Jan 28 2009
What to expect with foreclosures
Having toured about 20 vacant foreclosures in the past few weeks, here's a gambit of what to expect if you are considering a purchase:
1. Kitchen appliances: Usually anything that could be removed and sold is gone.
2. Winterized properties: Most have all the utilities shut off, so confirming that power, water, and sewer are operational is going to be a chore.
3. Floor coverings: About 9 out of 10 either have thrashed carpet or areas that are bare to the subfloor.
4. Partial remodeling in progress: Aside from the kitchen being appliance-free, many have missing cabinets, missing cabinet doors, missing countertops, mismatched cabinets. Baths can have any number of items removed…or maybe the toilet is in the living room.
5. Sheetrock damage
6. Broken doors: Usually the front door was forced for entry, often side doors or patio doors are boarded from the inside due to being forced. Trim is often missing from door frames.
7. Broken or missing windows
8. Nasty odors: One property had a bedroom that had been converted to a "dog room" complete with wall-to-wall carpet.
9. Landscaping: If you are fortunate to have anything left in the yard other than the prior resident's trash and furniture, it's likely weeds requiring a machete to get through.
10. Mold: If it's not the carpet, likely the bathtub has black grout.
