While I love urban exploring, I feel
uneasy about seeing it done to furnished homes rather than either obviously emptied or industrial buildings.
I know the "well, they've been abandoned" routine. But unlike gutted places or wrecked houses, with all the stuff still
in situ, it implies that there's still owners of that property. It might be in the middle of a court settlement or relatives are hard to trace. Maybe I'm a bit squeamish over the personal stuff that's been left.
I don't feel the same way about deserted factories, or bombed out ruins, or abandoned islands (
) but 'exploring' an ordinary house seems more like being nosy or looking for loot? Not that I'm saying those who do 'explore' take anything away with them but it seems more intrusive to me. I suppose it's because most of the stuff left
is so mundane and personal.
You're right. It is being nosy and I'm just sitting here living vicariously as I watch. I love it.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as an ordinary house. We all have a story to tell. Most people could not care less about that story and that's why 90% of these places have treasures that will never see the light of day again. They will just sit there until they decay back to nature. There are a couple of places, full of belongings that Adam Mark explored that have sat untouched for more than 50 years.
Some of these places that are full of stuff look like time capsules. It's as though all the occupants just stood up and walked out the door with just the clothes on their backs.
Maybe they won the lottery. More than likely, the bank foreclosed on their mortgage, or they owed huge amounts of back taxes and they were forced to leave while police or sheriff's stood there and watched. Some just died of old age and there was no one left to leave it to. Some probably had grown kids that moved to other countries long ago and cannot get back to their parents residence.
And then, there are some like you say, are in dispute or litigation.
As for looking for loot? Urban explorers don't take anything. They never force their way in. If a place does not have already existing open access, they leave. They are respectful and never show any personal documents or reveal addresses. They never raid the undies drawer or expose your sex toys. By taking a video camera along, they are allowing me/us to share in the adventure. They do take still photos as well. There is real beauty in untouched natural decay.
Yes, they are breaking the law and risk arrest if caught. Which is another way to keep them honest. If they are arrested and they have nothing on their person that belonged to the house, 9 out of 10 times the police let them go.
If they break in to enter, or they pocket some of the items, or they don't leave things exactly as they found them, they're not urban explorers, they're thieves and vandals.
Personally, I admire them. It tells me they live with integrity and they have a strict moral compass because some of the things they find are so beautiful and most likely worth big bucks. I'm sure it would be tempting. Not sure I could walk away from something I really wanted if I saw it sitting there surrounded by mold and debris.
We spend a lifetime accumulating stuff we believed were important treasures and they were.... to us. I remember a long time ago, my half sister badgering me to leave all my belongings to her. We argued because I said she wasn't much younger than me and would not need any of it. She was so insistent that I finally agreed just to shut her up. I no sooner agreed when I saw her take a slow look around the room and quietly say to herself, "Now, what am I going to do with all this junk."
That old saying is really true, you can't take it with you.