We have all seen the test on CSI. The blacklight comes out and scans the bed. “DNA” is discovered and we later find out the victim was a part of a scandalous affair. The mattress held the secret and revealed the story.
The same is true in the REO business, the mattress tells the story.
Please look carefully at the photo of a property we serviced last week and notice the piles of mattresses. Did the previous owners really have that many mattresses? What is the truth? The truth is that these very likely did not belong to the previous owners. Who did they belong to? More importantly, how did they get there? The answer will reveal a tale of infidelity and careless regard to the ethics and standards of our real estate industry.
The home in the photo is located in a nice neighborhood. This is a typical vacant foreclosed home. A family lived here, took care of the grass, had family cookouts, had birthday parties in the backyard, the family lived and played here, enjoying its safety and serenity. For whatever reason, the family was forced to a foreclosure and vacated their home. The vacant house became a target to collect illegally dumped garbage and debris. The backyard that was once a protected and safe haven is now a hazardous dumpsite for unscrupulous agents, preservation companies, maintenance and rehab crews.
Why mattresses? Answer: MONEY. Waste Management charges $30 in fees to unload a mattress and box spring set. So, a “preservation company” cleans out the REO down the street and finds 5 sets that need to be disposed of. Taking them to Waste Management will cost $150 in material disposal fees, plus gas for the truck, crew wages, and the time waiting at the dump (could range from 1-3 hours), or… “Just dump it into the vacant foreclosure down the street and be done with it.” Illegal, unethical, and simply wrong. Unfortunately, we see this happen everyday. It’s not just mattresses we are seeing…tires, computers, televisions, dishwashers, stoves, etc.
As long as this continues…
- Chemicals found in mattresses that are decidedly not eco friendly: formaldehyde, polyurethane, petroleum based materials, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), and so on, will be piled high in family residences raising a slew of health hazards and concerns with consequences that are not fully known.
- Depreciating home values will be exacerbated: Have you tried selling a home next to a dumpsite lately?
- The hiring of preservation, maintenance and rehab crews who are giving “deals”, yet failing to adhere to the rules, regulations and legal standards of our industry, will continue to grow and cause severe consequences involving the safety and health of our environment (not to mention a huge black eye to the real estate industry in the perception that “realtors are nonprofessional slime balls, and truly only care about making a quick buck regardless of the consequences.”)
Again, if you are in the business of REO listings; make sure your preservation, maintenance and rehab crews- ALL OF THEM- perform every single task to not only the rules and regulations that are handed down by the asset managers, but also to a high ethical and moral standard, not to mention legal standards, of the jurisdiction in which you live and work. It is your ethical duty to do what’s right when it comes to the issue of household toxics. It is also your duty to inform the asset management companies you work with, that all local state and federal laws must be strictly adhered to in regards to any property regardless of status. If you don’t know the laws you may be quite sorry about the consequences. If you don’t believe me, you might try contacting your local Land-fill or EPA officer for hazardous chemicals.
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