This is the first of a new series to appear in this Real Estaste Blog: These Ladies Mean Business!  The series will reveal the not-so-attractive yet necessary side of the real estate profession who deal with foreclosures and bank-owned real estate.

Terry was asked to do a BPO on a property over in another county.  She knew the general area having grown up in Nevada, but what awaited her and Sarah at the BPO property was not in the "property notes."  A photo was required, so camera was readied and the two of them took off to photograph the property "from the curb."

What curb?  Not only was there no curb - anywhere within five blocks - there were out-buildings on the property that were trashier than the rubbage stuffed inside them, and dogs fighting for the edible scraps that remained in the garbage.

"We can handle this," Terry commented when they approached the property, dodging mice running between trash piles.  "There," pointing to the front left corner of the house, "take a shot of that, Sarah - it's the best the house has to offer."

Terry and Sarah never got into the house that day.  An external assessment of the structure and roof, as well as a review of other property features, along with a review of "area comps" would suffice for the Broker Price Opinion to value the house for sale "as it appeared." 

Days later, the asset management company who requested the BPO and was orchestrating the sale of the property for the bank who owned it (yes, it was in foreclosure), selected Terry to list and market the property.

Immediately thereafter the "ladies" took another trip to the corner home bounded by...well, different forms of trash, broken fences, dead and dying plants, pretty much, you name it - but no curbs!  For starters, they opened the screen door to the front door and it fell off, but so did the gate to the front yard. 

It was time to enter the house to inspect it for its overall condition and potential repairs.  This would help in assessing what was needed to clean and repair it for marketing.  What they found should have chased them away: 

• built-in appliances were removed - gone with the former owners. 
• numerous light fixtures, door hardware, and cabinetry were gone, as was the inner guts of the toilet bowls. 

Attractive set up, huh?  Not quite.  The swamp cooler was home to a feathered fowl and her babies, and the floor was simply missing pieces, as were some of the walls.  The master bedroom was a mystery as it appeard the headboard had been affixed to the wall...permanently!

Ouch!  But, these ladies did indeed mean business, and within a week, workmen were dispatched to:

1) "trash out" (haul away) the entire outside and inside of the house;

2) clean the house, make critical safety and security repairs.  

Within a week the house was listed on the market at a price that will net a very happy buyer.

Indeed, from a trashy mess to a saleable property in a two-week period -  these ladies mean business!