Fewer homes up for sheriff's auction

Numbers may be misleading, attorney says

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer 1:25 AM Friday, October 16, 2009

While the amount of foreclosures sent to auction has taken a dip locally, the number may be significantly impacted by more banks pulling properties to avoid upkeep costs.

According to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, only 36 properties were sold at auction in September compared to 102 properties for the same month last year.

However, 222 homes were received for foreclosure, meaning 186 properties were pulled prior to auction. About 215 total homes were received by the sheriff’s office in September 2008.

While the drop would seem positive, Steve Sharpe, an attorney with Legal Aid Society, said he believes more banks are pulling properties from foreclosure auctions to avoid paying property taxes and upkeep fees once they take possession. With the continuing housing slump, lenders are aware they may be stuck with those costs for several months before the property sells.

“It’s happening in communities across the country,” he said. “If you’re the homeowner that could mean they are able to stay maybe until a sheriff’s sale is confirmed, but that is not a very stable way to live.”

It also means that in the interim between the loan defaulting and a foreclosure auction, banks are leaving the obligation of property taxes and other costs to the homeowner who is already struggling, Sharpe said.

The demographic of those struggling homeowners is changing as well. Ruth Atha, a credit counselor with LifeSpan, a nonprofit agency that offers debt management services, said her office is seeing more higher-income residents seeking assistance, mostly due to job loss.

Residents facing foreclosure may participate in a special phone-a-thon to help stay put. Sponsored by the Home Ownership Center of Greater Cincinnati in partnership with Legal Aid, US Bank, WCPO-TV, CET and Cincinnati Bell, residents may call (877) 728-9987 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. today, Oct. 16, to be connected with a free professional housing counselor to receive mortgage advice.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.

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I'm worried about the poor appraisers that work for our sheriff. If they don't make money then the sheriff will not get his political contributions from them.

Donnie
5:59 PM, 10/17/2009

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The day the Journal had this article, there were 4 pages of forclosures listed, doesn't make sense.

howrad
3:14 PM, 10/16/2009

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The foreclosures are down because people are still trying to get help. There will be a lot more foreclosures coming in Butler and Warren County. It's not over.

forclosureseller
12:47 PM, 10/16/2009

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All we need is a few trillion to buy these houses and give them to ACORN. Barney Frank and Rahm Emmanuel can run the program and those of us with jobs can do our part to give back to the huddled masses.

Ridnaway
7:34 AM, 10/16/2009

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Mr. government power hungry Obama bought all of them.

Maggie R.
4:00 AM, 10/16/2009

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