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No New Bombs Found But Property Value Concerns Exist

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 – updated: 5:22 pm EDT October 16, 2007

Crews dug for bombs in the lawns of Orange County homes Tuesday. Now, a series of explosive finds is having another impact on an already slow real estate market. Tuesday's dig did not uncover any new bombs, but neighbors are still concerned.

The old WWII-era bombing range was on an empty lot behind Odyssey Middle School, off Lee Vista Boulevard. Bombs were found dangerously close to the school. Now a builder is digging up a new development to find out if any bombs are there.

Lennar Homes said workers dug up two yards Tuesday and only found construction materials. So far, nothing of concern has been found.

Even so, people are still worried about property values. One after another, "for sale" signs are popping up in the Warwick subdivision. There are 109 homes in the development and 43 are for sale. However, many homeowners said, if they had known the subdivision was located near the former Pinecastle jeep bombing range, they would have avoided the development.

Last July, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found a WWII-era bomb and now geophysicists have identified pieces of metal buried underneath some of the homes in Warwick.

Homeowners hope their lots will get the all clear. Lennar Homes asked residents to evacuate between 9:00am and 3:00pm during the three-day dig that goes through Thursday.

All unearthed objects, from soda cans to construction debris, will be photographed and described in reports given to homeowners.

According to realtors, the last home that sold in the subdivision was in August of this year. The house was listed at $565,000 and it sold for $549,000. Since the bombs were discovered near Odyssey Middle School, nine homes have gone up for sale.

Realtor Lydia Pisano told Eyewitness News sellers are concerned, but it's still too early to tell if people are selling because of the bombs. She said some buyers who were looking in the area are holding off.

"A lot of them are waiting to see what happens," Pisano said.

Lennar Homes will continue to dig up yards Wednesday morning.

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