Investor · Summerville, SC · Member since 2021 · 22 posts · 11 votes
I was using realtor.com to look at crime data, but they have stopped providing it (since no one wants that information while searching for houses *rolls eyes*). Where do you get crime data? Is there a site with an interactive map that is easy to use like realtor used to have?
Real Estate Agent · Member since 2018 · 53 posts · 24 votes
4y
@Bronson Simmons Realtor.com and Redfin removed this data from their site due to growing concerns that the practice of supplying such data could perpetuate racial inequity.
When I learned of this, I asked myself the same question. I thought about reaching out to the local police department public information officer. You may even get a better answer than Realtor.com and Redfin. Another thought would be the FBI. They collect data from police departments that are willing to share crime stats for their jurisdiction.
Investor · Richmond VA; Palm Springs, CA · Member since 2021 · 17 posts · 7 votes
4y
This doesn’t cover every jurisdiction, but it does cover a ton in a good visual with very specific information about the types of crimes reported: https://communitycrimemap.com/
@Deonte Brown is right about the reasons why. I think that information was also highly generalized on those platforms in a way that could make consumers overreact to the perceived incidence of crime. Which is why I like the specificity of the community crime map. Might make different decisions based on a series of car break-ins a year ago versus a consistent pattern of shootings in a specific neighborhood.
Rental Property Investor · Orlando, FL · Member since 2018 · 64 posts · 54 votes
4y
I used to use Trulia but recently searched for their crime map and couldn't find anything; I could just be looking in the wrong spot. LexisNexis at https://communitycrimemap.com/ is pretty good as well.
I don't look at crime data. Maybe, I am stupid, but I like to either already be familiar with the neighborhood, or I will drive around a neighborhood during the hot evenings and weekends to see if it looks like people come out of their homes like cockroaches during the evenings and weekends.
What is more important for myself is how fast polices respond when called. The following is not a joke. I live on the Los Angeles strip and when we call the police for even serious matter they don't come at all, or they will show up three days later like a plumbing company that is backlogged for several days.
A few months ago, about 10 homeless people moved into a vacant doctor's office next to my apartment building and they were bringing stolen cars onto the property and starting fires inside the building to keep warm. I called the police several times, spent no less than 45 minutes making phone calls each time and got only voice recordings telling me to leave a message. I could not get a live person on the phone and was thinking about driving about 6 to 8 miles to the police station.
I don't see where crime reports are important. You can buy a house in the same neighborhood with the filthy rich movie stars and still be the victim of a home invasion robbery. A few months ago, my daughter was playing soccer at a park in Palos Verdes California (fairly high-class community), someone broke into her car and stole her purse that was stuffed underneath the front seat. "So much for a neighborhood that probably has a low crime rate."
@Bronson Simmons take any crime stats with a grain of salt. There’s ways to manipulate the data to show more or less crime depending on the goal and reporting style of law enforcement in that jurisdiction. What can be a “burglary report” in one city could be a “non reportable” in another city.