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Column: Vacant homes are a problem that's shared

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Shannon Behnken

sbehnken@tampatrib.com

Published: July 12, 2009

Shannon Behnken

If you don't take care of your house, you can expect to get complaints from neighbors or your homeowners association.

Now real estate agents might be the first to complain about your poorly maintained home.

Some are taking names and reporting problems such as unkempt lawns and broken down cars to code enforcers and homeowners associations. They're even canceling contracts, refusing to sell homes in some cases where sellers can't seem to grasp the idea of curb appeal.

Because of the foreclosure crisis and the economy, more homes seem to be left vacant or are just not being maintained.

The problem has gotten so bad, says broker Greg Armstrong, that his agents have taken down signs at nearly 400 homes in the past year.

"It's our sign that people see in the yard," said Armstrong, a Coldwell Banker broker in Pasco County. "It's a bad reflection on our company."

Yup, in extreme cases, brokers such as Armstrong have decided the home isn't worth selling.

"There was little chance the homes would sell," he said. "If it's an uncooperative seller, we may cancel the contract."

Kemly Jimenez Green, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Office, said real estate agents have long complained about messy yards. It's difficult to quantify how many such complaints come into the office, though, because callers don't always mention their profession. Even when they do, she said, it's not tracked.

Armstrong said most real estate agents think it's best to have their clients lodge complaints.

It gets tougher, he said, when the home has already been foreclosed on. That's because some lenders are just as bad as troubled homeowners at taking care of a property they've taken back. It's sometimes difficult to reach the right person at the lender's office to ask about maintenance.

Adding to the problem is the economy. Some homes are in less-than-stellar condition because homeowners are strapped for cash and can't afford needed repairs.

"A roof doesn't go on today until the leak comes, and sometimes it's a bad leak," Armstrong said.

Lawns that used to fill up with flowers in the spring remain bare. Projects such as house painting are on hold, said Elliot Eisenberg, of the National Association of Home Builders.

So what can homeowners - and frustrated real estate agents - do about the problem?

Green, of Hillsborough County's code enforcement office, says the enforcement process is slow, so residents should alert code enforcement as soon as they notice problems.

When all else fails, Eisenberg recommends pitching in to help. If neighbors don't do things, such as taking turns to mow lawns, it will hurt the entire neighborhood.

"Homeowners have it in their best interest to see empty homes bought so they don't have to pay more in homeowners association fees or see property values go down even more."

Reporter Shannon Behnken can be reached at (813) 259-7804.

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