'I'll just tear up this check for $3,500... You lose, good day!': Homeowners get foreclosed and property shepherd tries to help them, decides not to after coming face-to-face with their entitlement

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Jul 9, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

When you are a homeowner, foreclosure is one of your worst nightmares. Unfortunately, especially in this day and age, it happens often. Owning a home is more expensive than ever, and if you can't afford your monthly payments for it, the bank will reposes. A heartbreaking reality, but we live in it nonetheless. So what do you do when this happens?

 

I wish I could tell you, but I am not a homeowner and probably never will be… but I can tell you, that if anything this stressful ever happens to you and you find yourself working with someone who has empathy and is trying to help you out the best they can, you should listen to them. Unfortunately, in the case of these now ex-homeowners, they decided they were entitled to their way or the highway—they ended up on the highway. 

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  • A property shepherd is someone who does not work for the bank or lawyers, they seem to just be a regular Joe-shmo who helps with the go between when foreclosure happens. So, he tries his best to cut everyone he works with a break—in other words, he had empathy. But once that empathy starts to be taken advantage of, it no longer is available…

  • Cheezburger Image 10526739456
    via Unsplash+ (and Muhammad Ateeb)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.
    (Broke man via Unsplash+ and Yunus Tug)

  • "You sure showed me! I'll just tear up this check for $3,500 and you get nothing! You lose! Good day!"

    When I was a property shepherd for banks that foreclosed on properties, I was often asked to see if the occupants would accept money in exchange for surrendering the property. in clean, intact condition and skipping the eviction.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • I had nothing to do with the foreclosure or eviction and they used me because the lawyers charged hundreds of dollars an hour for that kind of thing. They prepared the offer, I presented it, if they said yes the bank sent me a
    via TheQuarantinian
  • check, I inspected the house and if it was clean and intact handed over the check. Important note: there was an eviction clock running. If I did not report that they had complied with the agreement the eviction would proceed.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • They did not stop that process unless I was successful, so I was helpless to grant extra time to move out beyond "the agreement says be out by the 14th, you are working hard, the bank is closed, I can come back first thing in the morning
    via TheQuarantinian
  • and if you are done I'll release the check and tell the bank you complied." I was dealing with a couple in a 4,000 sq ft. house. They had been fighting the foreclosures, then fighting the eviction and the bank and lawyers were sick of them.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • I delivered the offer. $3,500 to be out in 2 weeks. It was explicitly clear that I was not from the bank. I was not from the lawyer's office. They showed up at my office any way and tried to convince us to sell them the house. The house which was not for sale.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • Which they couldn't afford or they wouldn't be facing eviction. Which wasn't ours. They didn't like any of those truths, said we had better start checking under our car before starting it up and stormed out.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • They wanted the money and I always did what little I could to help people make the deadline. I always offered to come by a few days early and point out what needed to be clean.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • Normal wear and tear? No problem. Stained carpet? This isn't a security deposit so unless it was a fresh, intentional stain I didn't care. Missing fixtures? That's a problem. Unswept floors? Problem. Bags of rotting food in the garage? You get the picture.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • I went over for a pre inspection. Not even close. I pointed out what needed to happen. They asked if they could have the check now to "hire cleaners" and they would totally have it ready in time. Being ugly, not stupid I declined and said
    via TheQuarantinian
  • Cheezburger Image 10526745088
    via Unsplash+ (and Alexis Montero)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • I would see them on the date they agreed to. I show up. They hadn't cleaned up anything since my previous visit. They demanded the check anyway. They worked hard to come up with excuses. They were
    via TheQuarantinian
  • tired after threatening to kill me with a car bomb. They needed the money for the down payment on another house. Won't I do them a favor. They will do anything for the check. except clean.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • I marked them non- compliant and left, returning the check to the lawyer's office. A week later the lawyer's office told me I was free to take possession of the house and start my processes.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • Still lots of trash. Grime everywhere. Many missing light fixtures. Best of all they had taken all of the towel racks and toilet paper holders, ripping them straight out of the wall along with significant chunks of drywall.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • They sure taught me a lesson by damaging a house that wasn't mine! And for skipping at best three hours of cleaning they lost out on $3,500 even though they deserved that money for being stressed.
    via TheQuarantinian
  • Butterscotch No6... Smart to withhold the check until the people are gone and the place cleaned out. I watch a lot of eviction vids on YouTube and there is one where a family in a big two story house absolutely full of stuff are getting evicted and they
    via ButterscotchNo6734
  • act like they are surprised and got no warning. Husband finally gets in the phone with the landlord and you find out the landlord gave him $3k to move out and the guy admitted he spent the money on other things.
    via ButterscotchNo6734
  • Imguran Their own actions is what separates the wheat from the chaff. They were given a great opportunity to restart their life with a $3,500 bonus, instead of continuing to be inconsiderate lazy idiots to their own detriment.
    via Imguran
  • lamettler It probably took more time to do the damage they left behind, than to clean in the first place.
    via lamettler

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