Posted by BR2 on March 10, 1999 at 21:32:16:
I think it was ‘smokers anonymous’…but no one was talking! As a matter of fact, when I came in they went out the back window. Guess I wasn’t invited.
Getting Into Abandoned, Boarded up House - Posted by Cathryn
Posted by Cathryn on March 09, 1999 at 05:47:22:
I’m about to contact the out-of-state owner of an abandoned, boarded up house. I doubt she’ll be willing to just send me a key and I don’t want to get a realtor involved. How do I get access to the inside of the house, so that I can look it over, in a way she’d be comfortable with? I’ve thought of asking her if she knows someone locally who could show me the house, but I wonder if anyone has any other suggestions in case that’s not workable.
Thanks for any info.
Thanks for the Advice, Guys… - Posted by Cathryn
Posted by Cathryn on March 10, 1999 at 22:43:12:
…I’ll keep it all in mind,especially LeGrand’s comments on just making sure the price is so low it doesn’t matter what the inside looks like. (I got his course at the convention and am listening to it as quickly as I can…talk faster, Ron!)
It would still be good to get a look inside. Easy enough if we bring a realtor into this, but then there goes a nice hike in the price to cover the commission. I’d like to be able to suggest something to the seller; mail a key to a friend? Or to a local law firm? Or have you guys found that a seller who is motivated enough will go ahead and mail a key to a perfect strange, i.e. me!?
As for snakes and rats, I’m not squeamish and they don’t scare me…unless of course, they are of the two-legged variety. (Yikes!)
Ron Legrand Says… - Posted by Jim IL
Posted by Jim IL on March 10, 1999 at 09:32:29:
That if you cannot get inside, SO WHAT!
I just finished his “Wholesaling/Retailing” course. (it IS as good as they say, very thorough and easy to follow.)
Just make your offer reflect the fact that everything is wrong. Assume the worst.
I often passed on deals because I could not get in to see the home, and could not get good repair estimates.
Now, well, I’ll try to get in, but if I cannot, I’ll make my offer lower.
Good Luck, and Good investing,
Jim
Re: Getting Into Abandoned, Boarded up House - Posted by Irwin
Posted by Irwin on March 09, 1999 at 06:59:15:
On the contrary, I think an out of town owner would be happy to accommodate someone who showed interest in his dog property. Besides, if you can’t get the owner’s cooperation to get inside for a look, how are you going to get the owner to sell it to you?
No matter how you get inside, be careful it can be dangerous. You can fall through floors, get cut on broken glass, stumble over dead bodies, etc…
Re: Getting Into Abandoned, Boarded up House - Posted by BR2
Posted by BR2 on March 09, 1999 at 11:22:47:
Most of all, watch out for the ‘live’ bodies. It happened to me and I had a key!
Don’t go in alone or without some sort of protection.
Re: Getting Into Abandoned, Boarded up House - Posted by Rob FL
Posted by Rob FL on March 09, 1999 at 19:51:36:
And make sure that you have on long pants and a long sleeve shirt. I have walked through houses with massive roach infestations, rats, snakes, etc. (Some of those houses had the owners still living in them…unbelievable) You don’t want something crawling on you by accident.
Isn’t that the time you found a party of Crack Smokers? - Posted by LeBeauTX
Posted by LeBeauTX on March 09, 1999 at 18:20:55:
Didn’t you say there was a bunch of crack smokers
in there? Good idea to bring protection. Abandoned
houses are like a box chocolates, you never know
what your gonna find.
-LB