Once I discovered from a friendly corner conversation that the neighborhood was built during the post-WWII metal shortage and all the sewer pipes were made from clay.

I have worked in this industry for 50 years now.. and met all sorts of folks from beginners to the Very wealthy.. what I see many times is when the kids do inherit most of them have no interest in owning the rentals or whatever property they are getting as most of the time there is massive equity. 

They can show you how to use a metal detector. 

Assuming we are talking about one of the metal, covered fire pits that keeps the big embers inside or is this an uncovered hole in the ground, aka a house burner? 

You can encapsulate the paint and isolate with metal winterizing copper.