Pulled the trigger . Electric is now on. Game on..

[clockwise5000]

But I'm a bit nervous for some reason. My next step, I believe, is to install this mailbox that I have in back of my little beat up Ford ranger.. I'm just trying to imagine any interaction with the 1 neighbor that could occur.. I think my plan is to tell him, once approached, and assuming he'll inquire, that I bought it at an auction.. that I made a decent amount of money with stocks (maybe GameStop stock, whatever) in 2020 perhaps and that I kinda blew through it and buying the place was like the last of what I had.. so gona be tight trying to start ckeaning up thr place (while still living where i do live).. id rather install mailbox on a weekday but I scheduled electric services on Wednesday, to be turned on on Friday (yesterday) and made sure to opt for paper billing of course.. so if something wasnt gettig delivered yesterday i bet today, or latest Monday, should have my first piece of mail. Also, need to change locks but should do that at night maybe? I been kinda scared to go at night.. was gonna do both mailbox and locks last night but went dumpster diving instead and now it's almost 7am and it's clearly daytime lol. Idk my head is fucking with me . I guess this can just be one update of more to come but also any bit of advice is appreciated, I usually have interactions mapped out pretty well in my head beforehand but this kind of interaction, with the neighbor that is, i cant quite fathomband don't know if he xould be hostile or like, say "no you didnt buy this at auction" or perhaps he goes and googles it and then returns,. Which is prolly why I should change the locks at night first before insttalling mailbox (and do that on Monday morning perhaps?)

Wil my mail get redirected to me if no mailbox is present..?


Cheers guys 🍺

 

[MichelleA66]

Had a friend in NOLA who affixed a mailbox to the power pole on the sidewalk in front of his squat. He received mail there without issue. Good luck 🤞🍀

 

[clockwise5000]

well i had quickrete, a shovel, and a bucket of water all ready to go to dig a hole, put the mailbox in and put the quickrete in.. i parked across the street under the bright lights of the car wash, next to a vacuum machine so that i was facing the house.. i had never thought too much of the neighbor who is next to the car wash.. but i stayed there for almost an hour before deciding to go park down the road, (which is all dark, a car will pass by every couple minutes about that time of night (2-3am)..
so i pulled over on the side of a dirt road nearest the squat, just half a mile away, and turned my lights off.. and i just sat there for a while.. once the noise of the engine was gone, following the absense of light from my vehicle/me, i felt like i was there to rob someone's house.. or at least, if anyone would've seen me (only one house at a time, they'd have assumed i was up to some shit...)
after I sat there on the side of the dirt road near the intersection of the more main road (hoping to be far enough back that a cop doesn't notice an abandoned vehicle..) i grew some balls and grabbed my shovel and began walking towards the house.. i think are only 4 houses before the squat... and as i went when i heard a car coming i'd set down the shovel until the car had passed, then walk back to pick it up , and continue on...
i did this because any cop driving by.. they might stop even if they don't see the shovel.. it's just not a populated area where people would be walking.. and well as i got closer to the squat and was about to be passing the last house, the one that is next to the car wash, i heard the door /screen door open, and someone step out.. as if i hadn't been awkward enough on the off chance that he had also seen me while i kinda just fiddled my thumbs at the car wsh... but i wasn't sure if he could see me? wen i heard the door i froze in my tacks... i could see his siloullette and stood still for maybe 30 seconds until a car 's headlights lit me up so i causually turned around and started walking back atheway i came.. im thinking doing it more boldy is better now lol

 

[MichelleA66]

Yes, just go in broad daylight and act like you belong there. Doubt anyone will question you

 

[clockwise5000]

So I've made decent progress I'd say.. Went back around 8/9am and backed into the drveway and got the mailbox in.. There's a car wash across the road and it feels a bit awkward, as they're facing the house when they pullin to the bays..


I found a couple bits of info recently too.. Looking up who to contact for water, i found tax information.. the owner who is listed, bought it in 2008 (recession..) has bought/sold one property in florida (so perhaps not real estate person..?) and lives 40 miles away... i also found that, in 2020, a video of the lot that the house sits on, i believe 2 acres, was showcased with a drone, somewhat offering itself to be used as a commercial /industrial zoned lot..
I also saw taxes due: $4, taxes due Oct. 2025 : $4
is that a glitch or what does that mean exactly? (Oct. 2025 just being a random date, it was a tax estimate calculator thing..)



Upon return visit i burnt up a weedwhip so i went nuts with a machete and started clearning a way to the house... first door is one that's been open for a couple yrs.. had F U spray painted inside, the glass is missing. I put a shed type lock on this seeing as I'll need to replace the door for a normal lock to be effective.., or board it up for now,

i cleared out the way to the front and a back /side door.. there's bars in place for the basement windows and is rather eery if you ask me. i saw thge sherriff pull into the car wash, i dont think he was washing his car, but i tried to not loook, i turned on the scanner and shit was popping off all over the county so, i'm sure even on a quiet day, unless he had the owners contact info at his disposal, he couldn't trespass me, I'd think... as it'd be my word against nobodies..

but the neighbor did pull in while i was there.. he seemed to have seen me and noticed.. i doubt they'd have contact with the owner but that's where i would have issues i'm sure if any.. i left pretty quickly that time, and have cleared a bit more since, but i was kinda scared to touch/change the door locks.. they're oooold ones, (house built in 40s,) but only cuz its kinda open there.. i thought to go in thru a back door but the side area kinda suprised me and has had visitors before, maybe longer term i have little idea.. there was fires there for sure, and some odd decor set up by that door.. a

I work today i think but ill try and stop and get some pictures here soon too, all i really gotta do is change the locks but i'm hesitatin, its like so many fears in one, haunted house, somebody inside, snakes/racoons, cops, some murder scene, falsely accused of murder after stumbling upon scene, ticks, etc. etc.. lol.

more to come. any advice always welcomed!

