Huge issue with neighbor's kids selling drugs

Huge issue with neighbor's kids selling drugs

Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes

Bought an investment property in a mixed neighborhood. One of those that one block is very nice and the next street over is so so.

The house has been vacant for a while and now I am taking over and need to do some rehab. For this reason I am not there on nights and only there a couple of times a week.

I noticed on my driveway cig butts, sometimes broken glass bottles.

In talking to a neighbor he told me people are hanging out on my driveway because they know the property is vacant. They are drinking, making loud noises, sometimes 1 or 2 cars parked there sometimes 3. There were occasionally other cars driving by he thinks they are selling drugs.

He also think the guys (16-18 year olds) are "friends" of a guy across the street. That couple have two sons 16 and 18 year old. One of them been arrested a few times, last year had broken into a few homes on the same street. One time tried to sell drugs on his own lot and his mom called the cops on him and later kicked him out of the house, nevertheless he comes back once in a while and his younger brother is on the same path.

Now they see my property being unattended and started to hang there.

Should I call the cops on them? My neighbor says to do so but to call from a public phone as "anonymous" because they might find out who called in and seek revenge.

Any idea how to deal with this situation?

0Reply
49 views

10 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Rehabber · Alexandria, VA · Member since 2011 · 446 posts · 171 votes
    13y

    Set up some motion sensored floodlights that illuminate the driveway. This might deter them from dealing drugs at night.

    You can also call the cops and let them know what type of activity you are witnessing and that you would like increased patrol in that area. If you are worried about them tracking you then just call in anonymously. If you want to go another step then by all means use a pay phone... Maybe recruit the neighbors to put in similar calls. If the police receive the same tip then they are more likely to act, IMO.

    Other than the cigarette butts and the broken glass, how else is their activity affecting you? Although I wouldn't like that type of activity going on in my properties neither, answering this question might help put things into perspective.

  • Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes
    13y

    It affects the neighborhood because it's drawing "BAD" traffic.

    Once it sticks it may never go away.

  • Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes
    13y

    Will a lawn sign saying "PLEASE DO NOT DEAL DRUGS ON MY PROPERTY" be advisable?

  • Investor · NW Indiana · Member since 2012 · 833 posts · 197 votes
    13y

    I like Glenn's advice. Especially if there is a chance of them breaking in since it sounds as if he has done this in the past.

  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    13y

    Sam Leon If there's any way you can get someone to go stay at the house, that might help you. Also, the suggestion of having lights might help. Have you considered getting a watch dog?

    Another tact you might take, see if you can hire the kids that seem to be a problem to 'watch' your property, or work with you to clean up and work on the place!

  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    13y

    Sam did you go there at night before buying to see what was going on in the area. During the day things can look OKAY but at night the RATS come out to play.

    Did you look up the crime report for trends of violent versus non-violent crimes and how concentrated it is relative to where the property you were going to by was located??

    Are you rehabbing this to sell or hold as a rental??

    If you are holding as a rental you want to get a good tenant in there even if it takes a reduced rate for the first few months. If you don't and they break in and start gutting you can have thousands in damage.

    If you are rehabbing and have someone doing the work pay them extra to stay at the place for awhile.

    If you do nothing the kids inch closer and then butts and glass you start seeing. Then they start getting closer to doors and windows and touching them and jiggling things. Then one of them gets brave and busts the glass and then the real damage starts to happen.

    Maybe if you are vigilant and catch them with the drugs they will get arrested and might be on probation and then they get put in jail for awhile. I really stay out of these areas and do not do them anymore.

  • Real Estate Investor · Hampton, VA · Member since 2012 · 562 posts · 109 votes
    13y

    I agree the flood/sensor light around the property, also post No tresspassing signs and maybe a dog in the property. You may want to make your presence known by riding by at various hours of the day/week just to check on the property ( a quick, stop in at the property) , vary/extend the hours that you are there doing the rehab, make your presence known as the new owner of the property. Hiring a few of the locals to do some yard work or labor type work sometimes they will look out for you and keep an eye on the property..of course report any/all of your findings to the local authorities. Also you may want to give a few of your neighbors your contact number..a few of the above have worked for me

  • Real Estate Consultant · Bloomfield, NJ · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    13y

    Organize a homeowners/property owners association. Once organized approach the kids and let them know that the drug dealing and hanging out stops NOW. Then set up the lights, cameras and communicate with the police.

  • Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    13y

    My friend bought a motion sensor light/camera at Sam's Club for $130. I haven't seen them there lately, but you might find one elsewhere. When it detects motion, it lights up and starts recording to an SD card. You can then watch the recording on your computer.

    Also, Florida is gun friendly. If I were you, I would get trained and licensed and start carrying. Dealing with dirtbags can be dangerous.

  • Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    13y

    We had a similar problem with thefts & vandalism etc as we worked on a rehab. (This was my wife's idea)

    I walked over to the 17 yr old kid who was known to be the local 'hood rat' running the gang of kids & offered him $200 a month to keep the place clean & under surveillance. No-one on the property @ night & no-one there during the days except my guys. Any trash on the lawns etc & he takes care of it.
    He accepted & it was like night & day, I also had him do some landscaping for extra cash. (I never did trust him though.)

    A couple of years later I was viewing the same property as it was for sale again & the kids driveway was full of MP's in hummers.
    Later I was talking to his Dad & found out the kid went AWOL after boot camp, & after a stint in the brig they shipped his butt to the front in Iraq.

    I have since done this a couple of times where we have a vacant property & there is a neighbor or a kid that they all fear. Our biggest problem is kids breaking in & getting injured.

    good luck

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.