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Another problem is emerging as a large number of foreclosed houses continue to pass through the real estate pipeline --mold.
In most households, natural ventilation draws moisture into the attic and drains through the roof as residents move in and out of the season.
It is called the "stack effect ".
"In many parts of the country, the air conditioning in summer and the heat in winter are driven by air conditioning.
But most of the homes that were foreclosed didn't get in or out of them.
Regardless of climate
The impact could be devastating.
In some states, it is estimated that more than half of foreclosure houses have mold and mildew problems.
Realtors across the country say they see the problem from bungalows to luxury homes.
Bob Bennett runs Farsight Management in northeast Ohio, specializing in the clean-up of water
Damaged buildings
The whole quarter of his current job comes from moldy, foreclosed houses where electricity has been shut down.
No electricity means no sewage pump or dehumidifier for months or even years, which usually means mold
Sticky black or green patches climb up the drywall and cover the bathroom equipment.
"Here, the water came out of the pool, and it drilled under the carpet, came to the wall, and evil up on the side of the gypsum board, and he said: "So you can see this band where the top of the sweat stops. ".
Even a tiny die reduction can start at $5,000 and cost much more.
In this particular case, Bennett estimates the price to be over $6,000 plus the cost of new floors, walls and carpets.
He wears his head. to-
Most of the work is done in toe protection suits.
One manifestation of the real estate agent Rebecca taikidis foreclosure crisis is that more and more people are abandoned, foreclosure and moldy --
But no problem.
House for potential buyers.
"I have a release form that I use, and if there are a lot of molds in this property, she says:" I don't even let my own husband get involved without signing this disclosure, because I don't want to take responsibility. ".
"I have a very interesting [one].
That is the middle of winter.
There are ice bars in the window above the garage, no heat, but there are 80 degrees in the house because it is its owncomposting.
"Realtors say they believe that banks, in order to save monthly utility bills, do not mean they will suffer thousands of dollars in mold damage.
But the mold problem seems to be mainly the performance of the foreclosure crisis.
Bills are not paid, houses are vacant and the whole process is much longer than anyone wants.
Mike Van Buskirk, chairman of the Ohio Bankers Union, said that when banks go through foreclosure, it's often too late.
"There are a lot of steps in which the government, the courts, and the county sheriff are involved," he said . ".
"While the situation varies across the state, some of them think they are helping consumers and are actually delaying the process, so it may take two or three years.
"Real estate agent Jill Flagg said that many lenders will not sell the house for less than the mortgage bill, so the house will be idle and will continue to be moldy.
"I got an offer for a house at Bank of America and they agreed to sell it there, it's been more than two months and they didn't even reply to the offer, she said.
"They don't have enough staff to move it --too backed up.
They don't have enough qualified people to know what they're doing, and, you know, it's a bunch somewhere.
"Allegations of flawed paperwork have slowed the pace of foreclosures in recent months, which could exacerbate mold problems as these houses sit in the long hot summer months