you live.

The other problem is where it is vacants other agents think they can come and go without appointments and it is ok to give the lock box code to their potential buyers. well it is not ok, windows are being left open, doors are being left open and more items are walking away.

So the moral to my story is to ask before entering, do not take what is not yours and if you are a neighbor and think it is abandoned, simply ask the listing agent, if it is just going to be thrown away by all means you can have, but dont assume, mak sure you ask, becuase each of tiose items being taken is lowering the value of that home, that then lowers the selling price which then lowers the value of your home and your neighbors.

Please look out for your neighbors and report anything suspicious.

Thanks all....

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WRITE DOWN YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH VACANT HOMES.