House for sale??

[oldplacesnofinds]

What do you guys think about this. I live in a pretty rural area, and an expensive one. Lots of very old houses go up for sale and the people are moved out. These are houses on back roads with minimum traffic. Some are even taken over by the bank which is not too hard to find out. What is the code on detecting these vacant properties without talking to someone? I thought about it many times but didn't want to upset anyone. I have detected old farm houses that were being demolished by big contractors putting in developements before without any problems. Tell me what you would do.

 

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[VERMONTPACKRAT]

Why couldnt you contact the real estate office and maybe get a "blanket" permission to hunt several FOR SALE properties ?? I have never tried this myself, but if it works maybe you can get permission for property you dont even know about yet.

Just a thought...... VPR

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

What do you guys think about this. I live in a pretty rural area, and an expensive one. Lots of very old houses go up for sale and the people are moved out. These are houses on back roads with minimum traffic. Some are even taken over by the bank which is not too hard to find out. What is the code on detecting these vacant properties without talking to someone? I thought about it many times but didn't want to upset anyone. I have detected old farm houses that were being demolished by big contractors putting in developements before without any problems. Tell me what you would do.

oldplacesnofinds,

not sure why you mentioned that "houses on
back roads with minimum traffic"

It is not your property, you cannot just detect
because they are not being lived in.

Someone owns them and permission would be
required from the owners.

have a good un.............
Shermanville

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Vermontpackrat, you ask "Why couldnt you contact the real estate office and maybe get a "blanket" permission to hunt several FOR SALE properties ??" The answer is that they will most likely tell you "no". Why should they be bothered in this age of injury lawsuits?

There are multiple stages of unoccupied homes.

1) They can be for sale, but not sold yet, and still owned by the owner, who has just moved away before selling it.

2) It can be in a limbo state called escrow, where, I think it's 30 days where it's between the seller and the buyer. I guess the escrow company (or bank?) technically owns it in that period, as they are holding title, and haven't passed it yet.

3) It can be repossesed by the lender d/t lack of payments, and sitting vacant until such a time as it is auctioned off to the highest bidder (so the lender can recoup on their loan). In this situation, I guess the lender owns it, and that could be some Chicago or New York based financial institution, etc....

4) It can be county property, having been claimed for lack of property tax payment.

Here in CA, we are having quite a high rate of loan defaults, d/t the present housing market decline (people who bought at the peak of the bubble). As such, there are some markets/neighborhoods in So. CA where there might be a few houses on each block, for many blocks square, that are vacant and weed-choked. I guess those would fall under #3 above. I know some guys that are not hesitating to hit those, and they haven't had any problems. Is that technically correct? Probably not. Does anyone care or say anything? No.

 

[Boobydoo]

Definitely get permission before trespassing as a night in jail and loss of your detector is not worth a handful of coins. "Someone" owns the property. People have also been shot at for trespassing. That would be bad.

I guess you have to weigh the potential consequences and make a decision if it is worth it.

Good luck!

Smiles!
BDoo

 

[re-tek]

i'm on the fence about this one. if the house looks like its gonna be demolished (abandoned looking yard, power drop has been cut, broken windows, "demo" painted on it, or a combination of those) and there's open entry then i have no gripes about it. worst that happens around here is "you! get out!".

 

[Lafitte]

Speaking as a realtor, I'd say get permission. People move out of properties before they are sold for a variety of reasons.
A quick search should find the realtor selling the place. In alot of cases I don't think you'd get a blanket "no". Especially if you explained the care we take in MDing.

 

[Green1]

just put yourself in the owners position...you bring a contractor over to talk things out,, there's a person on your property with no permission...
what would you do......i'd be pizzinizzed.......

 

[Jeffro]

I can and DO get permission from realtors. Well, actually they contact the owner for me, but same diff.

 

[RUDY2003]

Always get permission. Real estate companies freely give permission to me here...

Keep safe...

 

[E59]

It would be best to talk to someone first. A year and a half ago a woman I knew came up missing when she was berry picking and she wasn't found for days in hot July. She fell down an abanded well and died. It was an old home site and there is now a law-suit against the owner of the property. Even if she had not had permission there would still be a lawsuit because the well should have been covered properly. The point is you could die like her, she hunted that property every year and still misjudged. The owner would be liable for your behind even if they didn't say yes. Not fair to them.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

I agree with getting permission for huntin any property with a home on it, occupied or not.

Ray S

 

[Postalrevnant]

Agreed with many of the posters here. Definately get permission. It is a great point from many of them about the possibility of getting shot all the way down to jailtime for criminal tresspass and burglary.

I think you can get some Yes's if you ask. I am sure there will be a good amount of No's as well, but why take the chance.

Rev

 

[desertfox]

Its always best to ask. You never know a good neighbor might be watching the place for the owners and call the cops on you! Play it safe nd do the right thing.

Desertfox

 

[jeff of pa]

I can and DO get permission from realtors. Well, actually they contact the owner for me, but same diff.

Same here.

Contact the Realtor and Explain your Reasons.

IF they havn't Purchased it from someone,
They will Forward your Request to the owner
for their Consideration.

Lately I have been seeing Signs with an 800 #
that say "WE BUY HOUSES"
Don't know why I never thought of it,
But it may be worthwhile to give them a call
or EMail them if there is a web address added,
and ASK If .......


Please Don't trespass if there is any chance of
someone getting upset.
some may be afraid the sight of someone detecting
the property for sale devalues the property.

Some may like to see what's there before they sell