Neighbors deal with messy aftermath of home foreclosure
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Neighbors are not happy about a house in foreclosure, with junk and trash piled up in the front yard for months. They want somebody to clean it up.
It turns out the house was bought by an investment company, and company officials promise fast action, even with a mess this big.
"We can get this cleaned up in one day," Preet Bhathal told Eyewitness News on Monday. He said this was the deadline for the current residents to be out of the house, and his company will now move quickly.
The small, white house is in the 3100 block of Apollo Street in northeast Bakersfield. Several large piles of stuff sit on the driveway.
"All of the trash blowing down the street, every day we're out here picking up the trash," neighbor Mark Abonnel said. "And the kids coming and going through the trash right now. You don't want any kids getting anything from it."
Neighbor Steve Carpenter has similar concerns. "It brings down the neighborhood," he said. "It's just really bad. A huge eyesore."
Both men said things have gotten much worse in the past couple months, and they don't know why. They also don't know the people who lived there, but assumed the house had gone into foreclosure.
Eyewitness News checked with county records, and found the bank-owned house had just been purchased by a AP Real Estate Holdings. It's a local company, spokesman Preet Bhathal said.
"We were aware people weren't taking care of the property," Bhathal said. He said the company bought this property at a trustee auction almost two months ago. Bhathal said since that time, the company's had to work through the eviction process -- which can take 45 days or more.
He said AP Real Estate took possession of the house on October 1, and the current residents had 15 days to remove their possessions. That meant Monday was the first day his company could take any action about the huge mess.
Bhathal met with the concerned neighbors, and told Eyewitness News his company's ready to start fixing up the house.
"We're hoping tomorrow we're going to get our people in here and get all the trash hauled away," Bhathal said Monday afternoon.
About 30 minutes earlier, a car had stopped in front of the house. A woman went into the garage, but left without taking anything. The woman and the man driving wouldn't answer a reporter's questions.
Neighbors believed all the stuff on the driveway had come out of the house. Bhathal took a reporter inside, and said most of the rooms had been packed to the ceiling. But, he said the house could be renovated fairly quickly.
His company fixes up foreclosed houses for re-sale, and they get them "FHA ready," but it doesn't take that long. "At least usually three weeks," Bhathal said. "And depending on the conditions, sometimes it takes $10,000 to $15,000."
Bhathal said his company flips houses, and sells them to first-time home-buyers. He said it's a good strategy for investors.
"Comparatively, it's providing comparable returns, similar to if you were to invest in the stock market or if you were to buy rentals," Bhathal said. He added his company started up two years ago, and there are other similar businesses in the area.
Bhathal said Bakersfield Code Enforcement is aware of the conditions at the house, and his company will work with city officials.
But, it turns out code officers are also working on a similar situation at the house right next door. Neighbors had photos of piles of junk in that driveway, but said on Monday morning somebody showed up and tossed the stuff over the wall onto the driveway of the house AP Real Estate has just purchased.
"I'm not aware of that situation," Bhathal said. Eyewitness News talked to a man in front of that house, who was watering with a garden hose. He said he had no information on what was happening there, and a reporter asked him to contact the home-owner. So far we haven't heard back.
Eyewitness News will keep checking with code enforcement on that situation, and check back with Bhathal about it.
Bhathal promised to work on cleaning up the property they acquired, and hoped the neighbors will work with his company. "It helps when the neighbors really are taking an interest," Bhathal said. "It helps everyone."
It turns out the house was bought by an investment company, and company officials promise fast action, even with a mess this big.
"We can get this cleaned up in one day," Preet Bhathal told Eyewitness News on Monday. He said this was the deadline for the current residents to be out of the house, and his company will now move quickly.
The small, white house is in the 3100 block of Apollo Street in northeast Bakersfield. Several large piles of stuff sit on the driveway.
"All of the trash blowing down the street, every day we're out here picking up the trash," neighbor Mark Abonnel said. "And the kids coming and going through the trash right now. You don't want any kids getting anything from it."
Neighbor Steve Carpenter has similar concerns. "It brings down the neighborhood," he said. "It's just really bad. A huge eyesore."
Both men said things have gotten much worse in the past couple months, and they don't know why. They also don't know the people who lived there, but assumed the house had gone into foreclosure.
