1. Natural Disasters.
Floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. During natural disaster, people will skedaddle from their homes and sometimes they never return.
2. War or Civil Conflict.
Violence, anarchy, etc. In times of war and civil conflict there are lots of people who will just abandon their homes and never ever come back.
3. Ecological Disasters.
If suddenly there's excessive air pollution or water contamination for example, many people will vacate. They abandon their homes.
4. Economic Boom and Bust.
The house may have been in a boom town and what originally funded it's boom is simply not there anymore. Case and point: when the automobile was first invented, Detroit was a boom town but today it's got abandoned homes everywhere.
5. Financial Crisis.
In times of financial hardship where economic conditions have changed for the worse, some people just abandon their homes and let creditors take it from them. Ahem, zombie foreclosures anyone? Unfortunately, this last reason why houses become abandoned is usually completely preventable. By hiring a reputable law firm, homeowners can negotiate for loan modifications that can actually make staying in their homes more affordable.
We've answered the question, "Why do houses become abandoned?" with 5 reasons why. What other reasons can you think of? Tell us in the comments! :)
photo credit: road_less_trvled via photopin cc