Need advice re: driving for dollars

[Marlene Michael]

I plan to enlist the help of some friends to find vacant/abandoned properties. I would like to give them a form to use when they find a property which will include:

-property address

-approx. sq footage/number of stories

-additional buildings on property (sheds, garages, etc)

- Condition of other homes in neighborhood

-pics of front and back (if possible)

-pics of houses on left/right

And that where I get stuck! What else do I need to include? Also, should I draw up a contract between myself and them regarding their finders fee if I close on a deal?

[Judah Hoover]

Using the leverage of others is a GREAT idea.

If they are your friends and family, you shouldn't need a contract. But that's your call.

With smart phones pictures are free and easy, ask them to take a shot standing on the front door looking across  the street, then on the curb looking right and looking left down the "street scene" as appraisers call it.

Ask them in include "what drew their attention to the property". 

PRO TIP... ask them for the name and number and address of any realtor signs they see in the area. A realtor with a listing in the neighborhood will be a wealth of information. You might have to approach it a little indirectly, "what can you tell me about the area?"