Fred West wove a tale of divorce as he sat across the table from me in a University Heights café, next to his briefcase bulging with bank paperwork.
But he’s not ending a marriage. He’s divorcing his house, and the headaches it has caused.
His is a story not uncommon to San Diego. A story of catching housing fever, seeing his wages cut and fighting with the bank.
Now, West’s walking away, and not really feeling bad about it.
I got an e-mail from West after he’d seen my courthouse steps story. He told me a bit of his story:
I’ve spent most of the last year either trying to refinance, short-sale, or deed in lieu on the property to no avail. Last month I moved out of the property, because I knew the foreclosure would be coming fast. Yesterday, an old neighbor called me and said that Notice of Trustee Sale was posted on the front gate of the complex.
I’m thankful that there appears to be a light at the end of this tunnel, now I’m just looking for information of ‘what happens next’.
I asked West if he’d tell me — and all of you readers in Survival — more. He agreed, and put his rationale in a really compelling way:
I would love to share my story with you, so that some other folks might benefit from the long drawn out process I went/am-currently-going through. I know as a fact how depressing, and demoralizing the process can be, but to hear from others that have already been through it, can help save your sanity.
I’ll be sharing more with you as it gets closer to West’s auction date, which is supposed to be June 22, but often these auctions are getting postponed.
Stay tuned. And if you have questions for West, please leave a comment.
— KELLY BENNETT