POLL: Abandoned Houses

[hvacker]

New to the site. Old houses test my curiosity beyond my ability to resist. Lately where I live houses are fenced off and posted. My thinking if a property isn't posted I might check it out. A guy I know drives a white PU, wears a hard hat and a safety vest. So far he says the cops just wave. I've also considered a magnetic sign with something like Historical Photography which isn't far from the truth as I do photograph old sites. I know the problem with permission is some fear something will happen and they will be liable. We live in a constant fear of being sued. With that in mind I still imagine a guy. 100 years ago that didn't trust banks and buried those Double Eagles by that tree. I'm not out to give treasure hunters a bad name but it seems, given enough time, everything will be posted.

 

[Dihren]

okay thanks Tnguns. Im only 14 so not sure if that will work, but one day

 

[milehigh]

Would scare the Sheets out of me.................imagine as your driving away you see the old man in your rear view mirror watching you leave.....waving at you.

 

[Dihren]

Would scare the Sheets out of me.................imagine as your driving away you see the old man in your rear view mirror watching you leave.....waving at you.

HAha agreed milehigh! I would definitely like to go with a partner!!

 

[Catobra]

Owners can be found with a quick trip to the Property assessors office in the county. Usually will give me a phone number as well. I have not been kind about tresspassers on my properties which I kept well posted.....would expect no less from another land owner. Sold the farm here while back but usually gave permission to fish pond etc. when ask. No huniting as my family hunts and put time and money in it for us. Love the old homes and more often than not can obtain permission by asking.

I need to do this-there are a few houses I know of that I am dying to explore/photograph, but have "NO TRESPASSING" signs or gates, but I need to do it soon, 'cause I am betting that they won't be around for much longer. Mr. Builder and his McMansions are going up at an amazing rate near where I live.....sucks.

On a brighter note, I know of a location where there was a house that was torn down many years ago (a huge proper Victorian with lots of ground surrounding it) and I went there recently just to see what it's like now and there are NO SIGNS, NO FENCES, just a driveway and a jungle : ) Oh, won't I be having some fun come late Nov/Dec! : )

Love reading the stories-thanks for the thread Dihren!

 

[AC1955]

Since my husband and I started MDing in April, every time we are out for a drive I am constantly looking at places and assessing them for treasure hunting. Up here in New England we have lots of old houses and abandoned properties. Haven't gone to assessor's office yet to find out who owns some of them, but if and when we get permission to hunt them, watch out! I know of one or two abandoned houses/barns that I am just itching to get into.

Dihren, great idea for thread. Just want to tell you one thing - don't rush growing up! Stay a kid as long as you can. You are an adult for way, way too many years. Wish I could go back to some of my childhood years! With adulthood, comes major responsibilities. Enjoy the freedom you have now. I've said my piece and will leave you alone now! LOL

HH,
Anita

 

[spartacus53]

I need to do this-there are a few houses I know of that I am dying to explore/photograph, but have "NO TRESPASSING" signs or gates, but I need to do it soon, 'cause I am betting that they won't be around for much longer.

Say no more Just send me the address and all signs, gates, fences will vanish overnight. It's that easy

I see abandoned property, it becomes mine. Heck, I've even held open houses in some of these places

 

[Catobra]

If I thought you were serious I'd be mad, so just let me keep my rose colored glasses on : )

Oh boy! I love open houses! : )

 

[deepskyal]

It depends on one's definition of abandonded. Abandonded in my term of definition is left to go to pot without care for it.

I see places in the woods all the time with no signs and fences, obviously left to go with whatever nature decides is best for it. These places are truely abandonded and I could care less who owns it.
There are also houses around me in town that the owners care less about the zoning officers repeatedy sent citations for violations that go unpaid...just like the taxes. These properties are a blight to the community and drive down property value. Eventually they end up on the list of places to be demo'ed.
I could care less about these owners simply because they have no care about their neighbors or neighborhood. I mow the lots of two houses right next to me because they aren't even motivated enough to cut their own grass and I refuse to live in a jungle. And of course....I've detected both properties. If they don't care about the condition of their place, they surely aren't going to care if someone mows it and detects it.

I know the zoning officer and the borough engineers and they admit they could care less what people do with abandonded property around here. Squatters rights mght not be technically legal but I could fence the lot next to me and no one in the area would say boo about it. They'd be just as happy that someone is finally taking care of it.

Now if a house is tagged no trespassing or is fenced...definately off limits without permission. Somebody still has an interest in it, reguardless of what it looks like.

Al



Al

 

[Catobra]

I agree to a point, deepskyal...in the middle of nowhere, no signs, no fences-it's pretty much a free-for-all. But in a town-type location with other houses fairly close on either side, even with no fences or signs, I couldn't explore it. I'd feel too weird, like I wasn't waiting until the body was cold, especially with all the foreclosures going on.

Since I am more into exploring/surface hunting or taking photographs when I visit these abandoned areas, I prefer out-of-the-way locations anyway.

 

[the bone]

Would scare the Sheets out of me.................imagine as your driving away you see the old man in your rear view mirror watching you leave.....waving at you.

