Hi ya all,
I have been looking at more vacant properties in higher crime areas and would like to know if you had any tips for me.
Are you sure you want to be investing in high crime areas?
Here are ways to help keep you safe during your visits
- Don’t go alone
- Bring a cell phone
- Always tell someone where you are going to be and when
- Only go during daylight hours (early morning is always good, criminals sleep late :biggrin )
- When entering the building, call out to let anyone who might be present know that you are coming in.
- Carry a big stick
Get a gun.
Rich is right.
In most states if your a law abidding resident getting a “carry” permit is not a big deal. The police will want to know why you feel you need one but just tell them you collect rents in high crime areas and you don’t want to be unprotected.
If your talking about buying a home in a high crime area, what are you going to do with it? Flip? Rent? I would hate to see what kind of tenants you get in that kind of area.
wake up early early…thats what i use to do years ago,and i’ll be doing it again…
usually 5-6am is a good time to get there and wrap up early afternoon,.,
i try to stay in seedy areas…not very high crime…
also do all (try) your work in doors with everything locked (in basement),when someone knocks just yell out the window,never answer the door…
also tell anybody in the neighborhood you are the contractor (whoever asks),not owner,
p.s. there are lots of rehabb tricks if plan on renting it out section 8 .u have to know Section 8 rules and its easy…if u are going to flip get the tenant (section 8) in there…its more appealing to an investor…
my 2 cents
Robert A. Doncaster, Jr.
Import/Export Entrepreneur & Investor
*** DO YOUR HOMEWORK ***
Chicago Illinois USA
& sometimes Salzburg, Austria
Get a gun and a stick. If you get your carry permit you will learn that the rule of proportional defense. That means that if you run into a crack head who doesn’t have a gun then you can’t shoot him. So you have to beat him with the stick.
conceal and carry works for me 
also i keep a pipe in my car at all times…how many times i reached for the steel pipe and showed it will diffused most situations
i keep the 3 foot pipe hidden behind my visor,for all you woman out there do it!!! all i do is reach up and BAM WHAM SLAMMED~!~\\
p.s. plus it helps me to break those lugs when i change a tire,leverage hehe
my 2 cents
Robert A. Doncaster, Jr.
Import/Export Entrepreneur & Investor
*** DO YOUR HOMEWORK ***
Chicago Illinois USA
& sometimes Salzburg, Austria
Pick yourself up a semi-automatic MAC10 from Masterpiece Arms. The guns are cheap as dirt, and can take out a whole gang of thugs or crackheads that could be hanging out in your rental property illegally. LOL!!! Just the sight of one of these things will scare off a thug - you probably won’t even need to shoot him.
See http://www.masterpiecearms.com
It’s legal in almost all states [probably not California though]
Ah the Mac10, the spray and pray.
I go into abandoned properties in bad parts of Cincinnati all day, everyday. I don’t carry a gun neither does anyone in my office. I suggest a 4-cell Mag-Lite. Good reach, heavy and also can provide light to see mechanicals in the basement. Also we are trained to leave the front door unlocked and open. Why bar your best chance for escape. When entering an abandoned property I always make it clear I am not with the police usually identifying myself vaguely as “with the bank.” You don’t want to startle anyone!!
Did anyone mention carrying a gun?
Mike
I did of course. :cool
I suggest you pay Rich’s travel expenses from Ct. and take him with you… :bobble
anyone actually ever have any serious run-ins?
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.
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
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?
I LOVE Bovine’s response of taking the dog…that’s a champion idea!!
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.