Is it me- or are people a little off... In the last week I have had a man run after my car with a bat and another man sent his dog after my car!!! Granted the areas weren't that great- but I wasn't even taking photos of their houses!!

I think you're right. In the past, I've been chased, yelled at and had rocks thrown at me. This week takes the cake, though....I was doing an interior at a home in one of the "nicer" suburbs. When I came out to get into my car I found that the windshield had been shot out.

You didn't hear that?

No. I didn't hear a thing.

I had a man on crutches hobble off the porch. I figured I had enough time for one more shot (he was on crutches) and he broke into a full sprint and threw the crutch at my truck. He was good as he hit my truck, but I got the hell out.

Where at in Dayton?? I didn't think we acted like that!!

When I get out of the car to do an interior in the 'hood, I make sure to make eye contact with any hood rats that happen to be loitering in the vicinity. Criminals, as a rule, are cowards, and prefer anonymity. By making sure that they know that you see them, they are not as emboldened to do anything.

And having a pistol tucked in your belt does not hurt, either.

Scary stuff.

I got caught by a homeowner a cuple of weeks ago. He came running out his back yard and yelled, "Hey! What are you doing?!" As I rolled up the window and sped away, I yelled back, "DRIVING AWAY!" Pretty funny.

I read about these "scary" situations on here and I have one you can try.
I am a broker and a general contractor. Whenever I get the "what are you doing here?" look... I always tell them the same thing...

"The bank (or insurance company) sent me here to do a quote to paint the place / clean up the yard etc...

Works like a charm, The neighbors (especially in the hood) hear that there is "work" to be done, they either run like hell cause they want nothing to do with work, or they are happy that "the crappy house on the street" is getting fixed up....

Either way, give it a try..you'll be surprised..

Oooooh good idea, MikeD! Going to have to use that one!

How funny!

That is the question that was on my mind as well.

Don't you guys and gals have an old beat up car to go 'cruzin' (taking pictures)???

The only time I've been confronted lately was in a neighborhood of million dollar homes. Some scary guy with an unidentifiable eastern European accent demanded to know what I was doing taking pictures of his house and threatened to "smash my hood" if I didn't leave.

This is all really scary stuff and we should all be on guard. However, we need to all remember they are losing their homes and they are desperate. Think how you would feel?? This does not give them the right to be violent though.

wow it is adventure guys:-)

Haven't you guys heard of "snap and gos?" I like when they posture foru you out the picture window, and it shows up in the photo.
:>}

I usually tell people that I have been hired from their mortgage company because "I guess you are refinancing or something?" and then I leave it at that.

I had one lady who was totally drunk come out to my car, once I showed her my "paperwork" with her address on it & I made my above coment she was fine. I was freaked out for I had my 2 month old daughter in the back of my car!

About 3 months later I did an interior BPO on it through another company after they had been foreclosed on.

I've have had problems in good areas as well as the bad...

Why would you bring a baby to do bpos? Why would you even let someone approach your car? Im sorry but I feel its common sense not to bring kids to take pictures. That lady could have been cracked out and stabbed you with a knife.

If somone ever says anything to me, I always say "your mortgage company hired me to take these photos". That stops 99% of people from asking anything else. If they ask any more questions, I tell them to call their bank and speak with them. Sure they might stare at you from their door or out a window, but chances are it will end there.

Lately, Im getting more calls from listing agents of properties that Im looking at wondering why Im doing BPOs on their listings. Worrying that their properties are going to foreclose before they can sell it.

Why not? I don't get out of my vehicle?? My vehicle was running & if I felt threatened I would have just driven away. I took precautions that I felt were just fine, I don't need your "approval" as to how I do my business. I'm not going to put my child intentionally in harms way & will continue on bring her to take pictres. Now, doing an interior is a different story.

wow

In your original post, you let some lady approach your car. What if she had a knife or a gun? What if someone chases you are runs you off the road? Ive been chased before, and it was in a very nice neighborhood! Me personally, I would never endanger a childs life doing this. Sure its rare, but it happens. Read through some of the old posts of horror stories. I guess theres no chance of someone ever chasing you, or pulling out a gun and firing at you? Would you want your baby with you if someone is chasing you in a car?

You said it.....

You need to remember these people are losing their homes. Most of them are under a lot of stress. You got lucky that women didn't harm you or your child. No one is trying to attack you here, just looking out for you and your child. Be careful!

Wondering this too. I'm never around long enough for someone to approach my car. I take all my pics from inside the car with the window up and I do it very quickly. You can even buy cameras these days with a "shooting through glass" feature.

