A millennial man who has been lumbered with endless bills and renovation costs after inheriting his late parents’ home has an important message for aging boomers. Earlier this year, Eric Becker, 46, lost both his parents when his mom passed at the age of 83, and his father aged 85. They left behind a 3,000 square foot mid-century house that sits on almost two acres of land in San Antonio, Texas.
While the house and garden were previously cared for, Becker told Newsweek that it "ended up being too much" for his mom to maintain in her final years. Becker saw the house deteriorate over the years, but now that he has inherited the property, he has come to see just how significant the situation is. "In addition to there being no AC system, there are holes in the roof, and places around the roof line where rodents have pried open routes into the attic," Becker said.
"The entire house has mice droppings all over the floor, urine damage to the drywall in the ceiling, and broken light fixtures from chewed through wires. I’ve already trapped one skunk, one possum, and two raccoons. The gutters were so full that water was going directly into the attic." Additionally, Becker discovered mold all over the home, a number of broken pipes (meaning there is no complete bathroom), and a broken water main causing a leak.
Not to mention, his dad’s "hoarding" is noticeable in every room, with documents and personal belongings piled up everywhere. Becker’s dad also took out a second mortgage to fund his startup business, leaving $96,000 unpaid. He also uncovered $2,000 in unpaid utility bills, and $36,000 in unpaid property taxes that are still accruing interest.
Nonetheless, Becker tells Newsweek that the biggest challenge the house poses is emotional. He continued: "I grew up in this place and have so many good memories, so it feels like a family member. Grief is a strange thing, and I can’t pretend to understand how it’s playing out, but I can’t imagine I’m making the most rational decisions.
So, knowing what to do is challenging." Since losing his parents, Becker has spent 84 days inside the house, cleaning, fixing and sorting through belongings. This has meant many weeks away from his wife and son and over $47,500 in costs so far (much of which was spent on an air conditioning unit to ensure the property is habitable). He travels down to the house every four to six weeks and stays for a couple of weeks each time.
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