Eleven banks in the State of New York have agreed to establish a program to maintain and monitor homes in foreclosure which are vacant. They have taken this action because of pressure from the New York State Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, and complaints by neighbors surrounding these properties which have been made to the financial institutions. These eleven banks and credit unions represent approximately three-quarters of all of the houses in foreclosure in the Metropolitan New York market.
Bank To Check To See If Homes Are Vacant
The banks have agreed they will check all properties within 60 days of the loans becoming delinquent. The checking will involve an external inspection. In addition, the financial institutions will check each property in foreclosure every 25 to 35 days thereafter. If they reach a decision that the foreclosed home has been abandoned by its owners, they will post a notice with their contact information on it. In addition, they will change one of the door locks. They will also board up broken windows and doors and remove nuisance features. In addition, they will take action with regard to safety issues. All of these properties will be placed on a list to be shared with municipalities throughout the State.
The Eleven Banks
The eleven banks which have agreed to this process are: Ridgewood Savings Bank, M&T Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Astoria Bank, Green Tree Servicing, PHH, Northstar, Ocwen, CitiMortgage, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo.
More and More Zombie Homes
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman who had previously submitted legislation to the State Legislature, noted that zombie foreclosures have increased more than 50% recently. He claims there are approximately 17,000 zombie homes being foreclosed on. Zombie homes place burdens on the communities in which they are located. These burdens deal with maintenance costs, property tax issues, and vandalism of these homes.
Elliot S. Schlissel is a foreclosure lawyer representing homeowners throughout the Metropolitan New York area. His motto is, “I will keep you in your home.”
