BPO'S GONE WRONG! Stories you need to read to believe.

If you complete BPO's maybe you can relate to what happens during the journey to get these BPO;s completed. if you do not complete them or have just started, you can learn from my experiences.

The most common Broker Price Opinion is called the driveby. it where you drive by the house, take a picture of the front, side, address and of the street. While doing this you need to assess if the house is occupied ior vacant and any damage that can be seen from the road. In theory this sounds like an easy task, right?

I try and complete 2-4 BPO's a day, i have completed as many as 13 in one day, i have completed that accomplishment 3 times. In my travels i have come accross alot of different scenarios and attacks. I have come up with some tips. Make sure you always drive by the house first, assess if anyone is outside and know where the roads leads. On deadend streets or cul de sacs, make sure your car is pointed back towards the main road, never take photos when your car is pointed towards the deadend or while occupants are outside. try and avoid contact with any occupant or owner. Do not trespass, stay out of their yard or driveway and never argue with them.

On some of the worst BPO trips i have ever had, i was pointed towards a dead end, took the pictures, and drove up to turn around when the home owner jumped in his pick up and tried to block me in. Luckily i was able to get around him and avoid a confrontation. I have had another gentleman who chased me cutting me off demanding answers of why i took a picture of his house. Luckily i had his bpo order printed and with me and told him to contact his bank as they had ordered it. I had a woman run up her driveway with a pitchfork as i took a picture of her farmhouse in a rural area, She was too far away to catch me on foot.  The scariest 2 were in rural areas where shot gun wielding homeowners came out to see why i was taking a picture. no shots, but near 2 heart attacks though.

The worst BPO experiences come from the interior ones, where i am given a code and have to inspect the interior. the last condo was bank owned, was listed with a local company and was vacant, the shades were all closed and the power was not turned on so it was dark. i walked in, put up the shades and felt tickling on my legs, took the pictures and headed towards the hallway, once outside in the light my legs were black with fleas, i stripped off my shoes and socks and bathed my legs in hand sanitizer, it stung like sitting on a bee hive. Now that listing agent had to know there was fleas and couldnt even warn me, and worse i had to call him for the code so he knew i would be entering.

The worst inspections are the ones where the house is filled with mold. i do have a breathing mask now as being affected time and time again with the affects of mold are not pleasant.

i am compiling pictures and will soon write another picture filled blog to share with you all.

Please feel free to add your experiences both good and bad

dated 10/10/2010

Blog Written by:

Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Realty Group

Manchester NH