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Do "We Buy Houses" Signs Benefit Sellers Or Harm Neighborhoods?

Distressed neighborhood in Cleveland
Some investors are flipping houses in distressed neighborhoods [Justin Glanville/ideastream]

You've most likely seen them somewhere around town, the signage, some with handmade lettering announcing "We Buy Houses", or a variation of that.

"We Buy UGLY Houses", "CASH FOR YOUR HOUSE", or "SELL YOUR HOME AS IS"

These signs are becoming more common in this hot real estate market we're seeing now, a market that was good before the pandemic, but actually accelerated with COVID-19 and post COVID demand.

The goal of the sign is usually to obtain the property and quickly flip it. Perhaps to turn it into a rental property, and on the surface, there's nothing wrong with this but like anything in life, bad actors can be involved.

This may lead to predatory behavior and unpaying for a home, and also diminishing property values in a neighborhood.

Today on the program we'll dig into the phenomenon with our Justin Glanville who's been covering the subject, and we'll hear from various other perspectives as well.

Later in the hour we'll look at the implications of The Supreme Court taking up the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

It was announced Monday of last week that the high court will revisit the case later this year.  Jessie Hill from Case Western Reserve University  who focuses on reproductive rights and access will be joining us.

- Justin Glanville, Reporter and Producer, ideastream
- Lynn Rodemann, Housing Outreach Specialist, Slavic Village Development
- Shalonda Dixon, sold her home to a buyer
- Jessie Hill, JD, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law
- Mahani Teave, Cleveland Institute of Music graduate and classical pianist

Drew Maziasz is a coordinating producer for the "Sound of Ideas" and also serves as the show’s technical producer.