How did you leave your FC property? (cleanliness, contents?)

[etechjc]

Heh, My friend had the Finance company and HOA jack them around and tripple there payment. After alot of fighting they just stopped paying and are handing the keys over next week. They are content to move into a rental and the mortgage lender can't really do anything to them because 100% of there income is exempt.

Well, They told me I could have anything I wanted. I went in and Completely gutted both bathrooms of the cabinets and sinks (Left the Tub and Toilet.), Gutted the kitchen to bare walls (Lots of handmade custom cabinets.), Took all the appliances (Very nice stuff), Dug up several Nice fruit trees out of there 5 acre yard, And dismantled and took a very large deck in the backyard, It will all save me a fortune on the remodel of my house.

And as far as we know it really changes nothing between them and the bank. To be fair, we did leave the carpets and walls in good shape, Capped all the plumbing We didn't tare the place up, Just took everything including the kitchen sink

Also to be fair, everything we took, Our friends payed out of there own pocket to put in after they bought the house.

[justbroke]

Phfft...when we moved out of our duplex in to our current house, we cleaned all the windows, washed the screens, wiped down the walls, spent $100+ on a carpet cleaner, had never even hung a single picture in 6 years and I even used left over paint in the apartment to cover a few scuffs on the walls. The place probably looked the best it had since it was new.

When I sold my Orlando house in 2005, the Realtor couldn't believe what he saw. Only one bedroom really used (master), and everything else was as new as it was when it was built in 2003. Not one thing nailed on the walls. Not a scratch on the walls. Everything was pristine.

It's probably why I had my first offer (at asking price) in 7 hours from listing, and my second and accepted offer within 20 hours of listing. The second one was $40K over listing.

However, that was in a situation where I was selling the place, and I had moved out already to another investment property that I owned (the one I live in now).

[BROKEDED]

Sold everything from our rental....even the dishwasher. Gave away what we didn't sell. Could have taken whatever we wanted, garage door opener etc. but we didn't. We even vacuumed before we left.

Phfft...when we moved out of our duplex in to our current house, we cleaned all the windows, washed the screens, wiped down the walls, spent $100+ on a carpet cleaner, had never even hung a single picture in 6 years and I even used left over paint in the apartment to cover a few scuffs on the walls. The place probably looked the best it had since it was new. The landlords only response was, "Well, the inside of the oven was nasty...damn nasty." The only thing that probably ever got cooked in that oven was frozen pizza and chocolate chip cookies. The tub was supposedly leaking under the house and between that and the oven, the landlord decided to keep our $500 deposit. I ate that one. Never again...never again!

[CashMoney]

Sold everything from our rental....even the dishwasher. Gave away what we didn't sell. Could have taken whatever we wanted, garage door opener etc. but we didn't. We even vacuumed before we left.

[ryan]

I will add this to 'Hub's advice: having something like the front page of the current newspaper in the photos when you take them. This gives a date and time stamp to the photos that is difficult to dispute.

wow, this is really good advice ...I never would have thought of that. The pictures give you some cover if there is destruction after you leave and the lender tries to claim it was by you. Thanks.

[norcal]

We've been in our home for 15+ years, so you can imagine the stuff we have accumulated. My husband is a pack rat (won't admit it...LOL) and we have car parts, metal, wood, etc., pile up in the backyard. There is no way we can move all of this stuff out of the yard in time. I plan to leave the house broom clean (if time doesn't run out). I am looking for a rental and having a bit of a problem. Some people want perfect credit, which is crazy right now. All of those people are buying houses if they can. My husband is worried about what people will think, and I just told him we'll do the best we can. I don't plan on moving back to this neighborhood anyways.

[ssmdem]

Yes, you can.

Thanks!! Good to know!

[HHM]

Can we do this? We're contemplating moving into OUR rental property and foreclosing on our house. Can we swap out light fixtures and stuff like that without any issues? We've got some REALLY nice light fixtures in this house, ceiling fans etc that I want. They weren't paid for by the mortgage - we put them in ourselves, and I'd like to keep them? Can we swap them out with the cheaper ones that are in the rental property? They will obviously look like they don't belong in this house - but whose to say I didn't just have bad taste?

