Terrifying images tell the sad truth about America’s abandoned homes

A photographer has revealed a ‘captivating portrait’ of America’s abandoned homes slowly rotting away after being abandoned by their former owners.

From once grand mansions slowly retreating into their natural surroundings to family homes that still bear many signs of the gatherings that once took place within their walls, one thing is clear from Bryan Sansivero‘s grim photos: No property is safe from real neglect.

For more than a decade, Sansivero traveled across the U.S. spotlighting these long-forgotten homes, which are the focus of his recently published book, “America the Abandoned: Captivating Portraits of Deserted Homes.”

Many of the photos capture a frozen moment in time, where family belongings can still be seen strewn across a room, decades after someone had stepped into them.

The properties captured by Sansivero are in various stages of disrepair. Some have been abandoned for so long that they have collapsed completely, having long since passed the stage at which renovation or restoration could have saved them.

Others remain as they once were, with peeling paint and overgrown gardens the only signs that something is wrong.

But for Sansivero, it’s the stories behind the closed doors that draw him to these homes – and have inspired him to share them with the world.

“It’s about capturing these time capsules; these lost places,” he told CNN. “I like the mystery of not knowing what you’re going to find.”

For that reason, Sansivero was particularly drawn to residential homes, many of which still bear traces of their former residents – from furniture to trinkets.

Interestingly, these types of properties weren’t always easy to find, with the photographer revealing that many abandoned homes suffer vandalism from urban explorers who seek out disused properties as a competitive sport so they can be the first to post them online.

Sansivero, however, does not want to participate in such a race for viral fame.

“I can discover a dozen or more houses in a day and not want to photograph anything because it’s an empty shell or has been thrown away. It doesn’t tell a story about the previous owner,” he explained. “I’m interested in what happened and why it stayed that way.”

With foreclosures steadily increasing in the US, Sansivero’s photos also reveal a glimpse of what could become a growing trend as more families are forced from their homes due to increased pressures on affordability.

Now, Realtor.com® is lifting the lid on some of its most dramatic images – and the picture they paint of “leaving America.”