Eyewitness News checked with county records, and found the bank-owned house had just been purchased by a AP Real Estate Holdings. It's a local company, spokesman Preet Bhathal said.
"We were aware people weren't taking care of the property," Bhathal said. He said the company bought this property at a trustee auction almost two months ago. Bhathal said since that time, the company's had to work through the eviction process -- which can take 45 days or more.
He said AP Real Estate took possession of the house on October 1, and the current residents had 15 days to remove their possessions. That meant Monday was the first day his company could take any action about the huge mess.
Bhathal met with the concerned neighbors, and told Eyewitness News his company's ready to start fixing up the house.
"We're hoping tomorrow we're going to get our people in here and get all the trash hauled away," Bhathal said Monday afternoon.
About 30 minutes earlier, a car had stopped in front of the house. A woman went into the garage, but left without taking anything. The woman and the man driving wouldn't answer a reporter's questions.
Neighbors believed all the stuff on the driveway had come out of the house. Bhathal took a reporter inside, and said most of the rooms had been packed to the ceiling. But, he said the house could be renovated fairly quickly.
His company fixes up foreclosed houses for re-sale, and they get them "FHA ready," but it doesn't take that long. "At least usually three weeks," Bhathal said. "And depending on the conditions, sometimes it takes $10,000 to $15,000."
Bhathal said his company flips houses, and sells them to first-time home-buyers. He said it's a good strategy for investors.
"Comparatively, it's providing comparable returns, similar to if you were to invest in the stock market or if you were to buy rentals," Bhathal said. He added his company started up two years ago, and there are other similar businesses in the area.
Bhathal said Bakersfield Code Enforcement is aware of the conditions at the house, and his company will work with city officials.
But, it turns out code officers are also working on a similar situation at the house right next door. Neighbors had photos of piles of junk in that driveway, but said on Monday morning somebody showed up and tossed the stuff over the wall onto the driveway of the house AP Real Estate has just purchased.
"I'm not aware of that situation," Bhathal said. Eyewitness News talked to a man in front of that house, who was watering with a garden hose. He said he had no information on what was happening there, and a reporter asked him to contact the home-owner. So far we haven't heard back.
Eyewitness News will keep checking with code enforcement on that situation, and check back with Bhathal about it.
Bhathal promised to work on cleaning up the property they acquired, and hoped the neighbors will work with his company. "It helps when the neighbors really are taking an interest," Bhathal said. "It helps everyone."
I see our favorite tin foil hat moron has shown up for the party, lol.
WELL I CAN SEE YOU DIDNT LOOK ANY OF THAT STUFF UP.YOUR JUST GOING OFF WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN LIED TO ABOUT ALL THESE YEARS.NOT YOUR FAULT THEY CREATE THE REALITY AROUND YOU.I CAN PROOVE EVERYTHING I HAVEÂ WRITTEN ABOUT WITH FACTS. TAKE THE TIME TO DO A LITTLE HOME WORK. AND YOUR EYE'S WILL OPEN TO THE DECEPTION .THEN GET BACK WITH ME.ANY QUESTION ON WERE TO FIND THE TRUTH .I WILL POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION..BUT WONT DO IT FOR YOUÂ .THE REASON WHY YOU REPLIED THE WAY YOU DID. IS BECAUSE YOU BEEN LETTING PEOPLE DO YOUR WORK FOR YOU TO LONG GOOD LUCKÂ Â AND IT WAS LATE IN THE EVENING THOUGH COULD SLEEP LOL
 @freedomfighter Lets start with ALL CAPS ARE HARD TO READ!  So are misspilled wordz.  This might be why no one takes you seriously.
