[Curtis Frieden]

Curtis Frieden

Hey,

I’ve been meaning to ask this question earlier but I wanted to get my buyers lined up first.

Jackie sent out an email a week or so ago on finding motivated sellers and one of the ways was to go to the utility companies and ask for the list of homes with dead meters. Sounds all well and good but my question is how we really get this information.

The reason that I ask is because I live in Southern California where just about everyone uses So Cal Edison as their electric company and they are a pretty BIG company. Can I just go into one of their branches and get this information freely? Can I call and get it?

I spoke with a title company yesterday (First American) and they didn’t seem willing to give title information freely.

I may be over thinking but figured I would ask if there are any more specifics.

Thanks!

[Jackie Lange]

Jackie Lange

The companies i have obtained this list from are really BIG companies too.

You should never ever CALL to get any kind of a list. You need to go in to the office to ask for it.
Same thing goes for code enforcement lists. For probate, you cannot go to the courthouse to get a list. You will need to search through the records to build your own list. But you can ask the people at the courthouse to show you how to search for probate ) or other thins) and they will gladly show you for free.

A title company will not to title searches for you for free.

[Curtis Frieden]

Curtis Frieden

So if I wanted to get information on code violations in x city, can I just go to that office and ask for that or is there a better way to get that information?

How about for utility companies? When I go into the office, do I simply ask how to find a list of homes in x city that have dead meters?

Thanks!

-Curt

[Jackie Lange]

Jackie Lange

for code compliance lest, go to code compliance

ask for list of properties with code violations or condemned properties

for utility lists, go to utility company

ask for dead meters or meters with no power or gas

[Curtis Frieden]

Curtis Frieden

OK – just went to my city’s code enforcement and asked for a list of properties with code enforcements. At first she said it was a big list but wasnt sure of they had an actual list of properties they could give me.

She went back and asked someone else and said that the only thing they could do is confirm if a property had a violation…

Not sure if I missed something but that’s the response that I got…

[Jackie Lange]

Jackie Lange

tell them, under the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, you want the complete list of properties which have code violations

[Curtis Frieden]

Curtis Frieden

Beautiful!

I just looked up the code and was just curious, it talks about the act covering federal agencies. Would that mean that a state, or in this case city, still needs to abide by that.

I’m assuming yes based on your response but figured I’d ask.

Thanks!

Curt

[DON WEDE]

DON WEDE

Curt,

You might like to mention that you are a real estate investor. That you want to clean up the city and put these properties in liveable condition. Hand out some business cards at the offices and try to find some bird dogs right in the office.

Don Wede

[Curtis Frieden]

Curtis Frieden

Great idea Don!

I was just thinking yesterday that I need to get some business cards as I was driving some neighborhoods.

I’m going to get some ordered today. Any recommendations on what the cards should say or if there’s somewhere in the depot that has that?

I’m thinking the obvious contact info on the front and on the back I but “I buy houses” on the back.

[DON WEDE]

DON WEDE

Curt,

This is a new idea I have been trying VIA a postcard campaign it says “DO YOU HAVE A REAL ESTATE PROBLEM?”
LET ME TRY TO HELP. Maybe it could say “I SOLVE REAL ESTATE PROBLEMS”. Just an idea. I have just started this campaign so I can not give you the results now.

Don Wede

[Jackie Lange]

Jackie Lange

one of my domain names is http://www.ISolveRealEstateProblems.com it gets a lot of attention and is much better to use than I buy houses

you want to talk to people with a real estate problem, not just someone with a house for sale.