Foreclosure - The Nasty Side Of Mortgage Companies.

[nioka]

I have just filed chapter 7. Since November 2013 I have not made a mortgage payment.

During this period I have gotten some really strange and sometimes concerning visits. I have had two visits from a gal who says she is a Bank Currier and is verifying my house is not vacant. She always provides me with bank literature about contacting them to remedy the situation so I tend to trust she is who she says.

In this time period I have had a few yard sales. During one there were two men who were dressed in causal clothes but did not look to be the typical yard sale buyers. They asked if I had anything inside to sell and I told them no. After of half hour of milling about they left without buying a thing.
One day I had a van pull up while I was getting the mail. The driver seem to know I hadn't paid my mortgage even though I had not filed yet and I kept my situation quiet. He told me we could work out a deal that would keep everyone happy. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about.

Just a few days ago I had a man who was dressed in the hip clothes people in their twenties wear with a hair style to match who came to my door. He told me he had just bought a house around the corner and was burglarized. He wanted to know if I had seen anything. He was very edgy and when I asked did not provide his address or even which house he bought. (This is a country setting with few houses). I told him I saw nothing. I told him I was sorry for his loss but recommended he get to know his neighbors. I then pointed to one of my security cameras and told him to get one of those. I went on to say that camera was recording us in real time and uploading to iCloud. He excused himself and left. His visit came about a week after I filed chapter 7.
When I checked with my neighbors no one was aware of anyone new moving in.

Going back to the visits from the Bank Currier; I talked with her in length about the situation. She cautioned me to make sure my house looked lived in. She told me to leave a light on day and night when I go out. (I now turn the tv on loud enough to be heard from outside my front door). She also cautioned me about the heat pump. She said once you file you will have people trying to rip off anything they can and that includes the heat pump. She said these thieves will take anything that is not nailed down.

Then I find several of the following articles about mortgage companies hiring subcontractors to do some nasty dirty work. The following link is one of many.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/invasive-tactic-in-foreclosures-draws-scrutiny/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

[spidge]

Criminal prosecution is what is needed. Period!!!!!!!!!! Just like what would happen if you or I did this.

Both the bank and the property management company.

[Lilyat108x]

Camera thing is awesome. When my house started going in foreclosure, I had people drive by and slow down and take pics, people sending letters telling me that they could help me, someone even obtained my teen daughter's cell and called her about the house! Even had neighbor's going through my garbage. The VP HOA sat outside his house across the street and watched us most of the day when we moved. (HOA foreclosed before Bank of Amer) Made me think he thought we were going to do something wrong.

[papie]

I can tell you from personal experience that the Five Brothers subcontracting company used by US Bank is a horrible, horrible company full of thieves and liars.

We surrendered our house while in a Chapter 13. We decided not to stay in the house and move closer to our jobs. We were in the process of moving and had removed about half of our belongings over the course of one weekend and decided to finish the following weekend. Five Brothers property service was sent to "secure" our house- even though we told US Bank we would take care of the house and maintain it until the sheriff sale. They busted down our front door and destroyed our belongings, went through packed boxes and threw things everywhere, etc. There was nothing of great monetary value left in the house, as we were smart enough to remove those first, but there were a few things missing. I have never felt so violated in my entire life as I did when I walked into our former home and found our chest of life momentos strung about, stepped on, and crumpled up. They didn't just throw things around, they intentionally damaged them.

We got the rest of our stuff out PRONTO. We returned to the house a few weeks later to check on things and the lockbox was not locked and the some doors and windows were unlocked. There was absolutely no sign of forced entry and that is NOT how we left the house. The entire house was stripped. They even clipped the element out of the oven and ripped electrical wires through the walls, they opened up the crawl space under the house, and pushed the stove into the laundry room to get into the attic. Any materials of value that were in the house are gone. This is a very low crime area, in a nice neighborhood, where vandalism is unheard of, I believe it was absolutely set up by the subcontractors.

Five Brothers had a paper on the door with contact information. They never answered the phone. Ever. I called US Bank to tell them their subcontractor destroyed the home. They told me that Five Brothers property service reported that "the homeowners stripped and destroyed the home" and apologized for the "inconvenience". We surrendered our home in a Chapter 13 and it was entirely voluntary, and we had high hopes that it would be purchased and loved like we loved it. Destroying the home was never even a thought. We are employed and have no need to steal in order to make a living.

So a word to the wise, if you are facing foreclosure, when you decide to get out, find the biggest moving truck you can find and take EVERYTHING with you and be done with it.

[nioka]

papie,

I am sorry for your experience. If the house was still in your name at the time of the incident did you try to pursue criminal charges against the Five Brothers?
Secondly, I wonder how they knew the house was empty. Is it possible one of your neighbors tipped them off?

I have had a bank rep come by twice since I stopped paying my mortgage. She said she was there to verify the house was still lived in or abandon. She told me banks want to secure properties that are abandon to prevent vandalism and theft. In your case it sounds like hiring the Five Brothers scum backfired rendering the house to a valueless state.

From what I read on the web and via my own attorney the current recommendation is to stay with the house as long as possible.
However, there seems to be a problem with companies like the Five Brothers who come in prematurely and destroy the HO possessions prior to the name on the property being changed over.

The bank Currier who visited me strongly urged me to keep the house looking live in. She said keep a lamp on in the window even during daylight hours and make sure the lawn is maintained. When I need to go out I turn on a radio or tv that can be heard at the front door. I also posted notices on the doors stating the house was owner occupied and entry without the owners permission would be criminally prosecuted. I also move my car out of the garage and leave it in the driveway during the day.
I think the idea is not to give anyone the slightest idea the house is abandon.

[BigJohn]

My mortgage company sent a person out to our home several times to check to see if the home was occupied.
The mortgage company claimed they had that right to be able to see inside the house so as to verify it was occupied.
I claimed I have "No Trespassing" signs in which they replied that doesn't matter.

I told them if I was home and if somebody entered our home without permission, the incident could end up not pleasant for the 'invader'. I have guns and being handicapped, probably would feel that my life would be in danger. They claimed they have that right - I would be in the wrong.

I told them I have a block wall around my house and they claimed they can go over the wall and/or do whatever is necessary to verify occupancy

I told them we have opaque curtains on our windows so they can not see within. They said that does not matter. They claimed they can enter the house.

When they left, they left by the rear door; went to the east side of the house and opened a court yard door then went to the front of the east side of the house and opened another court yard door. They proceeded across a small courtyard and opened another door and then went to the west front of the house and opened another door which leads to the driveway. They left by 4 doors and left each door opened.
One of our purebred dogs went thru the doors and ended out in the street where he got hit by a car. We incurred a huge medical bill.

The mortgage company claimed they were not responsible.

By the way, we were current with our mortgage.

The mortgage company never told us they hired agents to enter our property.

To make matters worse, the mortgage company billed us for the 'service'.