Big Push To Sell Vacant Homes in the Lansing Area

"WLNS News 6" Jul 07, 2011 1:02 PM EDT.

There's a push to sell vacant homes in the Lansing area. Several organizations have teamed up to create the Homeownership and Neighborhood Development Coalition. The new program launched Thursday.

The goal is to help the Ingham County Land Bank sell at least 25 previously abandoned or foreclosed homes by the end of the year. The homes have either been rebuilt or renovated. They range in price from $45,000 to $125,000.

"We call this initiative hand, home ownership and neighborhood development. And it's about the improvements with the federal recovery act dollars that we're doing in Lansing neighborhoods," said Eric Schertizing, Ingham County Treasurer.

Improvements ranging from energy efficient renovations like heated cement floors to universal designs.

"Somebody with a wheelchair or somebody with mobility issues could come into this," said Schertizing.

Jeffery and Estelle Wilbourne toured one of the houses for sale Thursday after finding its listing on the land bank's website.

"It looked so gorgeous from the pictures online that we just had to come out and see it in person," said Wilbourn.

The couple has custody of their two grandsons and says with their credit recently repaired a land bank house is a great catch.

Rebecca Eldridge, who recently bought a land bank house, is also impressed.

"We could pay our house off in less than 15 years and with the taxes and insurance and everything we're still paying less than what we did in rent," said Rebecca Eldridge, HAND program homeowner.

Savings that land bank staff say create a win-win situation, boosting tax values for the county while giving local families a place to call home.