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Check on your vacant home or it could cost you!

Have you ever had a seller call you interested in selling their present home and buying a new one? Of course we all have, but the seller says, we would like to kind of just start looking around while we fix our present property. Then a wonderful thing happens, within 2 days you find them their dream home, and they just can't wait and buy it.

This was the situation I was in recently with a client. So, they decided to keep the old property vacant so they could go back and get it fixed up and ready to sell, like they originally had intended.

It has been over two months since the day they moved out of their old house and in to their dream home. With the holidays and all the snow, they just haven't had a chance to get back over to the old property to start the fix ups they had planned. So, imagine their surprise when they get a water bill for $400 and an electric bill for $750 on a vacant home.

Well, of course they thought a pipe had broken and they had left something on that just was sucking the energy like they had never seen. So imagine their surprise when they got back to their old property to see 4 hoses hooked up their house all going next door with the water on full and then 10 extension cords going from their storage shed to the house next door's garage.

This house was in foreclosure and the owners had their water and electricity turned off and were using my client's house to heat their house and to light their Christmas tree lights. WOW, talk about theft! My clients called the police and took lots of pictures. Of course there was not much my clients could do as the auction was the day after they found all this and the neighbors are now gone and nowhere to be found. It seems even the police has lost track of them.

So, if you have vacant home please check it from time to time or you may get a nasty surprise in the mail in the form of a really high energy bill. Now, it could have been even worse had these people broke in to the house and decided to have taken residence, but still $1,150 in bills was enough for this retired couple.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Posted by Todd Clark (Broker) (503)524-9494 (Beaverton, Oregon Real Estate Expert) on 01/18/2009 12:57 AM

Comments (16)

Vacant Homes in the Moving Channel

garden hose, water, electricity, stealing, vacant home, moving, neighbors, foreclosure, money

Originally posted at: Living Beaverton - Your guide to everything Beaverton: Check on your vacant home or it could cost you!

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16 Comments on Check on your vacant home or it could cost you!

JAN

Todd...Amazing! At least all my condos are occupied!

Good tip for those agents that do have vacant homes, especially in an area that might have an uptick in foreclosures.

Yet another sign of the times....that we all hope will be changing soon!

Todd, I had a rental property where the neighbors were doing this. I'm sure this is happening quite a bit.

Dear Todd,

That is incredible advise and very timely! Yikes!

Barbara

I had never thought of that one. I wonder when my neighbors are going on vacation.LOL, Scary-Dinah Lee

I don't know what to say but WOW. It never would have occurred to me to be concerned about the neighbors.

It amazes me that I see so many vacant properties, it seems like about 20 to 30 % in my area appear to be vacant. And we wonder why banks want to get rid of these properties at any cost?

That is unbelievable! We have to check up on vacant properties for fear of pipes feezing in the winter, but I have never seen, heard or thought of this one. The other reason that we have to check up on vacant properties is for insurance reasons. Most insurance companies insist on proof that someone was through the property at least every 48 hours if there is ever a claim. If you can't prove it, they may not pay for any damages.

Another reason is to ensure that you don't have "guests". A relative of mine left a home unoccupied while away only to come back and find it completely trashed. The cops said that for the amount of damage done, the party had to have lasted several days. Some of the damage was REALLY disgusting.)

My opinion is that a good listing agent keeps tabs on all of their vacant properties. No, it may not be your responsibility, but an agent that is organized and stays on top of things with be much more successful, and most likely avoid these types of situations!

I had a home we were showing yesterday flooded in the living and kitchen areas. A pipe had froze and thawed. Not a REO just vacant.What a mess when I called the listing agent.

I never am surprised at what people will do. We had a vacant home that had copper piping. We did not regularly crawl under the home to check the plumbing. Thankfully, the water was turned off. An offer was accepted on the home. When the home inspector asked about the piping, we were surprised. The police say that it is not uncommon - especially because of the high cost of copper!

This is a new one on me, Todd. Very creative (and desperate). Now, I think it's arguable whether it is the listing agent's or the homeowner's job to check on the property if the owners are still living in town.

It amazing what people will do...I have had tenants in my apartments do the same thing to their neighbors with the electricity and cable, so I'm sure if I didn't pay for the water they would have done that also......peace zane

That is terrible, I don't know how people think that is ok. Another reason its so important to check empty properties!

Unbelievable Todd, how sad for your client. I have two (vacant) foreclosure listings that I check on every week. So far the worst that's happened is water in the basement due to a clogged outside line.

People never cease to amaze me.

Good Grief! As soon as the weather starts to turn, our broker always reminds us to check on all of our vacant listings. Most are builders but it is still a good habit to get into. I haven't heard of water or electricity being stolen before... takes all kinds...

Oh I have stories but yours was a great example in itself.

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