Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Jul 3, 2015 14:26:54 GMT -5
We moved to our new home about 4 months ago. We are in a rural subdivision of homes, with 3-5 acre lots (no sidewalks/street parking). Today, DH was working in the yard and saw a woman in a car stop in front of our home (in the middle of the street), look at our yard, and start writing stuff down on a clipboard. He approached her car and she didn't say anything to him and then drove away. This is the second time that someone has done something similar (A month or two ago, another lady stopped in the street in front of our house and was taking pics of our home from the street). She didn't say anything to my DH either. Any reason that y'all can think of that someone would be doing this? Our road is small, so it isn't like stopping there is just "pulling over". Our lot is big but most of the land is in the back, so the house is visible from the street. This is really creeping me out. I don't know what reason someone would have for this.... help me out people!
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msventoux
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Post by msventoux on Jul 3, 2015 14:34:25 GMT -5
Tax assessor? Here they do a drive by and/or come peek in your windows to see if you've done any upgrades. It is creepy.
I'm guessing there's no homeowners association? If yes, they could be documenting violations, real or imagined.
Realtors getting comps? They probably know how much your home sold for and are getting updated pictures for comparisons.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jul 3, 2015 14:39:57 GMT -5
Some mortgagors do follow ups to make sure the home is owner-occupied.
There are jobs listed on Crsigslist for just those tasks you listed.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jul 3, 2015 14:42:16 GMT -5
I would say either the tax assessor or Zillow.
The other day, I was looking at the tax assessor's site and the first picture was taken when the magnolia tree was much smaller, but the second was taken after I had moved in as my car is also in the picture.
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Jul 3, 2015 14:47:30 GMT -5
Tax assessor? Here they do a drive by and/or come peek in your windows to see if you done any upgrades. It is creepy.That's really creepy..... Do they go on your property or just peak from the street? Do they say anything if the homeowner starts walking towards them? We have an HOA but they don't have any power. DH went to the annual meeting 3 months ago and introduced himself (I was working). They let him know that while we do have CC&Rs, they have no way to enforce them (something about the way the HOA was done and the state laws on HOAs) or do anything like that. We haven't changed anything since the last owners (just maintenance/yard upkeep). He did let them know that we had a copy of the CCRs and fully intend to comply with them, as we knew that they were part of the deal when we bought. FWIW, we have had several members of the local associations come by but they have always knocked and introduced themselves. No creepy taking pics from the street.
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Jul 3, 2015 14:48:19 GMT -5
I know one of the houses down the street is in escrow. Do the appraisers do this kind of stalking?
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msventoux
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Post by msventoux on Jul 3, 2015 15:09:48 GMT -5
Tax assessor? Here they do a drive by and/or come peek in your windows to see if you done any upgrades. It is creepy.That's really creepy..... Do they go on your property or just peak from the street? Do they say anything if the homeowner starts walking towards them? In their defense, here at least, they do drive government vehicles and ring the doorbell first. If you never answer your door and then notice someone walking around your house peeking in the windows you may look in the driveway and see an official looking vehicle but may still arm yourself and go out on the back deck where they can't physically reach you and interrogate them as to what the hell they're doing. In this area they're used to that though. They do send out generic notices beforehand that they'll be doing physical assessments during a certain time period and leave a notice stuck to your door that they were there, but that doesn't do you much good if you were in the house already and didn't answer your door. He did want to come into the house, but I refused. There has to be a better system of notification before I'll let some random guy in my house, i.e. certified mailing and me calling the assessors office to set up an appointment.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 15:17:13 GMT -5
Call the county assessors office and see if they have had people in your neighborhood recently. They will know & I would call to put my mind at ease. Photos sound like assessor.
I would guess the last one was an appraiser for another property mortgage, because the county/city assessor probably would have told you who they were & not driven away. It is pretty unprofessional to run away when a homeowner approaches, so maybe a realtor looking at comparables to show a client?
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Jul 3, 2015 15:25:01 GMT -5
I feel a little better now... I thought we were being stalked! DH and I have dealt with a lot of crazies through our work and I don't want them knowing where we live. It is scary how much information is online and available for public use.
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Jul 3, 2015 15:27:58 GMT -5
msventouxThey ask to come in? That is really creepy. Why do they want to come in? Don't they already have the sq foot information from any sales/permits done on the house? What other info could they use? I'm assuming that decor (80s wallpaper vs granite countertops) doesn't change the tax value of a house? I thought our taxes are based on the sales price of our home (Am in CA). That is public record so they shouldn't need anything else, right?
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msventoux
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Post by msventoux on Jul 3, 2015 16:01:49 GMT -5
Here the value of your home is based in part on its condition, not completely on its sales price (I'm not in CA). If you "overspent" because of a hot market, you can contest your property assessment based on the actual condition of the home. The assessed value of the land probably won't change, but the assessed value of the building may be reduced.
They already know the square footage information and if proper permitting was done they know of any additions. But proper permits aren't always done and a lot of upgrades and remodeling is done by the homeowners and not contractors who follow proper procedures. Did you add a bedroom or bathroom? Did you add a garage or swimming pool? Did you upgrade your heating system to an in floor radiant heating system instead of the prehistoric forced air system? Did you add air conditioning? They won't know about any of that if permits weren't done when they're supposed to be. Cosmetic things like a kitchen or bathroom remodel likely won't change the assessed value, but additions or upgrades to the basic structure will.
