Payback time: Florida homeowners foreclosing on banks

[DirkGently]

3. Headline kind of makes up its own story.

Banks often take title at foreclosure. When they do, they have to pay HOA and condo dues going forward like any other owner. If they don't, they can theoretically be foreclosed, if the association wants to go through the hassle of a lawsuit and sell the entire property to collect a few thousand in fees. Not really any kind of "payback" happening there though. The bigger issue, maybe, is that all these properties are languishing, unused, because banks don't seem to be selling off the properties right away.

Empty residential units screw things up for everyone. A/c isn't run, which in Florida means moisture and mold. Upkeep is minimum or nil. The property may be vandalized. The associations are mad because the banks aren't getting new owners in there quickly enough to get the maintenance fees paid.

What we maybe ought to talk about more is why, if the banks are sitting on all these properties that they don't want to or can't maintain, they are foreclosing in the first place, instead of working better with the borrowers. They're in such a snit to kick people out, but once they have, they let the places fall apart, which further damages everyone's property values. If the property has sat long enough, it could be rendered essentially worthless.