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such as pride of ownership within the neighborhood, the prevalence of buyers with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) funding versus investors, whether or not the servicer is targeting the property for an owner-occupant sale, and repaired/as-is premiums. Although the decision is complicated, the recent trend is to do more repairs than previously done in order to get more properties into the hands of owner-occupant purchasers. This trend is making vacant properties even more attractive targets for vandalism, but very few servicers have a risk management strategy for their repaired assets. Potential vandalism should also enter the pricing strategy. For example, when listing a manufactured home in move-in ready condition at the top end of the sold comparables in a rural area, take into consideration the risk of vandalism because it will probably be on the market for an extended period of time. and on the front lawn. This is not a strategy that will work for all servicers—and not all properties—but it's effective at keeping a property from being vandalized, especially when done in conjunction with an A/C cage. The best alarm systems, however, are neighbors. It is important to go meet the neighbors, leave them a business card, and let them know who you are, who they should expect to see going into the property, and when this should occur. If you are able to converse in the language prevalent among the residents of a non-English-speaking community, you will be more memorable to them and will be able to build rapport quickly within the neighborhood. This should be supplemented with suitable signs in the property windows printed in both English and the language common in the neighborhood, so neighbors who lost the business card—or city authorities with concerns about the condition of the house—are able to contact the broker. For each REO property, door hangers asking, "Would you like to help pick your new neighbor?" can be printed and left on the 10 homes across the street and five to the left and right of the property. Then, repeat the process of leaving door hangers at least once a month thereafter. It is a good way to demonstrate to the neighbors that they have a vested interest in helping keep the property in good condition while generating new buyer business for the listing broker. Who is a better proponent for the attractiveness of a neighborhood than the residents who currently live there? Eric Lichtenheld is president of Integra Group Real Estate, LLC, a brokerage firm specializing in the property management, preservation, and marketing of REO, HUD, and distressed properties to underserved demographics in Southern Arizona. The biggest issue today with vacant property vandalism is A/C theft. Next in line is copper pipe theft, followed by pilfering of appliances, and then removal of kitchen cabinetry and granite countertops. Preventing Money Pits Minimizing issues while the property is listed is even more important than during the prelisting phase because it becomes a more attractive target when it's put up for sale. In addition to the installation of GPS tracking stickers on newly purchased appliances and diligent weekly inspections, the single best way to reduce vandalism is to avoid Craigslist. Craigslist? This is a favorite tool for brokers to generate large quantities of buyer leads with no advertising costs, but many have seen a direct correlation between listing a property for sale on Craigslist and incidences of vandalism. Many brokers bristle at the suggestion of not listing their property for sale on Craigslist, but showcase listings of properties on Realtor.com, Trulia, and Zillow along with a paid subscription 50 to List Hub and other modern social media tools, will guarantee listings are syndicated to dozens of websites, so it should not be necessary to resort to Craigslist. Servicers can collect information and statistics from their listing brokers on where they are advertising properties. They can then use this data to create a tool or strategy with the potential to minimize exposure to possible vandalism. Another strategy recently implemented by investors who put nice, rehabbed properties on the market is the installation of portable alarm systems. These systems contain a base station that requires only an electrical connection, a wireless keypad, front door switch, motion sensors, and window switches. They can be configured piece-by-piece as individual parts are purchased (three motion sensors, two door switches, etc.), and all components are wireless and installed with double-sided tape. It takes less than 10 minutes to install and configure the system. The base station contains a cellular phone, which connects the configured system with the monitoring center. For less than $15 a month, a house can be very well protected from vandalism, especially when the multiple listing service (MLS) contains a note that the house has a fully functioning alarm system and signs are placed in windows