How bad is it to file a FOIA request?

[Mike Schorah]

I hear gurus say to never stoop to filing a FOIA request, but just how bad is it? How angry does it make court personnel?

I just started my journey of pulling government lists about 3 months ago. I figured I’d start with pre-foreclosure since I hear it’s the easiest to get. I’m surrounded by 4 states.

One state is super easy to get the pre-foreclosure list. You don’t even have to call. It’s right on the website for free.

Another state is somewhat of a headache. You have to pay for the lists in certain counties.

In one state, I hear it’s illegal to market to pre-foreclosures.

The 4th and final state has been a grueling escapade. The courthouses hold a strict privacy policy. And it is one of the top 5 most tenant-friendly states in the nation. After a half dozen emails and a half dozen phone calls, I finally got wind that the only way to get the information is to file a FOIA request.

How bad is it to file a FOIA request? Is there anything I need to watch out for so it’s done legally? Does it take a long time rendering the information useless by the time I get to it?