How to Research Local Crime Statistics for FREE Before you Purchase that Property

In this article

You find a perfect property to purchase. All the numbers are right. You have everything in place yet you have this sinking feeling that this might not be a great area to invest in. If only there was a way you could get the history of the crimes that have been committed in the area.

Well, the only way that you were able to find out this information in the past was to go to the local police department and ask for local crime stats. To this day I do not know of anyone who has ever gone to the police department to research the criminal activity in an area for a giving period of time. It’s just a hassle to go get this info.

I came across a couple of  websites sometime ago:

• CrimeMapping.com – (Read Our BiggerPockets Review of CrimeMapping)
• CrimeReports.com

They’re great websites that lets you see everything that has been going in a particular area within a certain time period. If you know how to use Google maps then you can use these sites and they’re free. Some individual departments have their crime reporting on their own websites like the LAPD but it’s nice to have all the info right at your fingertips in one location.

Find out what’s been going on in your block while you sleep or see what has been going on in your entire city.

Go on there and see if your city is reporting. If not you just have to wait and just lock your door, lol.

Good luck in all you do America. I welcome your comments.

Note From the Editor: You can also petition your local departments to participate on such sites for the benefit of the community . . . something to think about.

Photo: Sarah Baker

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