As we hear of more people falling into the seemingly endless pit called foreclosure, we are finding out that people are taking out their frustrations and anger out on the very places they called home.
They are literally trashing the houses, which will ultimately cost us all in some way or another.
We went to a house on East 17th Street in Chattanooga so see for ourselves the damage that so many realtors are talking about. We found people taking desperate measures in desperate times.
Crye-Leike managing broker Cindy Walker took us on a tour of the house, beginning in the bathroom. We find walls literally ripped open where fixtures and plumbing were taken. The sink is laying on the floor because the vanity was taken.
Walker says this is becoming far too common, and it's costing the banks that now own these homes a lot of money.
"Typically on a national average, they're loosing about $50,000 per home. Back in the 80's when I started doing this they were loosing an average of $25,000," Walker explained.
Look around and you'll see light fixtures gone, and wires hanging out of walls and floors. This house is just one example, and it gets even worse.
"Sometimes they will strip a house down to the bare studs. I mean sheet rock, bathtubs, all the kitchen cabinets, everything totally stripped out of the house," Walker said.
Just outside, we find an empty concrete pad, where the airconditioner once sat. The wires and plumbing still dangle from the walls.
Back inside, the attic ladder was ripped out leaving a gaping hole in the ceiling - the electric wiring in the attic is gone too.
As are the kitchen appliances and counters.
You've heard the old expression, take everything and the kitchen sink? Well in this case that applies because the kitchen sink is gone too, and realtors say sometimes they find other surprises in the kitchen.
"Like in the kitchen drawers, and things like that people have actually went to the bathroom and just left that in the kitchen drawers for people," Walker said.
Walker said in almost all local foreclosures the owners never talked with their lender - they just got mad and decided to get even.
Walker said "I guess the main thing is people need to be more aware that they should be talking to their lender and try to resolve things, trying to stay out of foreclosure. There's so many avenues right now because the lender does not want their houses."
In almost all cases like this one the owners who were foreclosed on are not prosecuted because it's hard to prove they did the damage.
In Georgia, officials there say owners are taking even more desperate measures. Walker County fire marshal Waymond Westbrook said the number of arsons is on the rise and he says foreclosed owners are suspected in several cases.
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