The Remains of the $1 Detroit House
By: Diane Tuman, Zillow Content Manager | August 14, 2008
After doing a post about the home in Detroit that is listed for $1, there were some challenges that I had the wrong home. While I was 99% confident it IS the home at 8111 Traverse St, Detroit, MI, I thought I’d verify it by going to Ron French of the Detroit News, the person who originally reported the story.
Ron, who has visited the house, took the time to describe it to me, but the real verification was in the photos he sent (below). The reason why there was a question as to whether this was the house was because it doesn’t look anything like it used to, due to the vultures that have swooped in and stripped it of nearly everything of value.
BEFORE: Traverse Street home before being stripped
AFTER: Traverse Street home with siding removed
AFTER: Another view of the Traverse Street home
AFTER: The rear of the home, with the back door entirely gone
Ron said it’s fairly typical to see this type of thing in bad neighborhoods in Detroit, but it’s becoming more common to see it happening in nicer neighborhoods. “As soon as they know it’s empty, it’s like a gazelle limping in the Serengeti — they will take it down. You will see people pushing a wheelbarrow down the street, full of siding or copper. They take everything.”
And by the looks of these photos, not much is spared.
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- Categories: Real Estate Oddities
Comments
60 Comments so far
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g. dewald on August 14, 2008 2:46 pm
This isn’t limited to just bad neighborhoods or Detroit. See the following:
http://www.startribune.com/26937499.html
I would be interested to see how prevalent this is nationwide.
joey on August 14, 2008 8:47 pm
“You will see people pushing a wheelbarrow down the street, full of siding or copper”
Poor people are disgusting.
mike on August 14, 2008 9:25 pm
I agree I can’t stand those poor people
mr peepers on August 14, 2008 11:10 pm
so obviously not the same home. look at the arial view vs the street level. No wing to the right,2nd story, at street level, and the dormer window/second story had 2 windows in the arial view, 3 at street level. not the same house at all
Dee on August 15, 2008 12:15 am
Don’t be so sure it’s the poor pulling this crap! We had a crime ring broken up here in Miami that was stripping abandoned houses. This turned out to be connected with organized crime.
LOL on August 15, 2008 2:48 am
Rich people are even more disgusting.
Jesus on August 15, 2008 2:56 am
Joey and Mike,
BOTTOM LINE … it ain’t there shit and they are stealing! PERIOD!!!
And with the government bailout of homeowners and lenders … you and I will pay to rebuild the home.
Dee,
If at least two (repeat 2) people work together (organize their criminal strategy) themn it is “organized” crime. Go get an education.
alonzo on August 15, 2008 3:08 am
I think all poor people should pay heavy fines.
alonzo on August 15, 2008 3:10 am
Dear Jesus,
Should that education include spelling?
David on August 15, 2008 5:23 am
Why are rich people more disgusting? Is it because they worked for an education, worked hard at their job, invested their money wisely, made the most of their opportunities, followed the american dream, etc. etc.
Or are they disgusting because you are ENVIOUS of their success?
I am by no means rich, but I certainly hope to be so one day. And if I have to work harder, continue my education and make good decisions then I damn well deserve to reap the rewards of my efforts.
This is the land of opportunity for those who want it.
Zepellin on August 15, 2008 6:20 am
Greed Kills…
Rich, Poor and in between, It doesn’t matter.
Everyone will suffer from this “Housing Disease”.
The rich will not feel it as much, as they can cut back.
If your poor, it is next to impossible to cut back.
There will always be these two different ends of the spectrum, ALWAYS!!!
You ever notice how the people who struggle Daily, get bashed even more by our society.
The ones with the money like to blame everything on people who wasted their lives.
They never experienced what it was like to have continuous “down-and-out” luck.
Maybe, someone in their family had a medical condition, that consumed their ability to get a better education.
As far as rich people go, I think they are more stressed out with the “idea” of ending up in a poor mans shoes, so they need to keep building more and more “Dollar Signs” in their bank accounts.
Example: Do Warren Buffet and Bill Gates really need to obtain $50 - $100 BILLION in Wealth???
It’s like a game of who will be the Number 1 Richest person on earth.
Man, I really do Hope there is someone to answer to, when we pass on.
g. dewald on August 15, 2008 6:29 am
Gotta admit I’m not so interested in the rich/poor debate going on here.
But I am interested in the story of looting and whether it is on the increase. Has anyone seen a story that covers the topic?
David The Middle Class Asian on August 15, 2008 7:28 am
I’m not rich or poor, but middle class. I think I’m disgusting too, cuz i frown on the poor and envy the rich. Both views of the rich and poor are wrong. Thats why i call myself disgusting.
Oh well, looks like everyone is disgusting.
