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What is the recommended way to contacting a Private Property Owner?

Frosty

New Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2019
Messages
17
When you figure out who owns the property, what method do you guys recommend using to contact them? A letter or phone call? I feel like a letter would be less intrusive.
 
A) phone calls, b) Door knocking c) emails and d) snail-mail letters are all nearly useless. :frustrated:

I mean .... think of it : What do YOU do when you get a phone solicitor ? You hang up, right ? And what do YOU do when you get spam email ? You hit the delete button, right ? And what do YOU do when you get a door-to-door solicitor ? You say "no thankyou" (or pretend you're not home, etc...). Right ?

Thus the best way, is always to "catch them on their front porch" so-to-speak. You tell them you're "doing research for an article you're writing for such & such local history topic, and you wonder about that stage stop said-to-be on their back-40 ...." blah blah.

"Catching them on their front porch" can take a lot of effort, I admit. I've "staked out" driveway entrances for hours and hours before, waiting to see someone coming home from work. In which case, I'll just "happen to be driving by", blah blah. Or you find out where they socialize, clubs or societies they attend, people they know, so you can "name drop" (ie.: "so & so suggested your place dated to such & such", etc...
 
Tom and JWP, hit it exactly right. Personal contact. Phone calls are nearly as useless, since many won't answer without know who it is.

Not to sound like a dick, but you really dont think a property owner would take the time to reply to an email, letter or return a phone call do you?
 
on private property owners personal face to face. I also have a business card to leave with them. just drive up during the mid morning or afternoon and knock on their door. If you get a firm no, then just forget it. Remember most good salesmen get hundreds of knows before they get another yes. No's are just part of the game.

but if they seem interested and most do if you tell them that due to your research you feel their might be some interesting relics on their property. Have your idea of sharing firmly in your mind. I tell them that I will show them all I find and anything over $200 we split and any unique relics related to their family they can keep, otherwise I keep all coins.

If you find multiple items like a hand full of civil war bullets then give them some. If you find a rather rare CSA belt buckle then split. Don't trick, fool or cheat them in any manner. One of my permissions led to a 6 acre next door permission where I found some unique relics.


commercial properties - phone call and explain what you would like to do. I have done this with two commercial properties. First one got in contact with the main guy that was responsible for developing the property. He said yes.

second one, the receptionist took my info. I was polite with her and told her everything and she pleaded my case to those who made the decision and got another yes.

If you are former military by all means mention it, that goes a long way.

also if retired or former police officer or firman then mention that, it makes you more trustworthy.
 
A) phone calls, b) Door knocking c) emails and d) snail-mail letters are all nearly useless. :frustrated:

I mean .... think of it : What do YOU do when you get a phone solicitor ? You hang up, right ? And what do YOU do when you get spam email ? You hit the delete button, right ? And what do YOU do when you get a door-to-door solicitor ? You say "no thankyou" (or pretend you're not home, etc...). Right ?

Thus the best way, is always to "catch them on their front porch" so-to-speak. You tell them you're "doing research for an article you're writing for such & such local history topic, and you wonder about that stage stop said-to-be on their back-40 ...." blah blah.

"Catching them on their front porch" can take a lot of effort, I admit. I've "staked out" driveway entrances for hours and hours before, waiting to see someone coming home from work. In which case, I'll just "happen to be driving by", blah blah. Or you find out where they socialize, clubs or societies they attend, people they know, so you can "name drop" (ie.: "so & so suggested your place dated to such & such", etc...
Staking out , stalking , surveillance, , etc. You got to be kidding , right ? As a homeowner that's when my paranoia kicks in. If I see someone doing that near my property , I'm thinking your casing it , home invasion , Peeping Tom , etc. No way. I would be looking for red lights behind me. Or a red dot on me !
 
If you called my house there would be no answer. My phone blocks all calls that are from numbers that I do not have in my address book. The only way you are going to get permission is to talk to the owner In person. You must sell yourself to him.
 
A) phone calls, b) Door knocking c) emails and d) snail-mail letters are all nearly useless. :frustrated:

I mean .... think of it : What do YOU do when you get a phone solicitor ? You hang up, right ? And what do YOU do when you get spam email ? You hit the delete button, right ? And what do YOU do when you get a door-to-door solicitor ? You say "no thankyou" (or pretend you're not home, etc...). Right ?

Thus the best way, is always to "catch them on their front porch" so-to-speak. You tell them you're "doing research for an article you're writing for such & such local history topic, and you wonder about that stage stop said-to-be on their back-40 ...." blah blah.

"Catching them on their front porch" can take a lot of effort, I admit. I've "staked out" driveway entrances for hours and hours before, waiting to see someone coming home from work. In which case, I'll just "happen to be driving by", blah blah. Or you find out where they socialize, clubs or societies they attend, people they know, so you can "name drop" (ie.: "so & so suggested your place dated to such & such", etc...

at the risk of sounding like a defeatist.this is 'almost" totally fuc*ed!..i agree with all the "don't dos" as you are correct.attempting to do what YOU say would make me so fuc*in' mad, and crazy, would never pick up a detector again! don't even "remotely" have time for this at all.must admit, have zero faith in trying to 'cold contact" people to detect their yards IN TODAY'S WORLD!..need to make sure MY time is way more productive than wasting it trying to get on other's people's properties who could care two !!!!! less about me! ..also,i have been at this for over 35 years, and did all the right things in the past to score yards!..!!!!*ing waste of time, and i ain't got much! ..just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
on private property owners personal face to face. I also have a business card to leave with them. just drive up during the mid morning or afternoon and knock on their door. If you get a firm no, then just forget it. Remember most good salesmen get hundreds of knows before they get another yes. No's are just part of the game.

but if they seem interested and most do if you tell them that due to your research you feel their might be some interesting relics on their property. Have your idea of sharing firmly in your mind. I tell them that I will show them all I find and anything over $200 we split and any unique relics related to their family they can keep, otherwise I keep all coins.

