Dangers Can Lurk in Foreclosed Homes

The tough economy continues to make its mark on Georgia's real estate market. According to Realtytrac.com, foreclosures rose significantly in Georgia from May to June of this year.

The website says one in every 177,954 housing units in the state received a foreclosure filing in June.

Some foreclosure specialists said they have found unusual things left behind in homes recently.

Foreclosure specialist Mike Seger said he found a hand grenade's pin inside an Athens home during an inspection.

"I sat it down gently and got out and got the police," said Seger.

Seger said he and his colleagues watched in disbelief as the University of Georgia bomb disposal robot retrieved the explosive. Police said they didn't know for sure if it was real, but bomb experts destroyed it safely.

"One of the inspections actually turned up a pipe bomb and we checked it out and sure enough it was a PVC pipe with a fuse coming out one end," said Seger.

Police were called and the Walton County bomb squad and the fire department were sent in to dispose of the bomb.

"They used a water pistol basically to blow it up here against the house," said Seger.

Foreclosure specialists say as their inspection list grows, so does the danger. One specialist said they found a stick of dynamite in a Gwinnett County garage.

Seger said the most common thing they have encountered are marijuana grow houses. Seger said they have found six grow houses in the past year.