Except for …. the next commenter will answer
BK on August 15, 2008 7:54 am
>“You will see people pushing a wheelbarrow down the street, full of siding or copper”
This has nothing to do with rich, poor, black, white, ethnicity, race, sex, etc. It has to do with greed. Organized crime gangs doing this.
Real Homes of Genius Special Edition: Today we Salute you Southern California. 6 Counties and 6 Homes. » Dr. Housing Bubble Blog on August 15, 2008 11:07 am
[...] *Source: Zillow [...]
GW Bush on August 15, 2008 11:40 am
Quit bashing the rich!
I was born on third base and thought I hit a triple.
Poor people can’t even get on base.
Heh Heh Heh.
John D on August 15, 2008 12:29 pm
Mr. Peepers, it is the same house. The photographs are of different sides. Look again.
perkmashin on August 15, 2008 12:53 pm
I have no sympathy for you Americans. Your overspending and overconsumption has devastating effects on the world economy and to see it come full circle back to you with the rising costs of fuel, crashing housing markets, weak dollar and banking industry teetering on the brink - well, you all know what payback is…
Scott Mercer on August 15, 2008 1:27 pm
The problem with this country is that enough people don’t hate the rich, they envy them and want to be like them.
Well, forget it, you are never going to be rich. There’s a class system in this country, whether any of you want to admit it or not. Not quite the same as the class system in England or Europe. Here, people CAN move from one class to another, but it is very rare.
Take Donald Trump for example. He became a billionaire. But he did NOT start with nothing. He had a BIG head start because his father was a millionaire and left him tons of money.
Just quit believing this Horatio Alger “anyone can get rich in this country if they work hard and follow the rules” garbage. It RARELY happens. It requires some degree of smarts, tenacity and a lot of LUCK in being in the right place at the right time. If you manage it, you are VERY LUCKY.
mucker on August 15, 2008 1:31 pm
Mr peepers you must be terrible at those games of finding the similarities in images. You have to turn the image to make the matches. What you call the difference in street and aerial views are just different angles of the same house. Go back and really look at it. You’ll see.
Richard Wicks on August 15, 2008 2:24 pm
First, it is the same house. The aerial view is from the left side of the home. You can spot the fence, the dormer, and even the brick wall in both pictures.
Second “poor” people didn’t destroy the home, thieves did, criminals. How many poor people know where to recycle copper piping? Do any of YOU know here? If you showed up to a place to recycle a ton of copper piping, do you really think some questions wouldn’t be asked of you?
These are thieves, experienced ones.
a_non_reg on August 15, 2008 2:48 pm
Oh my God, I can not believe how racist you people are! Were you raised by wolves?
Richard Wicks on August 15, 2008 2:52 pm
This kind of surprised me:
“Oh my God, I can not believe how racist you people are! Were you raised by wolves?”
Because nobody has mentioned race.
I hate it when a discussion gets taken over by morons whose only desire is to halt discussion.
a_non_reg on August 15, 2008 2:55 pm
Richard Wicks, you are the worst kind of racist. Because you have justified your racism. May God have mercy on your soul.
Richard Wicks on August 15, 2008 3:07 pm
> Richard Wicks, you are the worst kind of racist. Because
> you have justified your racism. May God have mercy on your
> soul.
Well mom will be surprised that I’m in the KKK, her being black and all.
Amy Garner on August 15, 2008 3:23 pm
“Well mom will be surprised that I’m in the KKK, her being black and all.”
No, I suppose blacks can NEVER be racist, right? They must not have that gene. Replaced with Sickle Cell, maybe?
Forrester Whitebread on August 15, 2008 3:26 pm
I am sure this would be par for the course in a Jewish or Mormon neighborhood as well. Yeah, right.
a_non_reg on August 15, 2008 3:26 pm
Richard, I would appreciate it if you stop with the condescending attitude. Grow up you hateful person.
Amy Garner on August 15, 2008 3:29 pm
“I am sure this would be par for the course in a Jewish or Mormon neighborhood as well. Yeah, right.”
Actually, there’s a name for that type of thing in the Real Estate community… “Jewish Lightening.” I’ll let you figure that out.
As far as Mormons go, they’re all too busy raping 11 year old girls.
Richard Wicks on August 15, 2008 3:30 pm
In any case, the house was destroyed by a group of organized and experienced criminals.
The real problem is that the police although paid to do a job, don’t do their job.
The ramifications of this sort of destruction should get interesting. Since we are now at an all time high for foreclosures in this country, I’ll be betting that the people stuck with the worthless mortgage will be kicking out the so-called “house owners”.
