What was once a purchase with potential has turned into a pitfall. Walking into Deborah Lund's latest rental property left her with very few words as clothes and debris were left all over the rooms and a gaping hole could be seen on the ceiling.
"It's scary and it's sad," Lund told KENS 5 via video chat. "A total loss of income, it's a total loss."
A loss she wishes she could have avoided. Lund rented out a Beeville home at the start of the pandemic but then an eviction moratorium was placed and rent checks never came.
Texas ended its statewide halt on evictions back in May and the federal Cares Act moratorium lapsed last week.
"Last week I started getting phone calls from the Beeville Police Department and code compliance. I spoke to the assistant chief of police and told me my property was at risk of being seized because of criminal activity," Lund said.
"So I went ahead and drew up a letter I went back to Beeville I contacted the tenant he wouldn't get back to me, the three-day notice to vacate had expired so I went and there was no one on the property except for the mess that was left behind."
Trash, urine and debris covered the rooms and left Lund frustrated with legislators who didn't think of the ripple effect waiving evictions would take on the property owners.
"Landlords are the only group of people that have been told that you need to provide this service but you have to waive compensation," Lund continued.
"They never considered what taking our income because that's what they did, they completely removed me from income but they stuck me with the expenses."
Expenses that will rack up. Lund estimates she's already lost thousands of dollars on this property.
"The property taxes are due," Lund said.
As Lund tries to turn this home of perish back to one of promise.