We've also got some additional cabinetry in the garage and the laundry room that we put up ourselves and would like to take with us as well. Are we going to get in trouble for doing this?

Refrigerator?

Yes, you can.

[ssmdem]

Can we do this? We're contemplating moving into OUR rental property and foreclosing on our house. Can we swap out light fixtures and stuff like that without any issues? We've got some REALLY nice light fixtures in this house, ceiling fans etc that I want. They weren't paid for by the mortgage - we put them in ourselves, and I'd like to keep them? Can we swap them out with the cheaper ones that are in the rental property? They will obviously look like they don't belong in this house - but whose to say I didn't just have bad taste?

We've also got some additional cabinetry in the garage and the laundry room that we put up ourselves and would like to take with us as well. Are we going to get in trouble for doing this?

Refrigerator?

[seriously]

I'm still in my house, but planning to leave it like I would leave a rental--broom clean.

[BigJohn]

I am surprised nobody poured a few bags of cement down each toilet.

[Coldplay]

PLEASE... I am not cleaning jack SH&T. Leaving boxes behind....taking whatever I need. I'd rather forego the cash for keys...Because if I need to pay a mover to haul MORE stuff just to get CFK, then it's not worth it. $1500 won't get you far today.

[BROKEDED]

Even though the HOA was moving faster on the F/C, it probably was the bank that changed the locks. They are very, very quick to change locks if the place looks like it is vacant.

Probably the bank.

Also, I just want to say that I didn't mean to imply that you leave the place trashed on purpose but sometimes time is of the essence and you have to be out by a certain date whether you're ready of not. I would guess that most people clean the house because of fear of embarrassment, thinking that a neighbor or friend might see how it was left and think less of them some how.

For some people it's about closure and feeling that they left a nice home for some other family.

[StartingOver08]

Even though the HOA was moving faster on the F/C, it probably was the bank that changed the locks. They are very, very quick to change locks if the place looks like it is vacant.

[limage]

Wow, this is a timely question! I surrendered my condo in my Ch 7 to the mtg co and the condo HOA (they had started a lien foreclosure). The HOA was moving faster than the bank and had a summary judgement (actually took place on the 1st with a sale date of May 21).

Last weekend I moved most of my belongings with a professional mover. I left behind a few boxes of things I planned to pick up the following weekend, as well as a few items I was giving to a friend (washer, dryer, and few pieces of furniture). I cleaned out the fridge, shut the electric off from the breakers. I planned to sweep and remove everything when I returned. I also planned to let the mtg co know once I was gone that I had abandoned it.

I moved from FL to TN, so I was flying back to retrieve the other things and my truck and horse (boarded). Well.... the locks were changed. I assume it is the HOA since someone must have told them I was moving. I had a limited amount of time to do everything since I was on a tight schedule to get back to TN. I called my attorney and he told me to call the HOA and tell them to let me in, or let them know I would get in or break-in (locksmith or window). The woman at the condo management company basically denied knowing anything (I'm sure this was what she was told to say).

Long story long, I got in through a window and my stuff was still there (thank GOD!). I noticed my water was shut off at the main and I went to turn it on to wash my hands and went back inside and heard the water for the washer (which had been picked up) running full blast UPSTAIRS. By the time I got back out to shut it off, I would guess 20 gallons dumped in the laundry and hallway.

I put towels down and tried to soak some of it up. The water started leaking through down to the kitchen below. It was hot in the condo, I was pissed, I didn't have time and I had lost all concern for something that used to be so important to me. I left it Friday, dripping wet. And I did not clean it as I had planned (sweeping mainly).

I had a VERY hard time sleeping Friday night. I feel really bad, but there's nothing I can do about it now. I'll let the bank know tomorrow to secure it, but I don't think I should admit to the water damage.

So, my answer to you would be clean it up as well as your conscience requires.