can I remove light fixtures from my home that is being foreclosed on?

Answer 1

The fact that the bank probably wrote you into a loan you couldn't handle, the lighting fixtures are only the first of many things you should take with you. They certainly aren't going to spend thousands of dollars trying to get them back from you....

Answer 2

Why would you remove the light fixtures? What are you going to do with them? No lender is going to give you a mortgage to purchase another home, at least not right away. And most landlords are not going to let you remove their fixtures and replace them with the ones you stole from the property. Lighting fixtures are considered part of the real estate, meaning they are not personal property. I know people are upset they are going through foreclosure and want to 'get back at the bank' but in all honesty it isn't the banks fault. You either knew the terms of the mortgage when you signed the papers, or did not read the terms of the mortgage, no one else is to blame. And I know sometimes things are out of control such as medical bills that leave people with no money. But that is no reason to steal. I do foreclosure appraisals for banks and it is disgusting what some people due to their homes when they are going through foreclosure. Removing everything they can, trashing the place, locking animals in the house for days to use as a restroom, filling the place with trash, the list goes on. Do you really want to be put in the same category as these other people?

Answer 3

It depends. According to California Real Estate Law there is a difference between REAL PROPERTY & PERSONAL PROPERTY.

The law states that anything that is not real porperty is personal property and vise versa.

Real property consist of the following:
1. Land
2. That which is affixed to the land
3. That which is appurtenant or incidental to the land
4. That which is immovable by law.

I can go more into it but what it comes down to is... was it there before you or did you add it? Will removing it make a difference to the structure? Will additional work need to be done to get it replaced other than just adding another fixture? and most importantly are the new buyers aware of it?

Hope this helps...

Answer 4

I've worked in the default servicing industry for about 12 years now and I've seen just about everything. One guy took everything from his home before the foreclosure sale - fixtures, faucets, air conditioner, and even the windows.

The bank simply had their property preservation group repair everything.

Answer 5

Copied and pasted from Jsullymaan

The fact that the bank probably wrote you into a loan you couldn't handle, the lighting fixtures are only the first of many things you should take with you. They certainly aren't going to spend thousands of dollars trying to get them back from you....
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The bank won't pay anything to get them back, they will just report you to the police as stealing the property.

Answer 6

Do it. Take as much as you can. The bank's not going to bother chasing you down in court when they're probably going to sell it for a pittance at auction anyway...

Answer 7

It's been known to happen. Some folk even take the range, refrigerator, washer, dryer, etc. Just don't trash the place.

I'm sorry you're having to uproot your home.

Answer 8

You are already screwing the lender by not honoring your mortgage contract, and now you want to screw the lender FURTHER by removing items of value from the house ?????

Please.....get a life.

Answer 9

If you do replace them with something else, preferably something cheap.

Answer 10

if you want.. i would consult a lawyer first