As you may or may not know from reading my previous blogs, my husband and I have been on the hunt for our first home for a few months now.  It’s been quite the adventure to say the least.  I have learned a lot along the way and there is one subject that I would like to talk about… home owners and their lack of responsibilty!

It’s been amazing to me to go into fairly modern housing developments with spacious single family homes, to see that the houses are in ruins.  These are homes that were not too long ago, gorgeous.  There, of course, is a difference between losing your job and not being able to afford the upkeep of a large home versus just being a lazy slob.  I can always tell where the lazy slobs live.  Those are the ones that can’t even bother to clean up the trash in their yard or control the weeds and have sheets for curtains. 

I’m sorry, but you have no business owning a home if you don’t have anough motivation and sense to at least take care of your investment.  Usually, I say “to each, his own”, but in this case, what you do effects everyone around you financially.  Unless you developed some medical condition and have bad circumstances, then there is no excuse.

I was in a Dominion housing development and passed by this home that had potential to be lovely.  The houses on each side were well kept.  This house, however, looked like the garage door was used as a shield in a war!  It had dents all over it and was hanging at an angle.  It clearly didn’t work anymore.  Through the open gap you could see piles of what looked like wall to wall garbage inside.  Outside wasn’t much better… trash and miscellanious crap strung about.  There were two young and healthy looking teenage boys out front playing around.  It made me think about my days growing up… if that were me, my parents would have made sure I had that all cleaned up immediately.   With two strong boys living there, why isn’t that place cleaned up?

I think it should be mandatory that if you are a homeowner you must abide by rules to keep your property clean and appealing.  I’m not saying it needs to be spotless or completely in tip top shape, but just that there should be rules about people turning homes into eye sores.  If you can’t take care of your home, then you have no business being a home owner.

Another thing that just kills me… is going into these foreclosure homes and seeing the condition people leave them in.  I went into a home that was at one time a $180,000 home.  It had close to 2,500 square feet and a very unique spanish style architecture inside with massive vaulted cielings and archways.  I walk in and all the carpet and flooring is gone.  Almost every wall is infected with mold, has holes, and dirt/scuff marks/stains.  The mold problem was really bad and freaked me out just going inside.  Many of the cabinets had been ripped out and the appliances were missing.  The outer garage door was gone and a massive piece of plywood blocked it off.  The home had been reduced to $95k, but my agent said there was no way the bank would ever get that much with it in that condition.

That was just one of the many destroyed homes I have seen recently.  Just completely neglected and mistreated by home owners that just don’t care.  Many of these people who lose their homes become hateful and veangeful towards the bank who is taking it back.  Why?  It’s not the banks fault that either you screwed up and weren’t responsible or that you had some terrible life altering situation and you can’t manage any more.  Why punish the bank just because you are screwed?  The bank is simply trying to cover their backs so they don’t end up like you… bankrupt.  They are simply doing what YOU AGREED TO in your contract.  You can’t blame the bank for what’s happening to you.  I can’t understand why these people who end up in foreclosure can’t just vacate with some respect and grace.  Don’t try to make everyone else suffer along with you.

I had an interesting thought the other day while checking out a neighborhood we like.  I feel like this point in time is an opportunity for change and sort of… well… a “cleansing” period.  People who never should have had homes are being forced out to allow people with some sense to take over.  Now before you go cussing me out… please know I do not mean that statement towards anyone who has suffered circumstances beyond their control.  I realize a lot of people out there are suffering and being evicted because of things they had no control over and I truly am sorry for them.  I am only talking about people who somehow got a home, had no intentions of maintaining it from the beginning, and just decided screw paying the mortgage.

I spoke with an older woman in that same neighborhood.  She had been there since it was first developed in 1996.  I asked her how she fealt about it currently.  She said “don’t let the less appealing houses around here scare you away. This really is a great community.  Most of those people are losing their homes and won’t be here much longer. A lot of them have already left and we really don’t have any problems in this area.”  She then proceeded to point out the homes that were previously foreclosures and are now being renovated and made like new again by someone with some sense.

It’s just sad to me.  People just don’t take pride in their investments and their lives anymore.  They don’t care about their neighbors or if they live like slobs.

This also got me thinking… I hope that with all the tax credits, grant programs, and foreclosures… that we don’t end up putting more idiots into these homes that won’t take care of them.  I truly hope we don’t see a major downfall in quality of neighborhoods because people with lesser income get in there and can’t afford the upkeep.  I think part of the problem is a lot of people who buy a home have that “apartment mentallity”.  Meaning, when you live in an apartment you don’t have to take care of anything.  There are no upkeep expenses besides your rent.  So these people move into a house, not realizing that if the roof goes bad, they have to pay for it.

It’s a sad state we are in.  Just another topic to add to my long list of disappointments.