Approaching The Owner Of A Burned Down Property
While driving through neighborhood I’ve found this nice but pretty distressed by a fire house. If the owner is willing to sell for a reasonable price this house could be a good investment.
To get things going, at this point I can only send him a letter to the old address because I don’t even know where he lives now but here is my question:
What do I say to the owner???? 
I don’t even know if there were victims ….
“……..Dear Mr. Owner I am so sorry your house burned down but would you sell it to me? …….“
Please help if you ever wrote such letters or just know how to write one.
Thank you!!!
BEFORE you even make an offer to the owner have an contractor give you an estimate for rehab! Then double that amount!
Now you know what it will cost you in a worst case scenario to rehab it, then and ONLY then approach the owner with an offer but it gets complicated now..
On the topic of what to say, be honest and to the point! Hello Mr. black, I recently saw your house on blank st. when driving down the road. I buy homes in uninhabitable conditions like yours. If your interested in getting rid of your home and especially so if it is a problem for you please call me..
(This I just thought up now, but this is prety much how and wat I say to owners..)
You WILL likely have to deal with the lender and insurance company as insurance is heavily involved in a property of this situation!! Insurance might plan on paying to rebuild, or might have cashed out lender and owner and thus take deed, etc. I am not familiar with how insurance companys handle these propertys, so you need to get on the phone and get ahold of all parties involved and find out what is going on. Thus you need to get an POA from the owner if there interested in getting rid of this problem property..
Chris
There will be plenty of opportunity out here in California in the next few weeks.
Sensitivity will be key to helping folks get re-started.
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Dear James Taylor,
You are so right. I was by the Granada High School last night. It is suposed to be a rally point er something to those who have just lost properties.
I contacted a broker in the area and informed him that I was interested in lots, not the really biggy expensive million dollar ones but those that had cheap houses in the $200,000 to $400000. Range I offered to assist the owners in achieving full payout for the house and furnishings where covered. Most of them seem to be in the Calif Fair Plan. I know them from years gone by. My representation is offered at no charge. The reason is I want the lots. Do you know a better place to build an all metal ex container house with full misty system on roof for fire protection etc. etc? My house will sell for $58,000 in an area which while slightly toasty is still a much more expensive area. Wonderful display, as an example of truly modern fireproof housing.
That is my approach at this time I am open for suggestions. No I do not carry matches in the area, nor do I smoke. I have thought about getting a Dalmation doggie for help in establishing empathy
Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated, I want to learn, so inform me. No you do not need to be polite or considerate, fire oops naughty word, away.
Cheers Lucius
Hello Lucius
Where you getting the metal homes from? Are they prefab or custom built?
What kind of insulation do the metal homes provide?
Are you serious about the misty thing on the roof?
Thanks
Mike
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cky,
thank you for your post!
It did help me a lot