Foreclosure Cleanout Best Practices

A foreclosure cleanout is often a great deal of work. In addition to simply cleaning the house and the property, there is often abandoned furniture and trash that must be gotten rid of.

The real estate market in the U.S. is undergoing more changes as we approach the end of 2018. While the market has seen welcome improvement over the last few years and the overall number of foreclosures have continued to drop.

But there are still new foreclosures on the market across the U.S.

According to RealtyTrac in October 2018 there were 551,497 properties in U.S. that were in some stage of foreclosure (i.e. default, auction or bank owned) while the number of homes listed for sale on RealtyTrac was 861,965. Also in October, the number of properties that received a foreclosure filing in U.S. was 21% higher than the previous month and 4% lower than the same time last year.

In other words, there has been a recent jump in foreclosed homes and that means vacated properties. And one of the most common jobs required for a typical foreclosed property is a major cleanout.

It's highly unlikely that any real estate professional looks forward to cleaning out foreclosed homes. In fact, it is one of the tasks you hope to avoid. There are, however, professional and affordable options you can consider when marketing foreclosed properties and any junk hauling needs you have.

Foreclosure Cleanouts Don't Have to Be DIY Projects

Cleanouts of abandoned properties can be labor-intensive and costly projects. But they are required before you can market and sell a foreclosed home. The unfortunate reality of foreclosures is that many former residents either leave in a hurry or they're angry about losing their home and leave large amounts of trash and damage to the house.

Most foreclosure cleanouts tend to involve large items such as old furniture, appliances and piles of abandoned personal belongings. These things have to be cleared out and disposed before you can even think of showing the home to prospective buyers. A foreclosed property is unlike a typical residential property in that there are a number of additional tasks to be done before the property can be put on the market.

The problem, however, is that the process of cleaning foreclosed homes is often approached haphazardly and without any real planning. This is partly due to the fact that the task has to be handled by the busy real estate professional. While hiring an entire crew to come and haul away the junk, clean the property and the house itself, this can be costly.

If you do find that you have to handle a foreclosure cleanout yourself, here's a simple plan for carrying out a smooth foreclosure cleanout process.

Foreclosure Cleanout Tips

Consider Everything That Needs to Be Cleaned or Removed

An example could be an abandoned vehicle that must be towed away. Typically, there will be piles of junk in the house, the garage, or in the yard. Check any storage sheds. Often these will need to be cleaned up and maybe even need to be hauled away, too.

In addition, plan for the repair or replacement of any broken windows or blinds. While you may not feel the need to make the entire property "picture perfect" keeping the area facing the street neat and clean is essential. Research has repeatedly shown that this is important, not just for marketing appeal, but as part of the property preservation process as it discourages vandals and vagrants.

Clean and Restore the Exterior and Property

Getting the exterior of the house clean and the property uncluttered will improve the resale value of the property. This can include keeping the lawn mowed, maintaining any landscaping and ensuring that the yard is free of clutter. This is also important for ensuring the safety of the property.

When it comes to the outside you need to take time to determine what needs to be done first. For example, clearing out any yard debris, trash or old equipment or appliances should be down before mowing, weed eating, and trimming. Keep in mind, too, that these properties are often in the foreclosure process for a long time and will require ongoing service to care for the yard and the landscaping.

Focus Lastly on the Interior of the Property

Depending on the condition of the property, you may have to replace stained or torn carpets, broken tiles and lighting fixtures. In many foreclosure scenarios, there will often be large amounts of junk and debris left behind by the prior residents.

If the home was lived in for a long while, or the prior residents damaged the walls, there can be some major patching and painting needed, as well. Again, this can be done as a DIY project, but you can also outsource this task along with others in the process of completing your foreclosure cleanout.

In addition to cleaning and hauling junk, you may even have to bring in pest exterminators.

Bonus Tip

Even though you may be faced with removing junk before any proper cleaning can be started, you really don't have to do this part yourself. You can use the help of a professional hauling firm for all of the junk removal work.

Be Ready for Winter

In addition to the any hauling and disposal work needed for a foreclosure cleanout, you may also need to plan for a possible long-term vacancy. And this can be challenging if the property is located in a region that experiences severe winter weather.

In these cases, it is imperative to arrange for inspecting all the utilities such as the electricity, gas and water, testing any appliances in the home, and checking the electrical breakers. If the property is in an area that has freezing temperatures, it's advisable to test and inspect all the toilets and drains, along with any washing machines, dishwashers and any other appliances in the house that use water.

Check with your pest exterminator, too, since winter is the time of year that rodents and certain insects can make their home in an unoccupied property.

Junk Removal and Foreclosed Homes

If you decide to outsource the junk removal tasks, you need to decide which firm is the right one for the job.

Junk King is the leading business to business junk removal service in North America and our real estate junk removal services take care of the cleanout process for you. It’s one big task off your to-do list and it’s a big step toward getting your property ready to sell or rent.

Speed, Reliability and Quality Service

We understand that as a real estate professional you need your homes to be pristine and you want to be able to list them as quickly as you can. We also understand that you appreciate hassle-free services and really can’t afford to have problems with a property. And your clients have enough to deal with when selling a home, so having the chore of junk removal handled by someone else is a huge bonus.

Junk King offers fast and friendly junk hauling with an emphasis on eco-friendly practices. We recycle or donate over 60 percent or more of the junk we collect — including furniture and appliances, and even clothing and personal items. Real estate professionals are proud to call Junk King their green partner for real estate junk removal.

Real Estate Ready

We are insured and offer post-escrow payment. Junk King handles junk removal services for real estate professionals across the U.S. and we are the highest rated service brand in the nation. You can depend on Junk King for speed, reliability and for the peace of mind that comes with getting your property ready fast.

Our team specializes in large waste removal and trash hauling. We can be on location in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion.

One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle much of the material we pick-up. This is proof of our commitment to being an eco-friendly removal service. If you have questions about what we do or what we believe, give us a call at 1.888.888.JUNK (5865)