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Foreclosure Cleanout Checklist for Investors
A practical sequence for clearing a newly acquired foreclosure in Maryland: documentation, utilities, hazards, clearing order and getting the property listing-ready.
Document the property before anything moves
Photograph every room, the exterior, the basement and any outbuildings before a single item leaves. This protects you if a former occupant later claims valuable property was discarded, and it gives you a baseline for renovation scoping.
Keep the photos timestamped and stored with the property file, not just on a phone.
Confirm your legal position on abandoned property
Your rights depend on how you acquired the property and whether anyone still occupies it. Do not assume that possession of the deed means you may discard belongings while someone is living there.
This is worth a short conversation with your attorney once, then applying the same process to every acquisition. A hauling company cannot answer this for you.
Check utilities and hazards early
Water shut off in winter, no power, gas left on, a full and non-functioning refrigerator, standing water in the basement, or a heating oil tank — each of these changes both the cleanout plan and its cost.
Flag suspected asbestos, mold or biohazard conditions immediately. Those require licensed specialists, not a junk crew, and mixing the two wastes everyone's time.
Clear in the right order
Exterior and yard debris first so the truck has clear access. Then the level with the easiest exit, working large-to-small. Basement and attic last, because they are the slowest and you want a clear path through the house by then.
Anything you plan to keep — appliances, fixtures, salvageable cabinetry — should be tagged before the crew starts, not explained mid-job.
Finish listing-ready
A broom-swept, empty property photographs dramatically better and shows better to contractors bidding the renovation. Get after photos of every room the same day.
If the property is being wholesaled, those after photos are effectively your marketing package.