Man gives me shivers just thinking about it! I reminded my wife about it and her reaction was the same as mine one of those full body shivers from your head to yoour toes that you get when remembering something awful! the idea of seing that face in my rearview mirror is just horrifying! The worst thing is everytime i put my face up to a window at abandoned homesites or the like i get a flash of that ghostly image in my mind! But i still swear that guy had to be real he just looked too... I dont know solid?! i guess i honestly would prefer it if he wasn't a ghost!

 

[TreasureWriter]

Prolog of my new book

As I look out over the landscape I dream of treasure.
To have and to hold, secret things from secret places…

How often do you drive by weathered, deserted buildings, house foundations, or old barns? Do you dream of having the chance to roam, poke and snoop around these old places? There are many locations like this and even whole towns that are forgotten, decaying and falling into ruin. Locations like these just beg for your attention, beckoning, yet holding fast to their secrets.

Nothing has the allure of Lost Treasure. There is always more treasure to be found, and that truth is what drives people on epic quests that can last years searching for riches lost for centuries. Whether it be looking for loot left by pirates, attempting to decipher the complex, coded map made by Thomas Beale, which promises to lead the way to a cache hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains, searching for the remains of Spanish galleons or rediscovering a lost silver mine or post hole cache.

There's nothing quite like the thrill of discovery; although for many, the search itself offers enough rewards of its own to keep them looking for buried treasure.

To answer the question.....more so when I was young I would poke around these places with the other guys. As a kid you don't really think of the consequences of your actions; so we ran through the storm sewers with torches like Indiana Jones; climbed into the underground telecommunications substations, explored old missile sites, went into old mines etc....These things do have their attraction there is no denying that.

Cheers,
Treasure Writer

 

[Silverfinder99]

I love the old houses too and the other day I got permission to detect one that looks like its been abandoned at least fifty years I'm betting probably closer to seventy five. I only detected about ten minutes and I just had to go. Not because I had somewhere else to be but because I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched from one of the broken windows upstairs and this place is literally in the middle of no where. It's hard to focus on hunting when the hair on the back of your neck is standing up. I won't be going back there alone, call me chicken if you want, I don't care.

 

[Dihren]

I love the old houses too and the other day I got permission to detect one that looks like its been abandoned at least fifty years I'm betting probably closer to seventy five. I only detected about ten minutes and I just had to go. Not because I had somewhere else to be but because I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched from one of the broken windows upstairs and this place is literally in the middle of no where. It's hard to focus on hunting when the hair on the back of your neck is standing up. I won't be going back there alone, call me chicken if you want, I don't care.

I totally agree with you! It's one thing if that house is near other houses and people that you know and they can you hear you if you need help, but not if you are all alone. I recently detected some property behind and old cemetery and was constantly looking over my shoulder. An abandoned house would be even worse!

 

[Dihren]

Prolog of my new book

As I look out over the landscape I dream of treasure.
To have and to hold, secret things from secret places…

How often do you drive by weathered, deserted buildings, house foundations, or old barns? Do you dream of having the chance to roam, poke and snoop around these old places? There are many locations like this and even whole towns that are forgotten, decaying and falling into ruin. Locations like these just beg for your attention, beckoning, yet holding fast to their secrets.

Nothing has the allure of Lost Treasure. There is always more treasure to be found, and that truth is what drives people on epic quests that can last years searching for riches lost for centuries. Whether it be looking for loot left by pirates, attempting to decipher the complex, coded map made by Thomas Beale, which promises to lead the way to a cache hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains, searching for the remains of Spanish galleons or rediscovering a lost silver mine or post hole cache.

There's nothing quite like the thrill of discovery; although for many, the search itself offers enough rewards of its own to keep them looking for buried treasure.

To answer the question.....more so when I was young I would poke around these places with the other guys. As a kid you don't really think of the consequences of your actions; so we ran through the storm sewers with torches like Indiana Jones; climbed into the underground telecommunications substations, explored old missile sites, went into old mines etc....These things do have their attraction there is no denying that.

Cheers,
Treasure Writer

Love your writing!!

 

[Dihren]

Since my husband and I started MDing in April, every time we are out for a drive I am constantly looking at places and assessing them for treasure hunting. Up here in New England we have lots of old houses and abandoned properties. Haven't gone to assessor's office yet to find out who owns some of them, but if and when we get permission to hunt them, watch out! I know of one or two abandoned houses/barns that I am just itching to get into.

Dihren, great idea for thread. Just want to tell you one thing - don't rush growing up! Stay a kid as long as you can. You are an adult for way, way too many years. Wish I could go back to some of my childhood years! With adulthood, comes major responsibilities. Enjoy the freedom you have now. I've said my piece and will leave you alone now! LOL

HH,
Anita

Thanks! I definitely do appreciate and use the time I have now. I just hope that I will be able to stay with all these treasure hunting pastimes, like everyone else on here whom I admire!

 

[TENNESSEEGAL]

I found a house that the roof caved in on but I could still access the backdoor. I walked in and the first room was the kitchen. There were still food in the circa 1940 fridge and there was a stack of old magazines..probably 100-200 total. I grabbed a few and they were all old Saturday Evening Post, Look, Life from the 30's and 40's. I also found a huge stack of old (teens through 30's) birthday,Easter, and Christmas cards. The house is still sitting there in the middle of the woods getting worse every year. I might go see if I can find some more stuff.

Old greeting cards can be very collectable.