What do you do when comp owner calls the police for taking photos of her home?

[mayflower]

Positive responses only please. I need your help.

Frequently I encounter a home owner who asks why I take photos of their home, and I get a chance to explain why. Matter dies, and everybody moves on. More often though, is the one where the person runs out the front door and asks "why take photo of my house", you start to try to explain, they tell you they're calling police. You drive to the next street in same subdivision, take 2 more houses, and blue lights flash behind your car. 3 squad cars show up. You're in handcuffs before you get a chance to ask why. They check your car, and driver's license. They find files on the passenger seat showing addresses and appraisal orders. Real Estate Appraiser car decal still by the door on both sides. The one who handcuffed you comes back and says you can now go. This after 67 minutes of craziness that seemed more like a week in real time. I had large Real Estate Appraiser decals printed from Staples to attach to the car door after the first one in early 2017. It still hasn't helped me.

If you have had experiences akin to this, please kindly advice how you have avoided it since the first encounter. If not, please kindly suggest how to avoid such. Any ideas to help me avoid this fate again will help.

 

[Fernando]

Whoa, police tough in Georgia. I had a thread regarding a police questioning me when I was taking photo of comp.
He didn't get it when I told him I was an appraiser. He still asked me why I take photos as an appraisers. Some homeowners won't get it too.
You can't get through ignorant people. Best way is to avoid confronting homeowner when taking photos.
Take it when there's no one seeing you. It's your call if it's "safe" to take photo. Otherwise come back or use MLS photos.
I ask myself the things we do as appraisers and they don't pay me enough.

 

[Elliott]

1. Don't be obvious. Sometimes you can line up a telephone pole to hide the camera shot from the guy/gal on the porch.
2. If caught, lower your window, "Shout, I'm just an appraiser taking a comp photo." Drive off.
3. Get out of the subdivision quick.
4. Do inspections around one o'clock, when there aren't school buses.

And then there is arguing with them, telling them you are on a public street and you are free to take a pictures of anything you want as long as this is still America. You can add, "Ever heard of security cameras, they're all around here taking videos."

 

[George Hatch]

Go on offense. Park, get out of the car and approach on foot to personally verify all the details of the sale with the individual. Bring your entire stack of comps with you so they can see their property isn't the only one on your list.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

In 30 years, had nothing like that ever happen.

 

[Fernando]

Go on offense. Park, get out of the car and approach on foot to personally verify all the details of the sale with the individual. Bring your entire stack of comps with you so they can see their property isn't the only one on your list.

That's true. I do that also except I'm stay in my car. I ask additional questions about the comp.
One is too get more info.
Second, after talking with the owner, he sees I'm not a bad person.

 

[Fernando]

In 30 years, had nothing like that ever happen.

Lucky you.

 

[ZZGAMAZZ]

I invoke "White Privilege." Or yell "Undercover Immigration." Either works every time, or doesn't.

 

[Fernando]

I invoke "White Privilege." Or yell "Undercover Immigration." Either works every time, or doesn't.

In high end neighborhoods, I don't have problems taking photos.
In middle class, that's where I get these righteous white privilege people coming out and yelling at me.
In the barrios, I sense they think I work for the government and don't bother me.
In crime infested areas, I don't bother appraising there.

 

[ZZGAMAZZ]

In high end neighborhoods, I don't have problems taking photos.
In middle class, that's where I get these righteous white privilege people coming out and yelling at me.
In the barrios, I sense they think I work for the government and don't bother me.
In crime infested areas, I don't bother appraising there.

Homie actually jumps in front of my car last week and yells "What up? Why you taking photos of my truck." I politely explained to him what I was doing, although I was tired and aggravated and really wanted to yell, "You one lucky MF I didn't run your axx over stupid F." But yea, the default response from home owners varies greatly depending on the neighborhood. Plus they see my grey hair and prolly figure I can't be much of a threat.