Minneapolis Foreclosed Properties – Squatters Take Over
As a licensed REALTOR® since 1994, I’ve seen many scenarios in the housing market.
The last few years have produced unprecedented high numbers of foreclosed properties. Most of the time, those properties are left abandoned by the previous owners. Once the bank is the owner of the house, they arrange for the house to be “vacated”, meaning all of the furniture and “stuff” left behind is disposed of. So, most of the time, when we show homes that are bank owned or lender mediated, they are vacant and empty.
But, once in a while, we find residents living in a house that’s supposed to be vacant! I’ve entered homes to see several people running out the back door. Or, there was the time I walked in to the lower level of a split entry to find a “guy” passed out on the floor. That was scary because I was alone and I didn’t know what might happen! I left right away and called the police. The guy took off before they got there, slipped out the back door. I’ve walked in on people doing drugs. And, one other time, I was showing a house that was supposed to be vacant and a barking dog ran down the stairs and started snapping at us. The house was a mess, littered with laundry, trash, dirty dishes and moldy food. There were dog feces and urine everywhere as well as 4 or 5 residents that weren’t supposed to be there. These illegal residents are called “squatters”. The only way to get them out is to implement legal proceedings to do so.
This is one more reason for neighbors to stay involved in their neighborhoods when they spot suspicious activity. If they know the house should be vacant, they should report activity to the police. It may be new owners, but the police can check it out anyway. It will keep the drug activity to a minimum. And, real estate agents will keep their clients OUT of these houses, not only for their protection but for the agent’s own protection as well.
Take a look at this article to see how this is impacting homes for sale in Minneapolis cities.
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Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.
I have done showings where I ring the doorbell, unlock the door, yell several times, see the main floor, check out the basement, go upstairs (yelling “hello” as I go up), only to find someone sleeping in one of the bedrooms!
If someone steps foot in my house I would be up and finding out what was going on instantly!
Some people!
1What an alarming thing to encounter, with or without clients! I would highly suggest you carry with some defense (i.e. pepper spray or mace) to protect yourself and your clients if you encounter this ever again.
The unfortunate reality is, 1 of every 9 homes are vacant and with the economy still struggling in areas, the reality of encountering this again could be very likely.
2