Dear Bank Home Financing People: (written in the fall)

Maybe people wouldn't trash their foreclosed homes if you treated them with an ounce of respect.

My sister (JuJu)& brother-in-law and their family are moving to Iowa. BIL has been looking for a job for 2 years, and the only one he could find that paid enough to support their family is in Iowa. They've had their house on the market for four months, with 28 showings and zero offers.

He's been working in Iowa, so they've been struggling to support two households (JuJU & the kids here, BIL there) for almost a year now. They just missed their first house payment. BIL calls the bank to see what they should do since they are moving in 2 weeks.

The lady he talked to who specializes in hardship cases, had a nasty tone throughout the entire phone call.

Kept asking him why they were "abandoning" the property, even though he started the phone call by explaining his job situation. Repeatedly asked him what shape the house was in and what damage they had done to the property. He kept telling her "none, the house is in great shape". She just got nastier with him and kept insisting he tell her what was "really going on".

Finally got the answer that they would lower the price to a short sale. He kept asking how long it would be on the market as a short sale before they would proceed with foreclosure, but she wouldn't tell him.

They had planned on moving out, keeping the house as spotless as when they lived there, but now they're so upset by how the bank is treating them they don't really care.

I think they'll get over it, and I know they won't intentionally damage anything, but they definitely won't take as much care with it as they would have previously.
I can definitely see how someone who's already going thru a hard time could be tempted to intentionally damage their property after being treated like that. Doesn't make it right, I know. But I understand it better now.