Hum Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Tom Roeser is on a one-man mission to save Carpentersville, Ill., from falling into the fate of so many post-industrial Midwestern towns, where neighborhoods have become littered with vacant, foreclosed homes. Over the past several years, the 60-year-old president and co-owner of the town's largest employer, a maker of switches and communications gear called Otto Engineering, has bought 193 foreclosed homes, completely rehabilitated them and is either selling or renting them at a discount to local residents. Roeser's crusade to save this small Northeastern Illinois town started in 2005, soon after a townhouse condominium complex located about two miles from his factory was hit hard by foreclosures and started spawning crime -- graffiti, gang tagging, property destruction. The Morningside neighborhood where the complex was located looked unkempt and depressed and property values were plunging. "It really was neglected," said Roeser. "I went to the town, the county; I went to Habitat for Humanity; I told them that we needed to do something about this neighborhood. I couldn't get help from anybody." So Roeser proceeded to buy 69 of the foreclosed condos in the complex himself. Most of the homes he's bought at auction for less than $30,000, then fixed up. Today, he rents out a renovated 800-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment for $675 a month, about $200 below market value. By 2008, Roeser saw benefits in buying distressed, single-family homes in other parts of Carpentersville. Not only would he be curbing foreclosures and crime in his community, but he didn't want his customers, which include such big outfits as Motorola, John Deere and the U.S. military, to get turned off when they came to visit. Roeser's company has at least $10 million invested in the homes right now. "I take the worst houses you can see and tear them completely apart and rebuild them," he said. Typically, he buys a foreclosure for around $40,000 and puts $100,000 to $120,000 into rehabbing it and getting it market ready, including real estate commissions, holding costs and taxes. He then sells the place through Homes by Otto, for about $160,000. He does not expect to profit. "The plumbers make money, the electricians make money, everybody makes money and the people get a new home at cost," he said. "I come out of it whole." :happy: more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted April 4, 2013 Member Share Posted April 4, 2013 Sometimes you have to give before you can get. He is doing his part for his community. I wish others would follow his example. Hum 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 I see a statute of Tom Roeser in the future. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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