Distressed properties are not fun to inspect on so many different levels.
Once you get past the initial curiosity, one must face the reality that the condition of the house somehow reflects how messed up we can make our lives. Behind all the "theories" of failed mortgages in the media, is the harsh reality of the people's actual lives----making the "reasons" seem kind of shallow----and in themselves a sort of emotional/cultural bankruptcy.
Sometimes when I am wading through the debris of a severely distressed property I can't help but think about whether I should be dressed in "hazmat" gear or not. Instead of the customary taking off of the shoes at the door, it becomes more about making sure I leave them on.
Today's adventure was about as bad as they get in terms of filth. There were pet feces (if not something worse) everywhere. All interior surfaces where totally distressed. To know that the only thing missing was the inhabitants made the scene even more horrific.
Seeing rodent activity within any home is not uncommon, but is pretty much guaranteed in these severely distressed properties. There were several attic spaces all packed with years worth of the owner's belongings----most were riddled with rodent tunnels, feces and nesting materials. Nests made of family photos and stored clothing.
While finding the carcasses of dead rats is very common, I had never found anything quite this large and dead in an attic space before.
My first reaction (kept to myself) was to wonder why it didn't stink to high heaven (I also wondered, to myself, how the inhabitants could have lived with such a stench). I am pretty sure my buyer "freaked" more than I did----but he was already aware that we were very likely looking at tear-down. For confusing reasons, we were greatly relieved to find that, rather than being some dead cat or something, it was merely another sign of the "dead-ownership."
It is always the mental picture of the children of these distressed properties that bothers me the most.
Charles Buell
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My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
This was distressed. You must have had more fear here than on the roof-tops!
I had the unfortunate luck to find a deceased pet in a cupboard over a refrigerator in a foreclosure years ago...how horrified my buyers were!! Such a horrible thing and so many unexpected victims in a poor market!
Barbara, after these inspections I am not sure what is more distressed---the house----or me:)
Samantha, that would be yucky to say the least! At least my buyer didn't have to recover from an "actual" critter.
Hi Charles. I have seen dead cats, rats and mice, but never a dead snow monkey! That is a rare beast, and rigor mortis has set in. Hope all is well with you! - Ray
That is so sad to see the stuffed monkey and to think that a child played there once and it was left behind. What a mess things are sometimes!
Charles,
I know how icky my clients and I feel after showing some of these properties. It has to be much worse for you, I am sure. Never found a dead monkey tho.
Charles... Good post. I know exactly what you mean about people living in filth and squalor. I did a house last year that was so nasty, I went out and put on my coveralls and gloves. I could not fathom how people could live in those conditions. The floor was so sticky with shi.. that I thought that the bottoms of my shoes were going to come off...
I really can't believe how filthy some people actually live. I just can't imagine this.
Ray---my first snow monkey as well:)
Sharon, some of these house are like if you could imagine going to work one day and then just never going home. What would people find at your house? Pretty sad. I wonder if we knew the whole story of where the people are now it would make it any better/easier?
Rich, the crawl spaces in these places are ALWAYS the pits.
Bubba, I am glad to hear you are "spectin" now instead of "Bubizing" things all over Tennesee:)
Very sad. Yes there are so many homes where you know you need a shower after being there. We carry around large containers of the gel to "wash" ones hands. And also gloves.
John, there is a large "3rd-World" hidden within the abundance of America.
Bob & Carolin----good idea.
OOPS! Now don't cha tell the boss man, he'd get real POed at me ifen he new I was playin home inspector an all... He just might give me da boot...
I have yet to see a dead animal, like samantha and ray above, but I did have a buyer ask me that today. I have seen many toys and it makes me really sad.
Bubba, maybe you need to look in the mirror in the morning and remember which hat you have on:)
Jane, here is another classic picture from a "distressed" property that tells a story" or "asks a question"
WOW .... I sure did think the first picture was a dead cat and then I was in amazement that you would post a picture of the dead animal....THEN reality came to light!!!
Sean Allen
Also, thanks for commenting on my Post!
Sean, I think anyone when they first see this thinks it is real----I couldn't even tell till I flipped it over in the attic (with a stick:)
Pam, they do have sort of a "haunted" feel to them.
Yeah.....it's a shame to see the remnants left behind...the children. Oh...the children...and the innocent that are suffering.
Sally, thanks for commenting. I wrestled for some time trying to decide whether to post this to your group----what do you think? While it is not the happiest of topics it is thought provoking I hope.
I used to work at a county morgue... still remember the smell, never forget it. Anyway, enough memory lane. I was happy to see that it wasn't a dead cat! ~Rita
Beeboy,
Your calamity would have been easily remedied if you had an assistant. Make fun, tease, ridicule him all you want but Nutsy would have been your first line of defense in that attic.
There were a lot of "signs" that he had already been there and went in many places.
Charlie - Why were yYou were monkeying around on the job???
I'v had my share of dirty jobs though nothing like what dad goes through. I do remember one job that involved a damp basement, a putty knife and an unbelivably large collection of fossilised cat poo. But as I recall I was kinda working for you on that job remember? No? well I can't forget. I wonder if that makes me the early stand in for Nutzy... who needs a rodent when you have a son. Hehehe...
Charles, Oh my, it is horrific what people are going through but really horrible to see how things are left. I know I have seen much on the news and we bought a rental house years ago where the owner left the rooms piled full, mostly her kids clothes and toys. It seems opposite of most of the foreclosed properties where the house is stripped of everything even the carpet sometimes. God bless you Charles, I really don't think that I have the stomach for your work.
What a stressful inspection it must have been for you. It is good to see that you could still find a little bit of humor in the situation, but I hope you don't have to do too many more of these.
Carol, isn't it my job to "monkey around":)
Klee, I suspect I would have been right down there on my hands and knees as well----at least to show you how:)
Cheryl, yes, I see them both ways, from everything gone including the kitchen sink to everything left like they never came home from work.
Ilyce, humor always must remain in all things:)
Oh my goodness, Charles. I went from "EWWWWWW" to "awwwwwwww." I hate to see neglected homes.
Margaret, at some point neglected homes can be equated to neglected lives:)
Charles, that is pretty nasty stuff! Inspecting a few of these each week could make me turn to anti-depressant pharmaceuticals.
Patricia, or at least crank up the dosage:)
Here is a pic from a "distressed" inspection yesterday:
Nasty mummy you got there Jim