For many people, the most prized possession they’ll ever own is their house, the property they bought or raised a family in. Sometimes spent years paying back a mortgage for, and in some cases, it’s the place where many grow old peacefully. It can be a nostalgic and memory-filled place, so why are there abandoned properties with such frequency? If governments are building more and more houses every year to combat the growing population, why are there properties falling into disarray and dereliction, devoid of occupants?
There are several theories as to why abandoned properties happen, and one such explanation is a change of circumstances. In a hypothetical situation where two people meet, fall in love and purchase a property together with the aim of starting a family, there’s always room for things to go wrong. A sudden unfortunate turn in the relationship, the separation of the two people once in love, and either one or both sides vacate the property. The problem of paying off the mortgage or paying the bills then arises, and one person may struggle alone. Or perhaps neither party is particularly concerned with the state of the house, so it’s put up for sale and possibly forgotten about, due to location or a lack of interest.
Abandoned Property
Alternatively, the home can be repossessed following the failure to pay mortgage payments, or simply becomes too expensive to pay. People can suddenly become unemployed, which can be a huge problem for someone who owns an expensive property. Geographical location can also play a significant role in the abandonment of assets, any property that’s far from local conveniences and requires long car journeys to get to civilisation, places like schools or hospitals, is, of course, going to appeal to a smaller audience.
The majority of the reasons for the abandonment of houses are financial, but there can be other causes. A sudden death can lead to the house having no owners, and the last will of the deceased can also be problematic. Sometimes, if members of the family contest a will, the house can be held in a sort of limbo. This means no one can take up residency in it until the legal process is conducted, and the fate of the property is decided, which can often result in the house being put up for sale if the ruling isn’t in favour of any party.
Empty Houses
Overall, there are many reasons why a property can be abandoned so that they just become empty houses. Sometimes the reasons aren’t simple, such as the legal disputes arising from the passing of the owner, to something as simple as being financially incapable of maintaining and affording the property, with people choosing to downsize as a cheaper alternative.
In some instances, abandoned properties occur because the cost of refurbishing and repairing the property to comply with current health and safety standards is higher than the value of the building, and thus the house is abandoned. In other cases, other places like farms and barns are left dilapidated and abandoned because the owners have moved on or deemed the property as being impractical and not fit for its purpose, so some utilise the space for storage of equipment or supplies until the building becomes too damaged by the elements.
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