Saftey tips for inspecting vacant property

[bovine]

I take my dog with me when I look at vacant homes. Here in Chicago it is amazing how fast my 40lbs girl can clear a sidewalk path full of 200lbs men. I think it is very very difficult to get a carry permit here and for most not worth the worry of police harassment. Ever been pulled over by the CPD if they are in a bad mood? I have and it aint pleasant.

When I enter the home I always shout out "Hello, hello anybody here? I've got a dog." I then take her off the leash and let her roam while I look around. She stays within eyeshot and watches my back. I dont want her to attack anybody, just give my some early warning.

So far I have never encountered anyone squatting, knock wood,  but if I did I would leave and come back later.

A Mag-lite and cell phone should be enough. Also try to have a sure and authoritative attitude if you do encounter anybody. Most crack/ meth addicts are used to responding submissively to figures of authority, i.e. police, lawyers, parole officers etc.

[propertymanager]

I think it is very very difficult to get a carry permit here and for most not worth the worry of police harassment. Ever been pulled over by the CPD if they are in a bad mood? I have and it aint pleasant.

Police harassment for legally carrying a concealed handgun?  If that ever happened to me, we would have a big problem.  I have a constitutional right to carry a firearm.  I have been involved many times with the police while carrying my handgun and have never been harrassed and I certainly would not put up with that!  A mag-lite and cell phone are fine until you run up against a crack addict with a gun.

Mike

[Rich_in_CT]

Cell phone....great weapon.  NOT!  Someone shot my brother in the face with an air rifle, nearly took out his eye.....took the cops about an hour to respond.  I've seen them show up in minutes or hours, you never know.  Besides, like Mike said a crackhead with a gun could be there and kill you before you can call or before they show up.  If you don't have cell signal do you die?

[buffinvestor]

I LOVE Bovine's response of taking the dog....that's a champion idea!!

[bovine]

Most crackhead squatters dont have a gun because they would have traded it for crack. Besides what would you rather do, give the gun totting crackhead the cash in your wallet or deal with all the legal$$$ issues if you shoot the a-hole. Even if you are in the right it will cost you big time.

In my part of the world, Chicago, even being legal carrying a gun can cost you both lots of time and lots of money. http://www.gunowners.org/op0308.htm. I am very familiar with that area and trust me that you need a gun if the bad elements know you are collecting rents. But I would rather be robbed than have to kill someone or have a gunfight.

 Most police never have to discharge their weapons and they run into many more dangerous people than any of us on this board. A good cops best asset is his/her authoritative attitude.

propertymanager-
Have you ever had to branish your handgun on anyone in regards to your real estate business? If you have do you now in retrospect think the conflict could have been resolved without the gun.

 

[Rich_in_CT]

Besides what would you rather do, give the gun totting crackhead the cash in your wallet or deal with all the legal$$$ issues if you shoot the a-hole. Even if you are in the right it will cost you big time.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

[bovine]

Besides what would you rather do, give the gun totting crackhead the cash in your wallet or deal with all the legal$$$ issues if you shoot the a-hole. Even if you are in the right it will cost you big time.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

I choose to avoid all contact with the judicial system if possible. When you put your fate in the hands of others its a crap shoot, no matter how good your case is.

Again I would rather be robbed of $40 then have to hire a lawyer or god forbid get a Public Defender.

[Rich_in_CT]

If you're dead the legal system is the last of your concerns.  Hence the carried by 6 reference.

[jparkx1]

soooo....back to my earlier question....did anyone ever have any serious run-ins?  did anyone ever have to shoot someone, or was shot at?

[Frank Chin]

anyone actually ever have any serious run-ins?

As I mentioned in my other post, I been stopped and asked by neighbors what I'm doing. I've been a RE investor for over 20 years, and I used to go into vacant buildings nearing completion, and have been thrown out a few times. once by a screaming  women who freaked out.

Besides dressing more professionally, shirt and tie, a clipboard  and carry some business cards around, and sometimes I whip out a business card, smile, give it to whomever stopping me, and say, "here, if there's any problems, call me".

I guess if I was up to no good, I wouldn't be in a shirt and tie, taking notes. stop and handing out business cards.

Here, in the big city, where things are mixed, you have to keep your eyes open, and carry yourself in a certain way. I was walking with my wife to take the subway once, and a middle aged white women asked if she can walk with us down the stairs, saying that there was a bunch of young black youths' down there.  I said fine, walk with us.

I walked down briskly, made no eye contact, and went on my business. I have to say they would look less menancing if they dressed a bit differently.

On the other hand, this women who asked to walk with me wouldn't hesitate to call the cops if I walked around her neighborhood and didn't look right.

Besides "high crime areas", the next most dangerouse place is "low crime areas", where if they see someone who doesn't look right, comes at you with bats first before asking questions, especially if you're a minority and looks out of place, and before they even call the cops.

[jparkx1]

are you in manhattan?

[Frank Chin]

No, I'm in Queens, and invested in Queens and Nassau County.

[tworent]

Never shot anyone but hit a man with a mag-light so hard I broke the D-cell batteries inside. It turned out that my tenant set the whole thing up he apologized 2 years later when he moved out.  Because of this I did get a gun.

[TARealty]

The real question is WHY in the world would anyone even remotely consider investing in a high crime area???. Is getting shot ,mugged , beaten or stabbed worth it?? What type of tenants do you think you would attract? Investing in seedy , high crime areas is just ASKING for trouble. IS this what you really want? I think it's pretty sad when you need to carry a gun to visit a property.

[Rich_in_CT]

The real question is WHY in the world would anyone even remotely consider investing in a high crime area???. Is getting shot ,mugged , beaten or stabbed worth it?? What type of tenants do you think you would attract? Investing in seedy , high crime areas is just ASKING for trouble. IS this what you really want? I think it's pretty sad when you need to carry a gun to visit a property.

Bums, crackheads, etc live in vacant properties in even nice neighborhoods....not just in the slums.