The Nightmare Next Door

[Ian Ford]

Hello! First-time poster here.

I'm looking at a nice house in a nice part of Baltimore. Next to a hot neighborhood etc.

Right now, asking is low $100k when comps in the area routinely sell for $180-200k.

Here's the catch: it is a typical Baltimore rowhome, attached to the house next door. And next door is a Nightmare. The Nightmare has fire damage, no windows, NO ROOF so you know it's flooded. Several cats scurry into the basement when you walk through the backyard.

I'm sure I can rent the subject house out and cover expenses to play the long game and have a great asset years from now. 

My question is: how does the Nightmare next door potentially affect the structure of the subject house? I'm worried about water building up in their basement and causing mold in my home. Seeping through the structure etc. 

I don't know how long it will take the city to do something about that place, or at what point fire-damage specialists and the like start to think a house is a good buy.

BiggerPockets, do you do this deal?