Foreclosures are sad ...

Foreclosures are sad and we've all been through one form or another of sadness where homeowners are concerned.  But let's ramp it up a bit shall we?  

Would it resonate differently if it was your childhood home?

That strikes a different chord doesn't it?

What kind of feelings does that produce in you?

Some of you 'tough guys' out there would just say a 'house is a house'.  But there are others out there, like me, that it brings up things that are totally indescribable.  

Well, as you might have figured out it recently happened to me.  Actually about 60 days ago now I was going through the latest foreclosures in the area and I notice that street that I used to live on.  I actually thought it might have been the neighbor that never really kept up their house across the street.  You know the type, the guy that never mows the lawn until you can't see the front bushes.

I have vivid childhood memories of the neatly trimmed lawn that was always the greenest on the block.  Flowers, bushes all neatly manicured and well taken care of.  My parents worked hard.

So what happened?

When I drove up in the driveway it was anything but that!  What could have possibly happened that the front eaves had a giant hole in it and the front gutters were falling off this house.  I even think the roof line might be compromised! What made these people no longer care?

Going inside the house the only explanation of my feelings is 'shell shock'.  The home couldn't possibly have been cleaned for many years.  In fact, the paint was so dull and greyed in the kitchen that I'm betting that was the same paint that my parents had used just before they sold over 13 years ago.

Care just wasn't anywhere.  Not a corner, not a nook.  This home was over-used and abused.  

I braced myself (camera in hand) to see more of what I already knew was there.  From the bright red painted walls, graffiti on the blackboard paint, pet stains on all the carpet.  From experience I already knew what the house was going to look like and I kept telling myself that it was a good thing to see.  An awareness of what is actually happening to many families across the country. This was literally 'hitting home'.

I still can't describe how I feel or the emotions that visiting has brought up.

What I can say is this is no longer my childhood home.  To me it's just an empty shell that wasn't taken care of by the previous owners for whatever reason.

I will always remember the lush green lawn, the beautiful trees and happy childhood memories!


Foreclosures are sad .....