UPDATE! not paranoid!... keeping RE buyers from casing my place?

[zzGypsy]

so.... the landlord has decided to sell the place I'm leasing. I've decided not to be a butt about it, and I've agreed to show it for him if he's got potential buyers.

however, I'm more than slightly paranoid about the idea of someone making an appointment to view the hose for the purpose of casing it. so, they will only be showing it if I'm home, and with advance notice. I'll have time to tuck my computer in the gun closet (which will remain locked) so the most expensive stuff will be out of sight. but we've got livestock, tools, etc. that will be seen. The RE agent objects to my wanting to follow them arround while they show the place (because then they aren't free to talk). I object to them being unescorted, and since I'm not obligated by either my lease or the law to show it, we won't be having them wander around on their own. I want to see how they behave, and make sure they aren't looking in things they shouldn't be opening (cabinets and such), in the animal pens, or acting in other suspicious ways.

I'm trying to decide on the best strategy to deter anyone who might be shopping my stuff from thinking it's a good idea to come back later to help themselves. I'm not trying to scuttle a potential sale.

my first thought is that when the RE agent and potential buyer arrive, I should be cleaning my glock .45 at the kitchen table... and simply holster it and wear it while escorting them, keeping a reasonable space, and keeping my mouth shut.

thoughts on this strategy? or other ideas?

 

[chickened]

Just do some target shooting in the yard while they are there using police silhouette targets.

 

[JD4570]

Good idea! If the person asks about sidearm tell them none of their business. If and when they were to take pictures only let them take distant shots, no close ups of anything! Don't let them out of your sight!

 

[groundpecker]

I think you are a bit paranoid. If you are home and shown by appointment, i do not think it is a problem. A RE agent would only show the home to buyers he/she thinks can afford to purchase it.
An RE agents time is valuable, and should not waste time with shoddy clients.

 

[BrattishTaz]

The owner of the property can instruct the agent to only show the house to qualified buyers. I'm pretty sure most thieves will not have glowing credit scores.

 

[violetsky]

The lockbox should keep a record or who shows the property and agents are trained to stay
with their clients the entire time they are showing. Don't run around with guns, you'll most
likely get yourself in trouble. I'm sure in your lease there are clauses that protect the owner
in selling his property. If you purposefully interferred with showing, you might be financially liable
for the owners losses. Likewise you should be protected regarding your property. If you threaten
an agent with a gun by overtly displaying it they will not show the property and the owner might
take you to court. Renting has it advantages but it does have some inconveniences and your just
having to deal with one. Keep your valuables out of sight and don't worry about people looking around.
They are looking for a place to live. You will want the same courtesy when you go house shopping.

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
well even the RE agent admits there have been problems with folks casing places using a real estate agent as cover. and we've been broken into before, first time was 5 weeks after we moved in, as well as farm equipment stolen off the property and the property across the street. a couple of weeks ago someone stole 300' of extension cord that was powering the electric fence containing the neighbor's cattle. the problem with "protected" regarding my property is that even if my insurance (or the RE agent's) covers it, I've still lost my stuff. I might get some cash value, after deductible, but some of my stuf is not readily replaceable.

I'd like to think I live in a world where folks behaved as they should, but I don't have enough evidence for that.

running around with guns on my leased property is actually legal in this state... part of why I moved here!

pretty sure that having my firearm in my possesion on my leased property or on my kitchen table is not equivalent to threatening. now pointing it at people and discussing shooting them, well, that'd be another matter

and actually I've been more cooperative than the lease requires... all it requires is I allow the owner access on 3-day notice. I'm letting the agent give 1-day notice and the owner doesn't have to be there. MO requires a new buyer honors an existing lease and I've still got 6 months left on it. but they're showing it already... so for the next 6 months I've got to keep everything show-room ready all the time. would certainly have looked for a different place to lease had this been in the promo info.

and of course, none of that solves the biosecurity issue...

however, maybe I'll have the owner tell the agent to let folks know I do sometimes carry a firearm on account of predators. (which is true, I do.) reduces the shock factor, but still makes the point.

Quote:
that's a useful thought... should cut down on visits by those looking to help themselves. I'll talk to the owner about that.

as for target practice... no, can't do it here... don't have a proper backstop. so unless there are REAL zombies in my yard, or predators at my livestock, I can't actually shoot here.

 

[cameron]

Why don't you buy it? Sounds like you're already established, and anymore, leasing is more expensive than buying.

Just a thought...

 

[dewey]

Coming from a family with several rental house properties all across the valley, what you'll be doing is extremely unusual and way above and beyond unless the lease specifies that one must do otherwise, which, in your case, it doesn't. There's no way I would allow that to happen if I was renting a place even if it was the last day of the lease, no less with 6 months left on one...and we would never request that nor ever do that to our renters....our rentals are never shown when occupied nor before move-in ready, for good reasons. The renters pay rent for their own use of the property and are not paying rent for the convenience of a bunch of strangers to invade and wander through "their home" and personal belongings. Showing rentals before they're vacant works against the rental owner/seller. It's lose-lose for both renter and owner, and we'd never want to put our renters in that type of situation. Rental houses have some down-time for cleaning & repairs and showing, especially when they're going to be put up for sale...it's just part of the business. Not saying at all that it would ever be in your case, but we've had to evict some over the years and had there been a new agreement in place that we couldn't honor by the date, we'd be on the hook for big damages. Hoping the best for your situation, and it's not too late to change your mind.

 

[redhen]

I would not allow it either... nope.