Willful Destruction

It’s not often that I use my blog space to jump on my soapbox to tout my views on things that impact the country (or world). It’s ok for me to do that here, it’s my space. You can agree or disagree, but remember, it’s my space and you can move along if I offend you.

After a late night exchange with the biggest idiot I know, I’m fired up over the foreclosure problem in this country. Now I realize that there are particular circumstances in which foreclosure is the only option. I get it, shit happens and there comes a point where you have no other choice. However, we seem to be living in a society in which it’s ok to want the world and not have to work for it. We live beyond our means and spend more than we make. We are a spoiled society and we want it all, and we want it now. We live in a society where others tell us it’s ok to just walk away from your obligations and if you’re pissed off at the bank for coming after you to pay your debt, well, just fuck up the property you hold the mortgage on. Revenge is sweet.

So we closed on the foreclosed property we wanted to buy earlier this week. EN put up a picture of it and called it the “money pit.” A Facebook friend, we’ll call her ;/, in keeping with the secret names, asked if this was the unfinished house that we bought. I tried to clarify for her itty bitty brain that no, it’s not unfinished. It was once a gorgeous home that was foreclosed on and raped by the owner. They took central air systems, the cabinetry and appliances, copper piping from the propane tank to the house, exhaust fans from the bathrooms, toilets, gas fireplaces, doors to the house, lighting… I could go on and on. Part of me says, “Thank you for making this property affordable for EN and me” and the other part of me wants to know what kind of immature freak does this to a house?

So I start to go back and forth with my friend ;/ because she starts defending the actions of the people that do these things to their homes when they leave. She shares the story that she and her boyfriend’s home was foreclosed on and the realtor gave them money to leave the house alone. What she neglects to say is that she and her boyfriend share the same itty bitty brain and they signed an ARM mortgage and bought more than they could afford. Instead of sucking up and paying the higher payments when their mortgage went up, they got mad and just stopped paying altogether. They said they couldn’t afford the payments, yet they continued buying jet skis, a Mercedes SUV, a corvette, a motorcycle. Shall I go on?

Let’s get a few things clear here folks. No one forces you to buy a property or take out a mortgage. You alone make that decision. An educated consumer walks into making a huge decision like a home purchase with open eyes. Know what you can afford and learn about loans. It’s not that hard. The internet is full of helpful information and calculators. Also know that the loan officer working with you on your mortgage application EARNS COMMISSION on their loan. Therefore, the bigger the loan, the bigger the commission. Be comfortable with the amount of your monthly payment. If you take an adjustable rate mortgage, educate yourself on what your payments could end up being in the future.

Let’s go back to the home that I just bought to understand why I am so upset by this issue. The home was owned by someone I have met. In fact, she lives right up the street. She sells real estate and her husband is in construction. The amount that they foreclosed on is small. Had they listed the home when they were in trouble-even in this terrible market, they easily could have sold it and had a shitload of money left over after paying off the mortgage. Instead, they trashed the house and took everything they could. I firmly believe that banks should punish the consumers who behave in this fashion. Trashing a house that you refuse to pay for is simply NOT ok.

I wrote this post several weeks ago, before we even moved into the house. As I look around my new home, I’m even more disgusted by the behavior of these people. There are sinks we can’t use because they cut the plumbing. I am unable to do laundry because they took all the electrical and water hook-ups. My girls are unable to take baths because the original tubs were taken and the new ones aren’t even plumbed in.

Yes, we were fully aware of most of this and bought this house with our eyes wide open. I just can’t wrap my brain around willfully destructing property that is no longer your own. This morning, the former owner’s daughter chatted me up at the bus stop and told me her Mimi and Papa used to live in that house. Sugar was shooting me “keep your mouth shut” glares, but you all know it was killing me not to say, “Your Mimi and Papa and Mama and Daddy all deserve bitch slaps.”

xoxo

Ice Princess