It’s also pretty clear that the CDO and SIV write downs are not over. Upon looking at gold and silver valuations, it appears we’re repeating 1975 again as well meaning we’re at least 4 years from reaching stability. Of course, we’re in a different situation where we have world inflation, not just US.
upthecreek on August 15, 2008 10:57 pm
I heard Angelo Mozilo is looking for a nice fixer upper in the detroit area… Here you go Angelo
DanH on August 16, 2008 10:25 am
So much wailing and gnashing of teeth, so much emotion. Blight spreads when vacancies climb and tax bases disappear, and copper/furnaces/siding sells in the black market. If you are amazed by this take a drive through neighborhoods that are still stripped and crumbling after the 1968 riots and subsequent middle class flight (Philly, Baltimore, Detroit). You folks are learning the natural order of things. There is nothing precious about our time in history.
Amy Garner on August 16, 2008 11:29 am
DanH, Philosopher Extraordinaire, pipe down you contemptuous blowhard.
Budapest Boy on August 16, 2008 1:16 pm
With unempoyment so high I guess the thieves in the area have at least a temp gig to take undertake. It’s, above all, sad.
Jonathan Blackwell on August 16, 2008 6:00 pm
Can you get a loan for $1? What is the mortgage brokers commission?
[links removed]
"Century Home" on August 16, 2008 10:32 pm
That looks like a century home! I bet it had mighty fine 1/8th of an inch panel doors in it, which have probably been stolen and sold on the black market for a huge mark up. Their high quality is quite rare in new homes these days.
regina on August 17, 2008 12:11 pm
wow you people are something. what does poor people have to do with home distruction. it’s been going on long before this housing problem started. i had a friend who bought a foreclosed home 20 years ago the people that lost the house did some serious damage before they left. rich people do it (like the guy who lost his multi million dollar home to foreclosure and left the water running for a month after he pulled up all the drain holes the whole house had to be torn down). Don’t let one house stir your steriotypical responses. People are hurt and in pain and have no one to lash out at and just like thieving real estate brokers and agents why is their crime any better to sell houses to people who couldn’t afford them and then lost them than people who go and strip them because they are virtually abandoned by he bank.
LOL even harder on August 17, 2008 11:00 pm
The Americans dream; you have to be asleep to believe it.
Looking at the comments here and I think most are Americans as in from the US 4th Reich, it’s no wonder US is in this shape.
People let exploit themselves for a chance to get rich, what they don’t seem to understand is that the rich and shameless are laughing hard at all those ‘hard’working people.
USA deserves to go down ,it’s the nr1 fascist state on this planet.The rest of the world needs to get rid of this cancer called USA.
Scottish cottages on August 18, 2008 5:27 am
About real estate in Europe: prices change so fast that you just can’t keep the track of all the changes. New members of European Union still have quite cheap property for sale. Example: you can buy a land and a house near the sea for 10.000 Euro in Bulgaria.. At the same time prices for houses in Ukraine, Kiev are higher than luxury villas’ cost in California. What can I say? Now it seems to be expensive to invest into property at some moment, but later it becomes reasonable action.
design on August 20, 2008 8:44 am
Well you get what you pay for.
Los Angeles Times » Blog Archive » How "second mortgages" became HELOCs on August 21, 2008 1:44 am
[...] Zillow’s Diane Tuman takes a closer look at why that Detroit house sold for $1, and finds some…. This is worth checking out: The house was stripped bare by vandals, a common fate for vacant homes in parts of Detroit, according to Detroit News reporter Ron French: “As soon as they know it’s empty, it’s like a gazelle limping in the Serengeti — they will take it down," French tells Zillow. "You will see people pushing a wheelbarrow down the street, full of siding or copper. They take everything.” (Hat tip: Patrick.net) [...]
Los Angeles Times » Blog Archive » What $1 buys in: Detroit on August 21, 2008 1:44 am
[...] Zillow’s Diane Tuman chased down this photo, and several others, from the Detroit News, and they’re worth a look. This is the house that sold recently for $1. That’s not a typo, it sold for a dollar. [...]
Reginald on August 22, 2008 9:45 am
I believe that neighborhood is awfully dark. But, that’s what the darks of Detroit like and encourage.
MadMorticia on August 28, 2008 11:26 pm
Unbelievable to see so much venomous hatred in the postings above me. How can you live with such attitudes?
I am not a religious woman. However, two Biblical quotations spring immediately to mind as I hear people talk about others in this way.
“The meek shall inherit the earth.”
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into heaven.”
Never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.
Will quickly say it is this kind of sick attitudes and judging others adversely that led me to pack up my pup and get out of the U.S.A. Living in the U.S. vs. in Australia is like day and night.
It’s so sad to see such negativism in the U.S., but am not about ready to issue any invitations to my new home.
Restful In Zion on August 29, 2008 1:30 am
MM, no one wants to hear your Cristian Dogma. Not all of us share your beliefs nor follow your false Messiach!
MadMorticia on August 29, 2008 4:33 pm
Not much Christian dogma there, mate. Just a message to people who think their prejudices make them better than those who do not agree with them.
