Call the local police to ask about their involvement there, and if possible try to talk to the town council on a one on one basis.

I checked with the police department too, and there were squatters there, the city police hired a contractor to board up the property, all windows and doors and pulled the electric meter out.

Pull police reports, sex offenders lists, etc.Not every property will need all of these documents, and if you can, I would suggest more than the normal three comps most people recommend, as long as they are all on the low side.

I had a tenant in Florida who was wanted by the police and no surprise didn't mail the check that month.

I know it is Detroit and police will take forever and multiple calls to respond as they are over taxed.  

Without any evidence of who had caused the problem, only our tenant's word, we said it would be their responsibility to pay for the window damage unless they could provide for us a police report regarding the vandalism.

Yes, just add the security and police calls in that area to your due diligence list.Like I said originally, if it's been on the market for a long time, it's probably overpriced.And yes, occupied anything costs more than unoccupied, but that's not saying unoccupied doesn't consume assets, time, money and management.Sounds like you're on to it here...... good luck, let us know when you close the deal!

There are requirements federally under the SEC, the UCC, The Patriot Act, Money Laundering, Treasury Rulings, Federal Reserve, FDIC, HUD, Fair Credit Act, Consumer Federal Protection Act, Fair Housing Act, the Veterans Administration, The Small Business Administration, yes, even the Postal Service, many of which have police powers and their own investigators .

I am a former police officer of 18 yrs, currently in my 3rd Yr of Law School, worked as a Part-Time Realtor from August 2012 to October 2013 (my license is current but I'm not with a Broker at this time), and I am dedicated to Real Estate Investing during my last 1 1/2 of Law School and beyond as I plan to use Real Estate Investing as my main avenue of investing when practicing law.

Point is, as you've said, rights are rights, even if they're not developed, and unless they're squashed by a particular police power, they likely have value to someone.