Taking Care Of Distressed And Unsecured Properties

Protecting and maintaining our family homes while we are living in them is a top priority for most — but what happens when the home is suddenly vacant of people? Who protects and maintains the home then?

With all the recent foreclosures in Rhode Island, you almost can not drive by a neighborhood without seeing one or more houses that have been boarded up and abandoned.

There are also many homes advertised as rental property that are currently unoccupied for months at a time.

Distressed properties are an eyesore and devalue the entire neighborhood. They can also become a hazardous situation, with open pools not being maintained — becoming breeding ground for mosquitoes — and houses becoming a haven for illegal and dangerous activities from unwanted visitors.

Abandoned or unoccupied homes are at a very high risk of being burglarized, and there has been a overwhelming increase of burglaries of vacant properties in Rhode Island and all over the United States.

Items such as copper pipes and wires, kitchen cabinets and appliances, granite, and bathroom fixtures are stolen and resold for cash. It is happening right now — in the worst of neighborhoods and the top neighborhoods in towns across the country.

Burglaries of vacant homes can instill fear into nearby neighbors who may be afraid to report the theft for fear of possible retaliation — but that doesn't seem to be the case in Johnston, where concerned residents helped the police identify three men in connection with a rash of break-ins near St. Rocco School.

For Real Estate Broker/Agents and potential home buyers, unsecured and abandoned homes can become a potentially dangerous situation. Anyone who may unknowingly enter an abandoned home while a theft is in progress could be at risk of danger. 

I have compiled a list of precautions that should be taken before entering an abandoned or unoccupied home, and also suggestions of what you can do to help deter thieves from possibly entering these homes.

1. Real Estate Broker/Agents who are listing foreclosed homes should always make sure that all locks have been changed once the former owners have left the home.
2. Never enter a dark, empty home alone — and always have a flashlight.
3. Be sure that the landscape is maintained and snow is shoveled. If you have foreclosures in your neighborhood that are not being properly maintained, you should contact the listing Real Estate Broker/Agent or call your local Minimum Housing Inspector. For Johnston residents refer to the following link: http://www.townofjohnstonri.com/dpwpatriot09.pdf
4. Empty mailboxes, collect newspapers and dispose of any trash on the premises.
5. If electricity is available, put a few interior lights on timers and install motion detector lights on the exterior of the home. If no electricity is available, try installing solar lights outdoors. Darkness is a criminal's best cover.
6. Install a home security system.
7. Establish a neighborhood watch program. Click on the following link to get started in your Johnston neighborhood: http://articles.directorym.com/Neighborhood_Watch_Program_Johnston_RI-r571-Johnston_RI.html
8. Neighbors of vacant properties should call the police (911) if you see any suspicious vehicles in the driveway, and write down the number plate if visible. If you are an owner of a vacant property, you could leave a registered car parked in the driveway — but you may want to inform the neighbors before doing so. Johnston residents who have questions for the police department can refer to the following link: http://www.johnstonpd.com/

Keeping a vacant home well-maintained will give the appearance that there is activity in the home, which may help to deter any potential thieves. 

Most importantly, a properly kept property may attract more potential buyers or renters to the neighborhood to occupy the home.

Rhonda Sasa is a Johnston resident, member of our Mom's Council, and a licensed REALTOR® with Exit Realty The New Generation. Reach her via e-mail at rhonda@exitgeneration.com