This Article Could Save Your Life!

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Working for the Agency made me ultra-paranoid. Almost nobody knows where I live. Except my closest friends. My dad and brother don’t even know where I live and every time they need to mail me something they send it to my P.O. Box just like everyone else.

I have a ton of “dummy addresses” set up so even if you wanted to find me it would require one heck of an effort. So why do I do all this?

Well… today CBS news reported a story about a 43-old-man who was murdered after he put an ad on Craigslist to sell a diamond ring his wife owned. People came to his house, stole the ring, and he was murdered trying to protect his family. A horrible, horrible tragedy.

What does this have to do with you as a real estate investor?

Think about how many people you deal with as part of your business. Think of those crazy people who call you and are all ticked off, simply because you sent them a postcard. Do you want them to know where you live?

Think about your tenants. What if a tenant goes berserk because you have to evict them because of non-payment of rent? Do you want them coming to your house and harming you because they’re upset you’re throwing their deadbeat butt on the street?

Let’s not forget about Realtors you work with, or handymen, or business partners or the various vendors you use in your business.

At any moment these relationships could go bad. Of course, 99% of people are sane and law abiding citizens, but you never want to take the chance that you’ll come across the 1% and they’ll know where you live.

If you haven’t done it yet, I would get a UPS box or a P.O. Box ASAP. (I have both.)

And stop telling every Tom, Dick and Harry where you live. Plus, don’t have anything at all delivered to your house. All packages should go to your P.O. Box.

Sure, some people will roll their eyes at this, but tell this to any family who’s been harmed by a “fake” delivery person, or an angry employee or crazy tenant.

It happens. Make sure and protect yourself.

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.