I get chased on a routine basis, and it is not just the "bad" area's. I have had women throw glass jars at me, been chased down and blockaded by people in cars, been accosted in the backyard of a foreclosure, etc, etc. Had to call the COPS on several occasions because people just do not understand that the streets are public. All in the "nice" parts of town. Seen a lot of good recomendations in this list, but one of the mostt important for me is that if I am not familiar with the area streets, I do not take photo's until I have turned around and made a second pass by the property to make certain I have a get-away route. Can't tell you how many times I've been trapped in a cul-de-sac before I finally learned. Also, getting photo's at 30 MPH works if you have a fast shutter!

Does anyone note on the report that they are chased? I had one today. My photo was really blurred and I didn't get the house. I got a good picture of the guy racing down his driveway and waving his arms at me.
Just wondered. To me it seems a bit unprofessional to note something like this on the report but I should be able to let them know why I do not feel safe going back for photos and why their photos are so terrible. Besides being chased the house really can't be seen from the road.
(By the way I did stop the car when he cut me off on the next road and just told him I was doing a market analysis. Blah blah blah.)

Yes, I have noted in numerous reports that reason photo was unclear or couldn't get all the pics required for the report was due to the occupant approaching the vehicle. I don't think it is unprofessional to note that in the report. These banks/BPO companies know that many times the homes are in foreclosure and there could be hostile home owners. As much as we might complain about these companies' policies and requirements, I really don't think they want to see us get hurt. I've never had anyone demand I go back and try and get better pics or more pics. They accept the report with what I've got. Once I took pics from two blocks away (there was vacant land in between). I just zoomed in as much as I could with my camera. I noted in the report that this was a dead end street with numerous young men in the street and it was not safe to take closer pictures. Report was accepted. Once I talked to a CC rep and she said that they never want their vendors to be in an unsafe situation and if that means no pics at all, that is ok - just note it in the report with the reason.

Thanks Makin Money. I checked tax records today and looks like they just refinanced in Sept. If I had been smart and looked this up ahead I probalby would have told them it was a picture for the bank.

The thing is this area is know for drugs and the lady was really screaming ," You freaked me out taking pictures of the house!"

Personally I would think it was odd if someone was taking pictures of my house but I don't think it would freak me out unless I had something to hide.

What if your RE logo and phone number are on the side of your vehicle? Do people get suspicious when a realtor is taking pictures in a neighborhood? Would it be bad to hand out your card to anybody asking what you are doing?

I wouldnt hand out a card. If someone is staring me down when im taking pictures, i say "im taking pictures for the bank". If they start yelling at me, I will usually yell back. I have a short temper and dont put up with stupid people. I wont yell if im in a really bad neighborhood though. I had your idea before I started doing bpos, but I wouldnt do it anymore. I dont want those people to have my name and number.

No way. I'd take a different vehicle. I've had enough whack jobs in my life thus far without asking for more. As for handing out a card, I'd be outta there before someone would ever be able to get that close my car.

I have my website emblem on the back of my car and a consult a realtor license plate frame.Most of the ones that have chased me have not been nice enough to hand a card to.
I do have one guy that chased me a while back, when I see him now I waive and say hello and let him know I am taking pictures of someone elses house, not his. He was just concerned about his friends house but is now cordial with me.
I have found that some that have followed me had just completed a loan, so the photos were most likely for portfolio aquisition.
They just want to know why you are photographing their house. We cannot assume they are in foreclosure. I get nervous and forget this sometimes. I ramble on about doing a market analysis in the area etc.
Now before I go I try to look up the properties first and get a clue what the bpo is for. If the property just sold, not in foreclosure.. Just refied, not in foreclosure etc. Hope this helps me to handle the chasers better. If you stop and talk and are brutally honest they cannot chase something that's not moving!

I have been chased a couple of times... The first time I was getting pics of a property that looked abandoned I guess it belonged to the neighbors because they came running toward me (about 4 of them) with objects in their hands... I didn't hang around to see what they had or wanted as I was in a not so nice place... Usually if someone is outside or gets a chance to ask why I tell them that I am doing a CMA for a neighbor and I needed neighborhood pics so that I could compare properties... It usually works pretty good.... JUST BECAREFUL EVERYONE!!!

bpo's are not the problem for me, it's the reo listings.did a check on 7 or 8 this past weekend 3 were broken into. the 1st one i had to pull my gun, some guy was upstairs getting high, when i came through the front door (that was kicked in) i could here someone up stairs they jumped out the 2nd story window.....lol..the stories i could share. oh he left a candle going with empty crack packs laying on the table.........it never ends..

I don't have anything on my old crud car that I drive. No one is ever going to suspect what I do for a living. And I have learned to focus the camera down the street and do a slow 'roll by' and shoot with the camera on my shoulder. They never see me stop in some neighborhoods!!!

I've been lurking around the board for a while now and haven't felt the need to post until I saw this topic.
A few weeks ago I was doing a drive by, stopped in front of a home to take pictures. As I was taking the pictures the occupant walked out, saw what I was doing, and wasn't too happy. She started yelling and ran after my car. As I took off she hopped in her car and started to follow after me. After about 10 turns through the neighborhood I realized I wasn't going to shake her. I got out the the main road, she stayed right behind me, pulled up next to me at a stop light, kept honking her horn and shaking her fist at me. This went on for about 3 miles until I made my way back to civilization.

The next day I was doing a drive-by, this time in a nice area. After I was done I noticed a car in my rear view driving recklessly. Turns out it was the FBI staked out in front of the house monitering the activity. After about 5 min of questioning they let me go and advised me not, under any circumstances, to approach the occupants.

Where at in Michigan?

I've been chased several times. Once by an auxillary deputy sheriff! He jumped in his pickup truck and turned on the light bar; chased me about 6 miles down the highway. I called the sheriif's department, explained what happened, and the sheriff told me I needed to get a different job! True story...I was SO mad.

Yes, I've been chased and yelled at, etc...usually in the better parts of town like someone else mentioned. However, the one occasion where I couldn't get away (won't let that happen again) I threw back the same verbal abuse I was given, telling them I could take pictures of whatever I wanted, etc. I never explain who I am or why I'm there. As long as you are on public roads, there is no law being broken, it's public domain. My husband (a police officer) says they get calls occasionally from people complaining about 'someone' taking pictures of their house, etc. The police tell them there isn't anything illegal about it, unless they go on the property.

I take it very seriously that I shouldn't approach the occupants, and extend that to explaining my actions to anyone...it's not necessary, except for maybe the FBI ;-)