 

[MichelleA66]

Been following your story. I'm not sure who is more stressed about it- you or me? 😂 Looking forward to the pics.

 

[clockwise5000]

A couple quick questions if anyone knows the answer to before i give an update.. Excuse me in advanced if these questions have been answered, I'm sure they have, I've probably read them at some point years ago... But some pointers would be helpful.. I haven't had time for much I've been searching for work, I have my court hearing in 5 days reguarding my eviction from the place i've called home for over a year... buying a truck and having to do all that fun stuff associated, etc. etc..

-1) Anyways.. At what point, if it could be determined, does it go from tresspassing to a legal matter of dispute? I have the electric in my name, it says it's been "switched on" and that I've used $12 worth of electricity thus far, however I haven't gotten a single piece of mail (from anyone) yet. I assume after 1 month I'll get a bill, since i did opt in for paper billing.. Or do I need to change my address at the post office in order to recieve any mail there? I've been hesitating to do this in fear it'll mess up my unemployment...

-Similarly, should I change it, or change it at the SOS perhaps? or doesn't matter?

-And along with that question, I've put exterior locks (the type you put on your shed) on the two usable doors to the house. The front door remains boarded shut from the inside, and the only other door goes to the basement which doesn't connect to the main floor. Esentially, what's your guys' opinions in whether or not that consitutes as having "changed" the locks? Or like, am I no longer tresspassing when I'm there?

I was considering typing a lease agreement that states i'm allowed to stay and don't have to pay as long as i clean up the yard/house.. If i were to do this I'm not sure if I would include the owners name or a random name, to be the party that is leasing the house..

I took a load of some random stuff over there to try and legitimize my presence further.. I figured stuff like a calendar/planner with person notes, my dogs medication (leaving only a pill or two in an old bottle), and whatever else that is clearly mine would definitely help.. But I'm like terrified of raccoons so I haven't put anything besides a couple new doorknobs right inside the door, lol. I picked up a stove and a couple table saw stands one night to scrap and kind of regretably dumped them there, temporarily, but it's been days and all i did was cover them with grass best i could.. whatever i guess..

2) OK I'm rambling, second question, if I am granted the option to continue renting my lot where my trailer currently resides, and I catch up/pay my rent on time, I would assume that would mean that I will NOT have an eviction on my record? And likewise, if I am to get served a court ordered eviction at this house, would I get hit with the eviction on my record if I evacuate the premise timely?


I think that's all my questions for now.. Sorry for the repetiveness of em.. I think i can upload pictures right now, I"m about to go get a storage unit cuz I picked up a good bit of stuff (ddumpster divving the schools right now), but I gotta let my battery charge cuz it's seeming that my alternator is fucked. sooo yeah, pictures...

Edit: I took my voltage pen that is supposed to beep when it comes close to live lines, and it seems that there is no power getting to the hosue at all. I did notice at the breaker panel, when i went down into the basement with my friend, that the circuits (all?,don't reemebner) were cut but oddly a lott of wire still remains.. )

OH and property taxes! Says$3 are owed now, and when I put Oct. 2026 (the website gives u an option to see how much will be owed,) it said $3??? I put my question marks there than bits of understanding of what that means lol. If any one could tell me the implicaations of that? Explained for like a 5 yr old haha.

I don't think i had mentioned that, by searching that i found the owner who lives 40 miles away about in a wealthier town sorta.. saw she bought /sold real estate at least once in florida.. and saw that she bought it in 2008, (recession)., It was abandoned in 2016 (street view), neighbors have been the same since 2008 (they notice! ) Aaaaannd I also found a youtube videoshowcasing the house for sale with a drone, showing not the house but th property for use commercially. Video uploaded 2020. The house (land) has been listed twice i believe since then, last time only for a week in 2022..

I'm not sure what to take from all of it really except I don't have the hopes for long term possession.. If anything I can use for storage and depending on how my eviction proceedings go, buy me some more time... If I hadn't updated since my buddy and I edxplored it one night, it's a bit grosser and destroyed than i previously had hoped. the raccoons must piss on the roof which just deteriorates shit so fast.. cuz damn 2016 wasn't THAT long ago?? lol.. Or I am gettting old lol..

I have been considering looking for abandoned houses in the nearby cities.. I don't suppose there's harm in posting my location so - Lansing I would like to find something but I could also drive like an hour and try eiher flint or go into detroit and find something.. not sure if good idea or what..

One thing that's gonna kill me if i get evicted and lose my place is losing my 2 car garage will all the toolls i've accumulated lol. maybe the government will help me with housing after? but i know i won't have a place to work at will probablty be in an apartment with paper thin walls and i'm a night owl and sfgdfgjdgjh

Besides the neighbor driving by slowly and seemingly drive back on his property which seems to curve so that it's directly behind the house, there have been at least a couple cars that have drove rather incredibly slow, and i believe even turned around to drive by slowly a second time.. Maybe just curious folks. who knows. I don't know.

 

[clockwise5000]

phptos

 

[clockwise5000]

photos2