I am furious. In fact, I'm fuming. I am really really really ticked off.
In June we moved. We moved a few blocks away and left our house as a short sale. Because we refinanced at the height of the housing market, and then watched everything bottom out. At the same time I started making less and less money. Apparently being a free-lance anything doesn't suit well in an economic crisis. And since I was responsible for 1/3 of our income, things weren't pretty.
This was a hard decision. We knew we couldn't keep making our huge house payments (for a house we'd already grown out of.) We were trying to be responsible.
We had quite a few offers, but before the bank would approve the short sale they all pulled. But then we could advertise with the magic words "bank approved" and just hoped someone would offer again.
They did.
Then the bank decided they wanted to take their time signing the papers.
It's been about 6 weeks now.
It's frustrating for all considered. But that's not what I'm so angry about.
The people who put in the offer had an apartment lease that ended on Halloween. They hoped to be in the house by then. But it's still not ready or approved or THEIRS.
BUT THEY MOVED IN ANYWAY.
That's right. They moved in, illegally, on sunday. We were notified yesterday. And apparently these people were so confident in this move that they had been coming in with carpet cleaners and other things to get ready to move in. They switched over all the power and water, and we are now getting their mail. Because the mail box is still OURS.
We have illegal squatters living in our house. And it's all because their realestate agent decided to hand over the keys. ILLEGALLY. Did I mention that they're breaking the law?
But we're supposed to play nice about this. Because what if they get mad and pull out their offer and then we end up foreclosing on the house instead? That would suck. But what about the situation now - this situation has suck written all over it.
Husband has no problem playing nice. He is a people pleaser, and the thought of someone not liking him makes him squirm. I, on the other hand, have no problem if people hate me. I had to practically tie myself to this chair so I wouldn't go over right now and personally kick these people to the curb.
Actually, what I'd really like to do is call the police and let there be a massive scene where cops are throwing the squatter's possessions onto the lawn with dramatic flair. And I want to stand across the street and laugh and yell taunting remarks. And maybe throw something.
But I'm not allowed to make any contact with anyone considering this situation - I have been forbidden. Because we wouldn't want the crazy irate person screwing things up. Never mind that they're the ones breaking the law and taking advantage of us.
In June we moved. We moved a few blocks away and left our house as a short sale. Because we refinanced at the height of the housing market, and then watched everything bottom out. At the same time I started making less and less money. Apparently being a free-lance anything doesn't suit well in an economic crisis. And since I was responsible for 1/3 of our income, things weren't pretty.
This was a hard decision. We knew we couldn't keep making our huge house payments (for a house we'd already grown out of.) We were trying to be responsible.
We had quite a few offers, but before the bank would approve the short sale they all pulled. But then we could advertise with the magic words "bank approved" and just hoped someone would offer again.
They did.
Then the bank decided they wanted to take their time signing the papers.
It's been about 6 weeks now.
It's frustrating for all considered. But that's not what I'm so angry about.
The people who put in the offer had an apartment lease that ended on Halloween. They hoped to be in the house by then. But it's still not ready or approved or THEIRS.
BUT THEY MOVED IN ANYWAY.
That's right. They moved in, illegally, on sunday. We were notified yesterday. And apparently these people were so confident in this move that they had been coming in with carpet cleaners and other things to get ready to move in. They switched over all the power and water, and we are now getting their mail. Because the mail box is still OURS.
We have illegal squatters living in our house. And it's all because their realestate agent decided to hand over the keys. ILLEGALLY. Did I mention that they're breaking the law?
But we're supposed to play nice about this. Because what if they get mad and pull out their offer and then we end up foreclosing on the house instead? That would suck. But what about the situation now - this situation has suck written all over it.
Husband has no problem playing nice. He is a people pleaser, and the thought of someone not liking him makes him squirm. I, on the other hand, have no problem if people hate me. I had to practically tie myself to this chair so I wouldn't go over right now and personally kick these people to the curb.
Actually, what I'd really like to do is call the police and let there be a massive scene where cops are throwing the squatter's possessions onto the lawn with dramatic flair. And I want to stand across the street and laugh and yell taunting remarks. And maybe throw something.
But I'm not allowed to make any contact with anyone considering this situation - I have been forbidden. Because we wouldn't want the crazy irate person screwing things up. Never mind that they're the ones breaking the law and taking advantage of us.
Comments
I hate how long the banks take with things. I so hope it all just goes through soon for you.
We were supposed to close on our (foreclosed) home by the end of this past May. We didn't. It was moved to the first week of June. Then the second. Then the third week ....
In the meantime, we were homeless. We had just moved from Brazil. We had no family in Arizona. We were living in a (freakin' expensive) hotel. With three kids. (Hotels are only fun if you have SOMETHING TO DO DURING THE DAY.) I cannot TELL you how depressing and frustrating and stressful and DEPRESSING that is, to be at the bank's beck and call. (Did I say depressing twice? Yes. Because it was.)
Oh, also, all of our earthly possesions were in a (freakin' expensive) moving truck that charged us by the day and was sitting in our hotel parking lot, begging to be stolen.
So our agent "accidentally" left the keys under the mat. We moved in two days before we officially closed.
I felt bad about it. I still do. It was not honest. It was not morally sound. But I did feel better that we were cheating the bank, not a real person. I'm also pretty sure they knew about it!
(We also lived there without gas - the electricity and water, thankfully, were already on for the inspection.)
Because yours is a short sale, I don't really know what to do. The proper thing would be to pro-rate them. Charge them rent per day til it's actually theirs. That's a very common practice, and they shouldn't be surprised by it. Let the bank deal with it. Everybody already hates them.
Absolutely crappy, but I agree with Barbaloot...I'd care more about getting rid of it than making their life hell (which WOULD be fun). And definitely charge them daily rent...if they're already living there and wanted to be there that badly, they're not going to get out of the deal NOW, are they? I've got to hope they're expecting you guys to do SOMEthing!
Crazy, just crazy...
Banks are slow, and that stinks. Hope all is resolved soon!