Former Sonic still in foreclosed home; eviction could be soon
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SEATTLE -- Former Seattle Sonic and first-round draft pick Robert Swift is still living inside his foreclosed mansion, but his time in the home is running out.
His brother and another person inside the home say the move out is moving forward, but it may not be enough to save the former Sonic from legal trouble.
Swift was a sonic back in 2004, when he bought his million-dollar home. It went into foreclosure and it was bought at auction earlier this year.
Now Swift's brother Alex appears to be helping with the move out.
"We've got a lot of work to do," Alex Swift said.
KOMO 4 asked multiple times if Robert would be able to speak. Alex Swift had few answers.
"I couldn't tell you because there's obviously so much going on right now," he said.
A dolly, headboards and cleaning supplies showed up outside but the run-down cars remain. Attorney Rob Trickler said it's all or nothing.
"A physical eviction is what we'd be asking for," Trickler said.
Trickler is helping the new homeowner get Swift out.
"He's already passed his date to vacate," he said.
Trickler said, by law, Swift had 20 days after the sale to leave. That was last Sunday. So Trickler prepped a lawsuit that would lead to eviction by King County -- so far, no response from Swift. That silence could lead to cops at the door.
"The Sheriff is, by virtue of the writ and order, authorized to break the door down," Trickler said.
Swift has to be gone by close of business Thursday. If he's not out, eviction could come next week.
Friends came and went Wednesday night, but only one would answer the door. He said he was trying to collect his belongings and that a move out was happening.
"I'm hoping that everything's going to be gone tomorrow," he said.
Trickler said he will wait until Friday to file the legal paperwork for forcible eviction if swift doesn't notify him that he's completely moved out of the home.
His brother and another person inside the home say the move out is moving forward, but it may not be enough to save the former Sonic from legal trouble.
Swift was a sonic back in 2004, when he bought his million-dollar home. It went into foreclosure and it was bought at auction earlier this year.
Now Swift's brother Alex appears to be helping with the move out.
"We've got a lot of work to do," Alex Swift said.
KOMO 4 asked multiple times if Robert would be able to speak. Alex Swift had few answers.
"I couldn't tell you because there's obviously so much going on right now," he said.
A dolly, headboards and cleaning supplies showed up outside but the run-down cars remain. Attorney Rob Trickler said it's all or nothing.
"A physical eviction is what we'd be asking for," Trickler said.
Trickler is helping the new homeowner get Swift out.
"He's already passed his date to vacate," he said.
Trickler said, by law, Swift had 20 days after the sale to leave. That was last Sunday. So Trickler prepped a lawsuit that would lead to eviction by King County -- so far, no response from Swift. That silence could lead to cops at the door.
"The Sheriff is, by virtue of the writ and order, authorized to break the door down," Trickler said.
Swift has to be gone by close of business Thursday. If he's not out, eviction could come next week.
Friends came and went Wednesday night, but only one would answer the door. He said he was trying to collect his belongings and that a move out was happening.
"I'm hoping that everything's going to be gone tomorrow," he said.
Trickler said he will wait until Friday to file the legal paperwork for forcible eviction if swift doesn't notify him that he's completely moved out of the home.
I don't feel sorry for a kid who made millions playing a game and then just pissed it all away. Â
Robert WHO???
...All I have to say to Swift is... Dream Over... Get out and earn a living now like the rest of us working stiffs!
do we have to pay for swift's ebt card now?
I think some of you are missing the point that he is squatting in a house that someone else now owns and will not leave. I would consider that news if I had just purchased the house, regardless of who the person inside is.
I think the neighbors will be glad to see him go.
What a bust!!! The Seahawks have several of these too over the years. Sounds like the freeloader needs a sheriff deputy escort from a rent free life.Â
And why is this news? Is it really necessary to broadcast this mans fall? This is just sad KOMO.......
I get a feeling this is not going to end well.
A mansion?
C'mon - nothing of the sort, but sure makes for great reading!
@Throbbinhood agree
Bet he paid plenty for those crappy tattoos , What a moron.
@sportbuff01Â Should have put those cost of the tattoos into his mortgage instead.
He always was a slow mover
I think it is kind of crummy taking the photos of the beer cans and trash in the yard. What is the purpose of that, other than implying the man is a drunk? I think the photos are chickencrap.
Other than name smearing and embarrassment WHY is this on here...NOT NEWSÂ
@DISPATCH911Any way to make a buck..
Hey KOMO "problem solvers" go find some other newsmakers to interview, like  the lottery winner who wanted to remain anonymous or find out why the gold medalist's mom declared bankruptcy in '09.
I agree, totally not news. Robert Swift (a name I never would have recalled), is not a public person by any definition.
Not News
@lavaG It is for those who take pleasure in the misfortunes of others
German word:Â Schadenfreude.
Like a majority of 'Lotto Winners', sudden money turns out to be harmful to some professional athletes, too.  Sad he didn't heed life-coaching. We all need mentors.
Komo, show respect for peoples privacy.
@cheekygesturton well said
Great work Komo, way to harass a mentally ill adult. I'm not sure how or why this is in the news. Because he was a Sonic?Â
Yes because he's a sonic. Was a first round pick out of HS and never panned out. Now it seems he has drinking problems, money problems, and does not have a college education (a NEW NBA rules states kids can't be driafted out of HS anymore, need to be 1 year out). That NBA rule is based on cases like Swift. Now he's just another flame out....hope he invested some of that couple million...
@racerkyle Probably "invested" it all in the house.
Judging by the yard and evidence from this article, he is a drug addict or an alcoholic and hiding from reality, or has serious mental health issues, either way hiding won't solve you problems, does he have any weapons?Â
Its a crappy situation but probably will force him to look at life differently. Â Honestly I believe it will be good for him to get out of that house and join the real world again! Â This might be just the push he needs to get his life back on track!
What a burnout loser. Â Why didn't he pay cash for his home with his millions back in the day. Â Instead he pissed away probably hundreds of thousands in interest (on a million dollar home) and now he'll have no home to live in.
Dim.
@Sheridan While I have no way of knowing, he might have paid cash for the home and lost it to forclosure due to unpaid annual property and other associated taxes. That sort thing happens all the time to people on fixed people incomes especially the elderly. I'm not saying that's what happend, just another thing to think about.
recycling old news? Â i read this last week Â
Hey KOMO are you going to start posting stories about the other thousands of people in this state in the same predicament?
Why didn't he just pay cash for it, instead of having the bank involved?
It was reported he made $20 million over his career (pretty sure that his last year was 08 when the sonics left seattle). So Say house in the 2004 market was $3milllion and you're making $5 million (minus taxes which is probably 40% tax bracket back then) a year. Most would not invest by buying a house cash that way. You stil have to live off rest of money. Now my guess is he's in foreclosure because he bought this house in 2004. My guess if $3 million then for the house would probably be closer to $1 million now (would need zillow and an address to confirm). If he put down 20%, that's still 600000....Unfortunate..
@racerkyleWork your Zillow magic brother!Â
21213 SE 40th PlaceÂ
Sammamish, WA 98075
@BuddyHolly@racerkyleZillow Zestimate $1,555,023. Not currently for sale since it has already sold. King co assessment value $1,042,000. It was assessed at about $1.5 million in 2011 with $17,000 in taxes. Taxes currently about $13,400. Still shows on the assessor's records as being owned by Robert Swift.
@racerkyle The house was a million dollar home when he bought it, not a 3 million dollar home. He had way more than enough money to pay the home off at some point.
@racerkyle Yahoo said he "only" made 11 million in his career.