But that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and do nothing while the home deteriorates and attracts unwelcome criminal elements. Here are 10 things you can do to protect your neighborhood from the fall-out of foreclosures.
1) Read the Bank's Posted Foreclosure Notice
Banks often hang a notice of default and information about the foreclosure in the front window or on the door. Sometimes the notice will contain the date of auction or trustee's sale. Write down the telephone number and address to keep for future reference.
2) Search for Signs of Abandoned Foreclosure Pets
Because some home owners can't take their pets with them, they leave their pets behind, either in the home or in the back yard. Peek over the back fence and listen at the door for sounds of activity inside. If you find abandoned foreclosure pets, immediately call your local SPCA or Humane Society and plead with the organizations to rescue these helpless pets.
3) Don't Park a Vehicle in the Driveway Without Permission
Just because the home is abandoned does not mean you can trespass, even though you may mean well. Your car could be towed without notice. Although your former neighbors may have asked you to park in their driveway while they were on vacation, they no longer own this home. Call the bank and ask for permission in writing if you plan to park on the property.
4) Collect Mail and Discarded Newspapers
Little says "nobody lives here" than a pile of mail, magazines and newspapers cluttering up the front steps. To prevent mail from scattering across the yard or sending a message to criminals, pick it up and stack it in a box in your garage. Sooner or later the home will be listed by a real estate agent, and you can give the box to that person.
5) Mow and Water the Lawn
One of the first things banks do when adding a foreclosed home into their bank-owned inventory is winterize the home. It's called winterizing whether it's done in the summer or winter, and it involves shutting off the water. Use your own garden hose to water the lawn and mow it at least once a week.
6) Call County Authorities About Foreclosed Homes With Swimming Pools
Many county agencies maintain departments that will deal with abandoned swimming pools by putting mosquito-eating fish into the pool. Don't drain the pool because it could cause the pool to crack or sink into the ground. I once saw a treated pool that had green lizards living in it, ick, ick. It's better than turning the area into a mosquito haven.
7) Make the Foreclosed Home Appear Occupied
If the flower garden is dying, deadhead spent blooms. Fertilize. In the fall, rake the leaves and gather them. Pick up fallen fruit from fruit trees. In the winter, shovel a path to the front door and clear snow from the front sidewalk or driveway.
8) Report Abandoned Personal Property
Sometimes unoccupied homes become dumping grounds for unwanted furniture or abandoned vehicles. If your former neighbor left personal property behind or you spot new items showing up in the yard, call your local city departments and ask them to remove the property from the premises.
9) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
If you haven't started a Neighborhood Watch Program in your area, consider doing so. You can contact the National Sheriff's Association or your police department for literature on start-up procedures and obtain Neighborhood Watch Signs to secure to the door. Besides, this is a good way to get to know your neighbors and collect their phone numbers for emergencies.
10) Report Suspicious Activity to the Police
A disturbing trend that is increasing with alarming frequency is the stripping of foreclosure homes. Vandals break in and cart away everything that is and is not nailed down. This includes appliances, light fixtures, HVAC systems and even copper plumbing. Don't try to stop them. Just call the police.
