Living After Foreclosure

Abandoned houses attract a lot of things: partying teenagers, mice, rocks through the windows, the elements.

Now, with the houses rotting away in varying states in the foreclosure process, these houses are now attracting black-market commodities dealers.  The houses are broken into and stripped of their copper pipes and wires.  Copper has quintupled in price over the past three years, making it worth the risk for thieves.

Needless to say, pulling out plumbing does not improve the chances that a house will be sold.

Parties responsible for the properties are aware of the problem and trying to prevent further reduction in the homes’ values by posting signs like “No Copper Only PVC” on the house.  This reminded me of a walk through New York City one time.  Some cars parked on the side of the road had signs like “No Radio — Thank You” in them.  (”Thanks for breaking into the car next to me.”)

“No Copper.  Thank you!”

• Recognizing the signs of a family facing foreclosure Free Money Finance recently had an acquaintance of his go into foreclosure, and the signs of trouble were clear in retrospect. People don't advertise that they're facing foreclosure, at least not outwardly.  Even if money is getting really tight, people can compartmentalize the worry when they're interacting with others.  One......
• Interview with Larry Winget on the foreclosure flood JLP of All Financial Matters had a six-question interview on the housing crisis with reality TV host, speaker, and author Larry Winget. Mr. Winget hosts the A&E show Big Spender and has written several books on personal finance, the latest of which is You're Broke Because You Want to Be.......
• HUD tips for avoiding foreclosure: Part 1 The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has some good advice for people that are in danger of losing their home through foreclosure. Here are a couple of items from that list, with some discussion. Don't ignore the problem. "The further behind you become, the harder it will be......
• Now we have to worry about our neighbor's finances This article by Liz Pulliam Weston, entitled Foreclosure Nearby?  It's your problem, brings up the "friendly fire" aspect of foreclosures:  a foreclosure nearby hurts everyone in the neighborhood, not just the personl foreclosed on. A neighbor who's in financial trouble probably is worried about their house, but it's almost certain......

• Painting 101 Here are some things that you want to know in order to improve your capability for painting. Keep reading if you are planning a painting project and want to improve your chances of doing it successfully. Begin by taking off every switch and wall outlet cover. Tape the screw to......
• Review of Renovating Old Houses George Nash's book, Renovating Old Houses - Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes is a wonderful resource for those of us that are living in aging homes. If you're trying to recapture your home's fading glory or you just need some tips on how to easily fix common issues in......
• Tips for Selling a Home in a Down Market These continue to be the worst of times for home sellers. The rate of foreclosures has fallen, yet RealtyTrac.com reported in early March that the number of homeowners facing foreclosure in February 2010 still was six percent more than in February 2009. That six percent was the smallest annual increase......
• Lake House Design Considerations Buying or building a lake house for full or part-time living presents unique home design considerations.  Sometimes you do not realize what those design differences are until after the fact. My wife and I are at our lake house this weekend. As we spend more time here by ourselves, we......