Neighbor's house empty for years, how does this usually work?

My mom lives in an over-50 community in Oregon. The old guy next door died around 4-5 years ago, and the lender winterized the place but hasn’t done much since. They’ve sent someone occasionally to clean the yard, but the blackberry vines and rats are becoming an issue. I’m worried about squatters moving in and creating safety problems. Why is this taking so long to resolve? Is it tied up in probate? How can we effectively complain to get things moving? My mom and I could even consider buying the place to rent it out if that’s an option.

If there are code violations, complain to the city. There’s no law against an empty house, but if you see issues, they might take action.

Gale said:
If there are code violations, complain to the city. There’s no law against an empty house, but if you see issues, they might take action.

Sounds like there might be probate issues delaying everything. Those can be pretty slow and costly.

I just found out the owner is now listed as a law firm in Florida, and there’s a foreclosure case filed. Taxes haven’t been paid since 2024.

Bran said:
I just found out the owner is now listed as a law firm in Florida, and there’s a foreclosure case filed. Taxes haven’t been paid since 2024.

That law firm is likely the trustee for the lender. They might be waiting to sell it once the legal issues are sorted.

In my state, probate records are public. If the family hasn’t filed probate, that could slow things down. Let them know there’s a deadline to file.

Asa said:
In my state, probate records are public. If the family hasn’t filed probate, that could slow things down. Let them know there’s a deadline to file.

Yeah, I had a similar situation. Sometimes just informing them of deadlines can get things moving.

It’s common for family homes to be willed to multiple heirs, causing delays. They might not agree on what to do, which can leave the house empty for years.

Dustin said:
It’s common for family homes to be willed to multiple heirs, causing delays. They might not agree on what to do, which can leave the house empty for years.

Exactly, family dynamics can complicate things a lot. Just keep pushing for updates.

The property is likely stuck in probate. Contact the county probate court for updates, and express your concerns about safety to the bank.

Rebel said:
The property is likely stuck in probate. Contact the county probate court for updates, and express your concerns about safety to the bank.

Is it typical for this to take 5 years? Seems like a long time.