This area also has a ton of recreational properties. As far as the assessor knows, they're just raw land or very rustic cabins. But people will build very nice vacation homes off the grid and they can go up very quickly. You're supposed to report those things to the assessors office, but it's rarely done. So people can pay a couple hundred a year in property taxes on unimproved land for several years when they should really be paying a few thousand per year. That's why the assessors periodically snoop around different areas of their assessment area, trying to see if the assessed value should be raised due to unreported improvements. The opposite can happen if your property's condition has deteriorated, but I really don't think they're sending assessors out with the goal of lowering taxes.
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Blonde Granny
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Post by Blonde Granny on Jul 3, 2015 16:07:27 GMT -5
We had an inspection by someone from our home insurance company after we moved in. House had just been built but the insurance company wanted verification of the quality (all brick, good roof) etc.
And our county is doing a county wide inspection of all real estate property this year for new appraisal purposes. If any upgrades done, they want to know about it....I'm sure just to lower your taxes, don't you know.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 16:21:15 GMT -5
We live on a one-lane paved road with five houses on it. We recently had someone do this as well. Shortly after, the neighbor whose field is behind us had some tree trimming done. They had just moved in a day or two before. The neighbor whose backyard is in front of us soon rented a dumpster and cleaned up their yard.
This person attracted so much attention that one of the neighbors went into the yard with her shotgun, ready to call the police. No one casually drives up this road, much less stops to take notes.
We guessed, but we will never know what it really was about.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 16:29:12 GMT -5
for all of the above. I called our security firm on a creepy middle-aged guy in a sort of crappy older car parking in front of each house on the block and sitting for a spell before getting out with a clipboard, prowling around the house, etc. Yep, county appraisal district contractor with no frigging I.D. on a lanyard or placard in car window or magnetic sign. He's lucky he didn't get shot by a jumpy homeowner. But now the values in our neighborhood are trending up so we have slick types targeting the really nasty houses. They are from the "We Buy Ugly Houses" bunch. It's a waste of time b/c those houses are already owned by slumlords.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 4, 2015 6:52:18 GMT -5
My daughter has had a number of people stop and take pictures of her house and/or yard, for unknown reasons. They also have pictures taken of themselves, while they are in her yard. One couple took wedding photos, on her front lawn. She has taken pictures of people, taking pictures! So Weird! She just has a regular house and yard. I honestly have no idea why people would want pictures either of it, or in it. Why do they choose hers?
Weird.
Be safe!
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Spellbound454
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Post by Spellbound454 on Jul 4, 2015 6:58:31 GMT -5
Wow.....I'd be bouldering out of the house demanding to know what they were doing.
You are entitled to privacy in your own home.... and this is intrusive.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 4, 2015 7:03:32 GMT -5
Wow.....I'd be bouldering out of the house demanding to know what they were doing.
You are entitled to privacy in your own home.... and this is intrusive. I'd want to know, but don't think I'd be brave enough to go out and ask. I'm a wimp!
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Spellbound454
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Post by Spellbound454 on Jul 4, 2015 7:24:05 GMT -5
Ok do it delicately then
"Excuse me, can I ask what you are doing taking photographs of my house, Im worried because I feel you are intruding on my privacy"
"I'm from Happy Homes Insurance Agency and I'm just collecting details for the file"
Oh OK then
Problem solved
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on Jul 4, 2015 8:48:26 GMT -5
Since your house recently sold it is likely appraisers working on other houses.
Some appraisers have to have actual pictures of computer houses to show they did drive by not just sit at computer.
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jul 4, 2015 9:21:22 GMT -5
My daughter has had a number of people stop and take pictures of her house and/or yard, for unknown reasons. They also have pictures taken of themselves, while they are in her yard. One couple took wedding photos, on her front lawn. She has taken pictures of people, taking pictures! So Weird! She just has a regular house and yard. I honestly have no idea why people would want pictures either of it, or in it. Why do they choose hers? Weird. Be safe!
If I had an in-ground irrigation system, I think at that point I would have decided that my lawn had to be watered right that very minute. But I'm mean.
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Baby Fawkes
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Post by Baby Fawkes on Jul 5, 2015 1:25:20 GMT -5
Tax assessor? Here they do a drive by and/or come peek in your windows to see if you've done any upgrades. It is creepy. I'm guessing there's no homeowners association? If yes, they could be documenting violations, real or imagined. Realtors getting comps? They probably know how much your home sold for and are getting updated pictures for comparisons. We've had this situation where we live and it was the county tax as desire but to theiri credit when we went out and asked them they told us what they were doing and produced an official looking badge/tag tha convinced me that they were legit. I would expect anyone that is there on official business to be able to produce docs to explain it
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jul 5, 2015 2:56:07 GMT -5
My daughter has had a number of people stop and take pictures of her house and/or yard, for unknown reasons. They also have pictures taken of themselves, while they are in her yard. One couple took wedding photos, on her front lawn. She has taken pictures of people, taking pictures! So Weird! She just has a regular house and yard. I honestly have no idea why people would want pictures either of it, or in it. Why do they choose hers? Weird. Be safe!
If I had an in-ground irrigation system, I think at that point I would have decided that my lawn had to be watered right that very minute. But I'm mean.
She uses a hose and a sprinkler. But that's a pretty funny idea. But seriously, who has their wedding photos taken at someone you don't know's, house? I mean maybe if it were a mansion, or fancy... It's a brick bungalow. They do maintain their house and yard, but so do other neighbors. I don't think you're mean at all. I doubt you would really turn the water on, in reality. You'd probably want to pretty badly though. -tee-hee...
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