BTW, check out your spelling before posting again.
Although must admit it most probably reflects the ignorance of the writer.
One more question: have you managed to reach the top 1% income-wise in the U.S? Even the top 25%?
Do hope you are able to feel your intellectual and financial status enables you to be among the “chosen few.”
Faithfulzz on September 1, 2008 3:32 pm
Maybe it’s Kwame Kirkpatrick’s henchman trying to supplement his illicit income or to pay for more hooker parties.
How Bad Is The Housing Market? Home For Sale: $1 | MiB Smarter Money on September 2, 2008 1:26 am
[...] and I hear the weather isn’t that spectacular either. There’s actually an interesting poor vs rich debate going on over at ZillowBlog on just this [...]
Homeowners in Historic Detroit Neighborhood Fighting Back | Zillow® Blog on September 11, 2008 2:44 pm
[...] Detroit made headlines with its $1 house last month and now we have a new kind of real estate story out of Detroit: vigilant neighbors fighting back and taking things into their own hands. The Wall Street Journal reports today vacant homes in the historic and stately Boston-Edison neighborhood, where automaker Henry Ford lived and prospered, are being watched and “protected” by neighbors to prevent decay, vandalism, and burglary. Organized by an 87-year-old neighborhood association, some do unpaid duty mowing lawns, trimming hedges and picking up litter outside vacant houses. Others park their cars in the driveways of empty houses to make them appear to be lived in. The association’s Web site promotes mansions in need of new owners. Some members have volunteered to rush to the scene when burglars are breaking into empty houses. [...]
Hot Link » Blog Archive » Some Lenders Can’t Give Foreclosed Properties Away on September 22, 2008 7:50 pm
[...] more information on this particular $1 house in Detroit see Zillow’s excellent write up. They have a bunch more pictures as [...]
Ferndale, WA, House for Sale: $10 | Zillow® Blog on September 23, 2008 12:56 pm
[...] depending on the size of the house and logistics. Then you have to find land for the house. If this house was located in Detroit, there might be nothing left of [...]
What Does a Buck Seventy-Five Get You? A House in Saginaw, MI | Zillow® Blog on October 2, 2008 10:31 am
[...] have seen our share of houses that have sold for cheap: There’s the Detroit, MI house that sold for $1, there’s the Ferndale, WA house for $10, there’s the Grand Rapids, MI condo raffle for [...]
Chill out people on November 1, 2008 1:59 am
This must be a wind-up? Surely no-one seriously can be this ignorant with the poor v rich & different race comments? I think you’ll find we’re all human so therefore all have the same traits when push comes to shove, just depends what situation you find yourself in - whether it was in your control or not. It doesn’t depend on how much of a tan your ancestors got. We’re all just one animal……..Humans……..which are without a doubt the most vicious of all - which is why we’re at the top of the food chain !!
TRC – Mourning for Detroit « The Rabid Conservative on January 30, 2009 1:57 pm
[...] of their raw metals – This is older news, but because of the recessed housing market, houses like this one mentioned, the notorious $1 house, more houses are being ripped apart for their raw materials. Copper [...]
TRC – Mourning for Detroit « The Rabid Conservative on January 30, 2009 2:00 pm
[...] of their raw metals – This is older news, but because of the recessed housing market, houses like this one mentioned, the notorious $1 house, more houses are being ripped apart for their raw materials. Copper [...]
Kenneth on March 9, 2009 12:53 am
The buyer who paid $1 on this house paid too much. Honestly, I wouldn’t give them a penny for it, especially when I know the taxes on it is $3900/year, and who knows how much back taxes is owed just to buy the home. Of course, the media wouldn’t say that…they’d only go what the deed says, which is that it was purchased for $1. I bet the buyer paid much more than that, and not only that, it’s likely got to be torn down and removed for another $5000 and rebuilt. It will cost ALOT more to repair this home in its current condition than to just rebuild from scratch.
$1 = too much
fivedollarhouselol on April 1, 2009 3:38 pm
They didn’t scrap the antenna? Something is off here. There is more to this story than we will ever know.
Loan Modification on June 24, 2009 8:29 am
I’m surprised George Washington didn’t jump out of the dollar bill and slap the buyer.
“What did the five fingers say to the face…?”
SLAP!!
Ok.. Humor aside.. Guys are we really having a conversation about poor people being disgusting, or rich people being disgusting??!! And honestly, where does race factor into any of this? Keep in mind this was someones house…..
Suzie 100 on August 14, 2009 10:25 am
$1 for a house? thats a bit of a bargain isn’t it? can you demolish and rebuild?
Cuando una casa cuesta menos que un coche « strambotic on September 4, 2009 9:14 am
[...] “para reformar” que supuestamente se vendía en Detroit por 1 dólar el pasado [...]