Scary Inspection - Gun Pointed At Me

[Tom Foster]

The listing agent opened up an SFR for me - it was a rental property to be sold.

We started in the garage and we noticed lots of high priced Harley Davidson motorcycles. It looked like a Hells Angels biker hang out.

All of a sudden some biker looking guy walks in the garage with a shot gun pointed at us. He looked like he just got out of bed and had a bad hangover. He thought we were there to steal his bikes and did not know who we were.

Lucky I had my clipboard, camera, and tape and did some fast talking.



Appraising - an expensive and dangerous hobby
h34r:

 

[Willie]

Should have told him he you like rice burners better. LOL KIDDING. (That would definately have gotten you shot.)

Scary, you never know what you will come upon. Appraiser in TN was shot about 10 years ago. not good!

 

[Bill_FL]

I would have invoked Departure and scrammed.

 

[Caterina Platt]

Hope the 'combat pay' fee is included in your invoice. That homeowner and/or Realtor fell down on the job not notifying the tenant of your appointment. Granted, usually we just expect a 'such an inconvenience' speech from the tenant, this is over the top.

 

[Richard Carlsen]

You have just identified the reason I knock on the door of every house I go to, even if they are supposed to be empty. We have a few neighborhoods where if they see a strange head out the kitchen window, they grab for the 12 gauge and ask questions later. It is also one reason I do not wear a tie. Process servers wear ties.

I was surprised a couple of times in my early days of appraising in houses that were supposed to be vacant. Now, when I unlock the door and open it, I really yell out, “Appraiser's here". Then listen carefully.

Like the old sergeant said on Hill Street Blues, you’ve got to "be careful out there."

 

[Karl]

Considering the Bikes probablly had more Value than the home, I side with the Biker, someone forgot to call and tell the Tenate; it is the Tenates home & privacy as long as they are paying the rent.

 

[Patti Jury]

I had similar situation taking a comp photo.. guy ran out of the house pointing a gun...

Luckily my truck was newer and a little more gitty up and go back then..

Don't do Pueblo any more.


I really love the new digital cameras too.. no need to really even slow down to take the photo...lol

 

[Mike Simpson]

When I enter a home (supposedly empty or not) I practically yell: APPRAISER!!!--numerous times, over & over.

Some idiot points a gun at me...I'm filing a complaint.

Of course none of us would have this problem if we just sat in our offices doing BOA Appraisals for $15 all day!

-Mike

 

[Willie]

Mike, kind of makes that look more appealing, doesn't it. LOL

 

[Elliott]

My local FHA manager was talking about what they expected
for an FHA inspection. He told me his story about working
for Bureau of Land Management when they'd be out on
BLM land and run into a marijuana patch and get a gun
pointed in his face---he also talked fast.

He didn't expect any heroics. When I find locked closets
and basement storage and the realtor has tipped me
off about "y'know you have to be careful cause they
grow y'know", I don't figure getting paid $400 is worth
being a narc and making enemies. If I suspected a meth lab
I would ask the appraisal be re-assigned cause I don't have
data on how that'd affect value.

I once did a title insurance claim where they screwed up and needed
a market value loss, the guy was a bike builder, and he was
a hella nice guy.

elliott