Protect us from foreclosure vandals

Protect us from foreclosure vandals

It is no secret that our country has a massive home foreclosure rate, but who would have predicted that it would also have happened in affluent DuPage County? Bloomingdale, not to be overlooked, now has some 200 homes foreclosed ranging in value from $200,000 and up to $1 million sitting empty.

Most foreclosed homes are left in good shape by their former owners. This isn't always the case, as some of those foreclosed are vandalized by their former owners before they leave. Cabinets and kitchen appliances are removed, as well as doors to rooms and their rugs and various other items deliberately damaged or removed. There is even one area home where a former owner ripped out the air conditioning unit releasing the Freon into the atmosphere, a federal offense.

There seems to be no procedure presently in place to inspect and document a home's interior on the date of foreclosure in order to have legal evidence against the ex-owner in case he or she decides to leave it vandalized. It seems building and zoning departments don't have the legal right to do so nor do mortgage companies have any such inspection plan in place.

It is of the essence that such a plan be worked out as foreclosures continue to rise. Banks will lose money as they eventually have to discount vandalized homes. In turn, discounted homes will bring down the value of others in the area whose owners have loyally kept up the area.

By having brought down the value of their former home by vandalizing it, they will only have turned it into a handyman special whose owner will in turn be paying lower monthly payments as a result of a lower purchase price.

Walter Santi

Bloomingdale