WELL CAPS IS ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.DARN KEY IS STUCK OR SOMETHING.AND MY SPELLING IS NOT THE BEST.BUT YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS SAYING SOOOO..... WHATS Â YOUR POINT. I AM NOT HERE FOR A SPELLING BEE. HEREÂ TO TRY AND WAKE UP THE MASSES. TO THE DECEPTIONN THAT IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. IF WE DONT STAND TALL AND SPEAK LOUD RIGHT NOW ARE CHILDREN HAVE NO FUTURE.AND IT SAD TOÂ SEE THIS TERRANY UNFOLD RIGHT INFRONT OF US ALL.MOST EVERYTHING THAT THE SOLD OUT LAIM STREAM MEDIAÂ OUT IS PROPAGANDA ECT.TO TRY AND CREATE THE REALITY YOU LIVE IN.TO CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS AND ACTION.THE REAL HISTORYÂ IN THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT WERE TAUGHT.ITS ALL ABOUT GOOD VS EVIL. ALLWAYS HAS BEEN.AND THE CREATORE SAID MY PEOPLE WILL PARRISH FOR LACK OF KNOWLEGDE.AND THEY KEEP EVERYTHING FROM US .THE BEST SLAVES ARE THE ONES THAT DONT EVEN KNOW IT.BUT 1ST TO LASH OUT .FOR SOMETHING NOT KNOWN TO THERE REALITY THEY LIVE IN.AND LET OTHERS DO THERE HOMEWORK .SO THEY NEVER GET THE RIGHT ANSWERS.BUT NO TIME TO ARGUE OVER SPILT MILK THERES WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.BEFORE ITS TO LATEÂ . DONT WORRY ALL FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM TOO NO PROBLEM HAVE A NICE DAY
freedomfighter? more like pillpopper.
SO DITTO TO MY LAST COMMIT TO YOU AS WELL TRY AND DO A LITTLE RESEARCH THEN TALK SHIT OK GROW UP
freedomfighter, are you drunk, or did you forget to take your meds?
SAD THING IS MOST OF THESE FORECLOSERS ARE DONE FRAUDULENTLY.BECAUSE THE BANK OR MORGAGE COMPANY CANT PRODUCE THE ORIGINAL TITLE.BECAUSE IF THEY DID THEY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FRAUD THAT THEY DID WHEN THEY MADE MANY COPIES AND SOLD THEM TO EVERYONE.AND THAT WOULD BE AN ADMITTION OF THE CRIME.THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN MAKE COPIES IS THE ONE THAT HAS THE ORIGINAL TITLE.AND LOOK UP LAND PATENDS YOU CANT SALE LAND IT IS GRANTED BY THE CREATORE THEY HAVE LIED ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIFES. MOST PEOPLE DONT EVEN NO THERE SLAVES. THE BEST SLAVES ARE ONES THAT THINK THERE FREE. YOU THINK YOU OWN YOUâRE HOUSE OR CAR.NOPE YOU HAVE A CERTICATE OF TITLE AND A DEED OR A HOMESTEAD ECT.THERE NOT TITLES .WHEN YOU REGISTER YOUR VEHICLE.MEANS YOU GIVE UP TITLE TO THE STATE. AND THEY LET YOU USE THE PROPERTY. AS LONG AS YOU PAY YOUR YEARLY TAX.SAME WITH A HOUSE PROPERTY TAX. SLAVES CANâT OWN PROPERTY. THATS  WHERE  YOU  GET  THE WORD  HUMAN BEING.BECAUSE  WHEN  THE  NIGHTS  TEMPLERS WHERE OUT SETTING UP  COMMERC E  ALL  OVER EUROPE.THEY  WERE GONE  LONG  PERIODS OF TIME .SO  FATHERED  A LOT  OF  illegitimate CHILDREN.AND  WHEN THEY DIED THE CHILDREN  WERE Inheriting THERE PROPERTY. WELL THE CROWN  AND  THE POPE COULDNT HAVE THIS SO THEY SAID LOOKING  HUMAN  BUT  NOT  BEING HUMAN.IN THE  BLACKS  LAW  DICTIONARY  IT SAY SEE  MONSTER.REALLY  LOOK  IT  UP  THERES  ALOT OF WORDS YOU USE AND HAVE  NO  IDEA  WHY AND WHERE THEY CAME  FROM  SPECIALLY  IN  COURT .SOUNDS  LIKE  ENGLISH  LOOKS LIKE  ENGLISH . BUT TOTALLY DIFFERENT MEANING.THEY TRICKS YOU, ONE MANY THEY DO. WAKE UP EDUCATE  YOURSELF  TURN  OFF  THE  TV/HOLLYWOOD  REALITY,THEY CREATED AND  HAVE  YOU IN. AND  BREAK  THE MATRIX!! GOOD LUCK AND MAY THE CREATORE YHWH YAHWEH HELP US ALL
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