MURRIETA/TEMECULA/MENIFEE CA. REAL ESTATE - CAMERON WILSON

 Everywhere you turn these days it seems the topic of conversation always turns to Real Estate and the high number of foreclosed properties coming on the market and most people are concerned about the value of their home and the neighborhood they live in. Every time I list a Bank Owned Property (REO) the neighbors always ask about the home as to it's condition, what is the price and am I going to do anything about the lawn as it looks terrible. My response is I will do everything possible to get the property cleaned up as quickly as I can.

 This past week my partner and I received 6 REO listings in Murrieta Ca. so the work began to get the properties ready for market and one of the first things to be done after the re-keying of the home is to post notices that the property is Real Estate Owned (REO) along with the no trespassing notice. We then get our vendors out to give bids for repairs, lawn clean up and trash out of the junk normally left behind by the previous owner or tenant.

 The neighbors usually seem happy at this point as they see activity at the home that has become the eyesore of the neighborhood but then a very peculiar thing begins to take place in the middle of the night and when the morning sun rises on the REO property of the neighborhood it exposes the junk and trash that the neighbors have dumped in the middle of the night. Vampires of trash?

 There is not a neighborhood immune from this phenomenon as it happened again this past week to one of my listings and this time the property was located in a gated community in Murrieta so the extra expense amounted to $225 that I will pay for and then wait 45 to 60 days to be reimbursed.

 All of us as homeowners are in this market together, as there are very few areas of the nation that doesn't have a high number of foreclosed properties, so please stop and think before you become a Vampire of trash in the middle of the night.

 All of us at times get lax when it comes to our personal safety when we go about our busy days and those of us in the Real Estate Business are no different than anyone else and at times we take things for granted as after all it's just another day but we can never ignore to do the things necessary to insure our safety.

 Today an agent in my office went to show a vacant property that is bank owned (REO) and her first mistake was not letting anyone know where she was going and the second mistake was she ignored the signs in the property that someone may be living there illegally. There was food on the kitchen counters and toiletries in one bathroom that looked fresh but in her excitement to show the home she ignored them.

 Upon entering the master bedroom with her buyers she showed them the large bathroom and then proceeded to open the door to the walk in closet and lo and behold there was a homeless man hiding inside. Startled by the unexpected encounter the agent and the buyers made a hasty exit out the front door followed by the intruder who ran down the street in the opposite direction.

 Fortunately no one was hurt today with the exception of some rattled nerves so please use this as a reminder to always be prepared and put your safety first especially when showing vacant properties.