If you find multiple items like a hand full of civil war bullets then give them some. If you find a rather rare CSA belt buckle then split. Don't trick, fool or cheat them in any manner. One of my permissions led to a 6 acre next door permission where I found some unique relics.


commercial properties - phone call and explain what you would like to do. I have done this with two commercial properties. First one got in contact with the main guy that was responsible for developing the property. He said yes.

second one, the receptionist took my info. I was polite with her and told her everything and she pleaded my case to those who made the decision and got another yes.

If you are former military by all means mention it, that goes a long way.

also if retired or former police officer or firman then mention that, it makes you more trustworthy.

as you MUST know, they are "only part of the game" IF you have time to allow this, however you are correct in all that you state!..just make sure to mention that little fact..time is always of the essence no matter the technique,but personal contact is really the only way! .in addendum: i realize you are just trying to do the right thing, but to be honest, telling them all about the "terms" when you talk to them will end in them telling you to please leave the property, and have a nice day! that's it! been there ! done that! many, many times! ..just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
Staking out , stalking , surveillance, , etc. You got to be kidding , right ? As a homeowner that's when my paranoia kicks in. If I see someone doing that near my property , I'm thinking your casing it , home invasion , Peeping Tom , etc. No way. I would be looking for red lights behind me. Or a red dot on me !

my paranoia would kick in as well! would be ready with the "persuaders"
should a trespass be imminent! "smart money" says, don't push your luck!
i'm just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
If you called my house there would be no answer. My phone blocks all calls that are from numbers that I do not have in my address book. The only way you are going to get permission is to talk to the owner In person. You must sell yourself to him.

this is "dead nuts" correct! but i personally have found this to be a "gigantic"
pain in the ass,and a complete waste of time! as mentioned, have done it all over a 35 year span, and it's tougher now because of all the "!!!!" goin' down in our society. just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
PITA yes but my last permission yielded six silver dimes, one silver quarter and 37 wheat pennies along with a couple dollars in clad. So.
that makes all the NO's immaterial
 
as mentioned,''if you got the TIME!,i got the beer!"
gotta make the time ,ALL the time! wish i could DO that, just can't.
i lose!

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
I remember as a kid , nobody really locked there front doors at night. And once when we moved to a new neighborhood , a family about 8 houses down came over and introduced themselves. When I opened the door , a woman was there with a freshly baked chocolate cake ! We all became good friends.
Don't think this happens in today's society. Sad....
 
Staking out , stalking , surveillance, , etc. You got to be kidding , right ? As a homeowner that's when my paranoia kicks in. If I see someone doing that near my property , I'm thinking your casing it , home invasion , Peeping Tom , etc. No way. I would be looking for red lights behind me. Or a red dot on me !

my paranoia would kick in as well! ....



Huh ? You're portraying what I said, in a way of "stalking". No.... I didn't mean it like that. Because otherwise, you're right : If you're being a numb-nuts , parked by their mail-box with binoculars looking at them, then sure.

Obviously I meant down the road, mixed in with perhaps other parked vehicles, minding your own business, yet .... aware of when a car pulls into the driveway down-the-street type thing.

I did not in any way mean to portray that someone's aware that you're "spying on them", etc... But rather, that you're just walking your dog past there at the time they tend to come home, or at the time they were out mowing their yard, etc....
 
The fundamentals

In person tell them who you are, what you do, where you're from, and what you want..the conversation will either end right there or continue hopefully with success.

People, situations, personalities, and conditions are all different which makes each encounter unique. Therefore? it's a hit or miss roll of the dice for every hunter until the owner says one of 3 things.

Sic em Spike!!, Get the He** off my place, or here's the key to the gate.:D
 
When I’ve contacted the owner via door knocking, I sell myself successfully at least 4 out of 5 times, out of dozens of cold calls.
 
Huh ? You're portraying what I said, in a way of "stalking". No.... I didn't mean it like that. Because otherwise, you're right : If you're being a numb-nuts , parked by their mail-box with binoculars looking at them, then sure.

Obviously I meant down the road, mixed in with perhaps other parked vehicles, minding your own business, yet .... aware of when a car pulls into the driveway down-the-street type thing.

I did not in any way mean to portray that someone's aware that you're "spying on them", etc... But rather, that you're just walking your dog past there at the time they tend to come home, or at the time they were out mowing their yard, etc....

You said you've "staked out" a driveway for hours and hours waiting for someone to pull in. No matter what you want to call it , it's all the same. I don't like to sugar coat it or talk in semantics. That to me is NOT COOL and a waste of time. If that approach to getting a permission works for you : good. But myself and others have said on here : if you did that on my street , I would be on high alert.
Kinda hard to get out if this one Tom. But because I respect your experience and knowledge , I will cut you some slack ! We all make mistakes. Your welcome , The KOB.
 
Kinda hard to get out if this one Tom. But because I respect your experience and knowledge , I will cut you some slack ! We all make mistakes. Your welcome , The KOB.

Not to be offensive to you... but he's not making a mistake and does not need you to cut him any slack. There's a reason he is one of the best "permission getters" on the forum.( and maybe a few reasons we won't mention, lol)
 
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