Property Manager · Richmond, VA · Member since 2013 · 34 posts · 5 votes
Today while looking at a property in a questionable part of the city, I came across a house that had a security camera mounted to the top of the HVAC unit outside. In asking about it, the realtor said this was common in the area due to metal theft (copper pipes in same house had been cut out, etc).
I asked if they sell the units for scrap metal - and he said "No, the thieves sell them on CraigsList. Soon to be foreclosed upon home owners and disgruntled tenants sometimes sell them too, as part of their process of trashing the house".
Is this practice common everywhere? And the question that no one wants to ask out loud, can you actually get a good deal on a "used" HVAC unit off CraigsList?
Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
12y
Not just HVAC units, but you will see people selling their kitchen cabinets on CL before they get foreclosed. I know a guy who disassembled his garage and rebuilt it at his cottage. There are a lot of scum bags out there.
Specialist · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2013 · 639 posts · 176 votes
12y
In the immortal words of many judges passing sentence for receiving stolen goods; If there were no buyers, there'd be no stolen goods. That's the English law version, I'm sure there's the US version of this statement :).
Real Estate Investor · Madison Heights, MI · Member since 2014 · 693 posts · 216 votes
12y
As a HUD inspector in Detroit I see this all the time. The central air is first to go. Its on the outside and they don't need to break into the house.
On the inside I can always tell when the guys plan on selling it or scrapping it. I have noticed lately that they are disconnecting the water tank and furnace and not just ripping them out.
99% of our houses in Detroit are cleaned out of almost everything.
So yes this happens everywhere there is easy money