I look at the map from the tax site before going out so that I know approximately how far down the street the house is located and which side of the street it's on. If you are prepared you can do your business in a matter of seconds before anyone even notices you're there.

Are these ones where you are doing interiors and the homeowner is telling their agent I assume?

I understand that it does happen, anything is possible. Heck I or my child could get stabbed or shot sitting at a red light. It does happen. I didn't "let" the woman purposely approach the car. You assumed I allowed her to do this.

Yes, I was freaked out, she caught me off guard & something like this in the 7 years that I have been doing BPO's has never happened. Of course I was freaked out, anyone would have been, if they were alone or not.

We will obviously have to just agree to disagree.

Wow you guys had the crazy experiences. Luckily I haven't had anything bad but then again I haven't been doing BPOs for as long as some of you.

I get out of the car too but just leave the car running. How do you guys get street shots staying in the car, getting one street shot is fine, but to get both, I would think its faster to just get out the car and snap snap???

I might start doing these staying in the car after hearing some of your stories.

Keep your seatbelt on. Street scene one way.... sitting in the drivers seat... look out your left window, roll it down, click. Street scene the other way, don't get ahead of me now, roll down the passenger window, click. Address number, zoom, click. That's all the secrets I'm sharing today. I feel I've given away too much already. I sure hope my competition isn't reading this or I'm doomed. Argggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

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Good points Bill. And Deana, are you sure she was drunk? There are many mental illnesses whose behaviors mimic drunkenness. Look at Britney. *throws up a little* And if you could smell the booze, she was definitely too close to the car.

All these agents who come up with clever things to say to the owners are usually violating the clients wishes. Most orders have explicit instructions to NOT make any contact with the owner. This is why they are "drive-bys."

I would definitely not fess up to doing an order on their house if they did ambush me. Always know the area enough to say, "This is 1100 (insert name of next street over), isn't it? Oh its not? So sorry." Then you have bought your way out and have not discussed the order with the homeowner. Win, win.

"This is 1100 (insert name of next street over), isn't it? Oh its not? So sorry."

Good one. I usually don't take time to reply, since I'm already driving off if I see anyone trying to approach. I did have one recently in a good area where I didn't see anyone around, but apparently they saw me from their front window. I was already at my next "photo shoot" about 6 miles away (in a not so good area) when this big SUV drove up and the driver asked why I took photos of their house. I told them I had an assignment from a financial institution and was not at liberty to give any information about it. They drove off, but as they did the passenger started taking pictures of me and my car. That was my laugh for the day, since that was the day I was too busy to fix my hair or put on my usual amount of makeup. It also reminded me to be more aware of who is behind me. When I was single I was always aware of whether I was being followed by someone. I guess after 15 years of marriage I've become too complacent about that.

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I take my kids with me all the time. I don't get out of the car and I don't roll down the window. And I'm out of there before a homeowner can get from the front door to road. I like to say I'm like ServPro....'Like I never happened'. 99 percent of the time I'm not there long enough for someone to notice I'm there.
Now INTERIOR BPO's scare me.....I don't take my kids to those....I used to go alone....now I take my dog.

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Agree to disagree and move on please.

People make their own decisions. Let's just get back on topic. Some crazy stories here. Any more?

When I managed a finance company the corporate AM called and wanted me to look at a property and see if the owners lived there, give an opinion of the condition, and try to collect payment on the mortgage.

Wife answered the door and I went through my introduction, heard the back door slam, and then I heard a chainsaw and within seconds farmer Ron was telling me to get the f off his property.

Funny thing is the next day she came in with cash and made a payment covering the full past due amount. Farmer Ron did not tell Mary Lou he did not pay the mortgage and apparently was intercepting our mail and machine messages. They divorced soon there after.

That is as close to what you do as I can get and as crazy as they come for me.

Yesterday,going on a little sunday drive to take pictures.This house has about 20 miles away in the "country",which is probably different than most of you since you are from bigger cities,The country people you dont mess with.I was taking pictures of the subject and I had to try and get pictures of all the animals and crop a requirement of CC,when I saw someone on a horse go by my car really fast.As I was leaving the neighbors about 1/2 mile down the road where standing in the road almost blocking it,I continued to drive away even though the lady had her hand held out and was yelling to STOP.No way was that going to happen,that scared me enough that I almost hit some one than about 5 min later a car approached fairly fast got my lisence plat number speed away. To make matters worst I then got pulled over when I got back to town because the cops have nothing better to do and they asked what my interest in that property was,I said nothing and I was there for the mortgage company,they acted like I was getting ready to case it for a robbery! I couldnt believe I got pulled over for it!!!