Hello BP community!

First and foremost, I'm loving this site and I'm ready to make my first deal as an investor. Those calculators.. wow! 

I found a deal that is very appealing in its numbers but there are not any pictures of the unit itself. What is your typical approach for this? In addition to driving by, I'm considering just asking about options for viewing the inside but if there are any ideas you have, I'm open to those, too. I'm in the southern California market if that info makes any difference :)

Thanks everybody!

James

@James Cargill - in my market it is common to not post pictures of tenant occupied units.  If the landlord did not take pictures when it was vacant it is a liability to post photos of the tenant's personal items online (big screen TV + address = theft possibilities)

Some of the best properties I have bought had no photos because other people passed on it.  Call your agent and have them schedule a showing

@Brie Schmidt You are amazing thank you! Simple answer clearly a newbie here hah appreciate your help!

No problem.  Go see it and good luck!

@James Cargill Welcome to Bigger Pockets.  I'm a real estate attorney, broker, and investor based in Irvine.  I'm also newer to the site.

Great job finding a potential property in Long Beach. Did you find it on the MLS or a third party site? Sometimes, photos can take some time to push over from the MLS to third party sites. Sometimes, the broker will not put up photos right away on the MLS (although there might be a requirement for one exterior photo within 2 days). As another person mentioned, sometimes, the landlord didn't take any photos while the property was vacant.

Yes, I would suggest Google Street View of the building and neighborhood and then driving by the property to determine if you're still interested. You can also walk the exterior of the building. However, I wouldn't talk with any of the tenants as landlords will often be angered if a potential purchaser mentions to a tenant that a property is for sale. Also, there is a way in the MLS to pull up past listings of the same property, which might contain photos of the property from the last time that it was listed on the MLS. In addition, you can try searching for rentals listings for the property on Craigslist or other rental sites to see if there are any photos for potential tenants.

Feel free to message me with any further questions or if you're looking to JV on the deal.

Hi @Bryan Zuetel ! Thank you so much for that feedback I didn't even think to use that tool. You're awesome! Even some old photos would be very helpful in my assessment. 

To answer your question, I used a 3rd party tool to find the property. The property hasn't been posted long (about 10 days). 

Thank you so much for taking the time to offer some alternative options for my analysis. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Warm regards,
James