I just asked for a vacant interior to be re-assigned today. There is over 3 feet of snow all the way from the road up to the house. I don't care if they are unhappy about it. Who knows what could be under that snow in my path unseen. I don't mind going through snow, but the fear of a bike or kids toys or who knows what that could trip me up and injure me. I did one like this a few days ago, got to the front step and almost tripped and fell because the step was broken underneath.

I'm going to have to do it on Monday for the first time in 15 years. Very, very rough neighborhood, boarded home on a block where nine out of ten homes are boarded, home faces a big empty lot. I got hassled by some locals when I arrived today, and that has never happened before. The listing agent has refused to go to the home because vandals somehow have gotten in repeatedly. It also has the ice problem making climbing steep stairs difficult. I've gone into a lot of bad ones, but today when I realized I was alone on a street with people who at the very least want to scare me a bit, I put the camera away and got back in my car. We'll see how the bpo company takes the news. They've always told me to be careful. I've decided I'd rather work at MacDonald's than risk my life for a bpo.

After 8 years on the dark side of this business I've heard just about every story imaginable from agents doing BPO's. I'll never forget the agent that was out doing an inspection, the subject had a basement and no power. He was using his cellphone as a flashlight. 2 steps down the stairs he realized the third stair was missing...but not before he fell through and broke his leg. Lucky he had his cell phone on him.

Please stay safe. Make a BPO survival kit. Flashlight, extra batteries, Boots that go up to your knees, snake anti-venom, mace and take another person with you in the rough neighborhoods.

Finally, the company may not like having to reassign an order but we would rather reassign it and have you be up and working than spending 6 weeks in a cast where you can't do any inspections at all.

J~

Snowshoes are standard Real Estate equipment here. I can float leisurely over 10' and 12' drifts. They're particularly helpful if I have to enter via a 2nd story window.

I keep a pair of Snowshoes in my trunk 6 months out of the year.

And they're low maintenance. I just wipe them down with Bear Fat once a year.

Been making it a habit of checking out the order stats before accepting it. Works out much better that way.

I've started sending them back to companies where the relationship is falling apart (usually due to fees). In the past three months I've sent back interiors to FARVV, Ocwen, and Protk because it isn't worth the hassle anymore. Let someone else make 3 trips to the property, then get QC'd to death for a couple of bucks. Screw 'em.

Ocwen, and Protk are lowest paying right now beside Old Republic!
Their orders still are taken very quickly!

I did it a few times: the BPO company makes me sign off and certify on a form that all the info is my research and I haven't been influenced etc. One particular listing agent in my area lists short sale flips and they have previously denied me access to their listings because my values are not in favor of their offer (straw buyer/investor makes has an option contract and when they find a "real" buyer the option is a very low purchase price that my BPO has to support. Then then turn around and re-sell it to the real buyer for 10% profit. I ain't doing that!) So when I do accept a BPO with that listing agent as POC, I ask for it to be reassigned along with a giant email trail detailing all previous email conversations showing that I'm denied access for this reason bla bla bla. They told me the wouldn't hold it against me.