Forgotten but not gone

Chase · #1 06-16-2008, 07:44 AM

By MAUREEN MILFORD • The News Journal • June 16, 2008

After the house next door to Amy Selheimer near Newark went through foreclosure, she approached a civic association member about the unkempt yard of the vacant house.

"It wasn't outrageous, but I wanted to know: Hey, who's going to keep this up?" Selheimer said.

The answer was that Selheimer and her neighbors could take turns mowing the lawn. So, for a brief time, the neighbors mowed the lawn and mulched.

Neighbors, homeowner association leaders and public officials increasingly are finding themselves cleaning up the mortgage-crisis mess, literally, as houses fall vacant during transition to a new owner.

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witchofthedogs · #2 06-16-2008, 08:38 AM

A huge word of advice to anyone who even thinks they may become behind on their house payments - contact your lender.

No bank wants to start foreclosure proceedings. They are long, expensive, and, in the end, cost the banks more money than attempting to develop a "work-out" deal with the borrower.

Contact your lender before you go into default (or, if you already are in default, contact them now). Don't wait for them to start foreclosure proceedings before you act.

wendy · #3 06-16-2008, 09:26 AM

HEY! I know Amy Selheimer and that is an absolutely beautiful neighborhood, with a lot of restrictions. I give the neighbors a lot of credit for taking care of the yard, they have HUGE lots in Thornwood. Not only are they taking on the risks mentioned in the article but that is a lot of extra work for them when they have a huge yard of their own to take care of. Not to mention the yard waste ban. Who will pay to have the yard waste from the empty house removed?
I'm glad they said that the county was responsive but I wish he had gone into more detail about what the county has done.

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Dreamear · #4 06-16-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendy

I'm glad they said that the county was responsive but I wish he had gone into more detail about what the county has done.

I'm not sure what the county has done but I do know the neighbors did not have to take care of the yard or anything else. All Counties have a code, if the grass gets so high (or you have too much trash in your yard etc) anyone can call the county. The county will come out evaluate the property and give notice to the owners (even banks) they have so many days to take care of what needs to be done, otherwise the county will do it all and charge for it.

Tradewiz50 · #5 06-17-2008, 06:47 PM

Banks do not want your home! It is the last thing they want to do is let the property go to a sheriff sale. I've bought 3 foreclosure properties in the past as investments. When the title was transferred the county had to send out a officer to evict the previous owner and his family on one property. Cleaning them up is another mess all together. I haven't bought another foreclosure in 4 years.

But, in Delaware the foreclosed owners have usually 9 months before the NCCPD comes knocking on the door.

Forgotten but not gone

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