Hello,

I had a tenant call and offer to drop by my residence. And I asked where they got my address and said from an internet search.

We have a P.O. Box so that we have privacy from our tenants, but it doesn’t seem to be happening since there are so many search sites on the web that give out personal information.

Also, one site I checked brings up our net worth! (based on county records I assume). I have concerns that this could make us a target for law suits.

How do handle this privacy issue?

1. Privacy from tenants

2. Privacy of financial net worth

Cool. What was the net worth website? It would be interesting to check and see how close it gets.

In my town of 3,000, it's impossible to stay anonymous. I can see five of my rentals from the lot where I live.

Come on, there is no privacy these days. You can search property transactions, addresses, phones, relatives and licenses you might have. Google earth can see your back yard. When you pay your property taxes and how much is available online.

The big thing I do to maintain privacy, is not have a social media account. I email (and I am sure they are read by the NSA) to those that I want to tell what is going on. I don't sign up for surveys, I don't give my real birthday for all those sites that require a profile so you can get coupons. I have a disposable email for all my junk mail. When I get tired of all the stuff I get, I just move on to another one. Very little is on my phone, I dread when I have to have a new vehicle and they upload all sorts of data from my vehicle. (trying to get husband to disconnect onstar, they still monitor even if you don't subscribe. I have no smart thermostat, Alexa or whatever listens to you. I browse with duckduckgo to try to keep some privacy.

In the end, more is out there, than I want, but I don't get too upset about it. I am pretty good at finding out things about other people on the internet, so I guess they can find a few things about me.

Thank you both,

The website I found showing net worth is “Instant Checkmate”.

After pulling up the name it moves you through several pages and then lists the net worth,

After several more pages, the site finally offers different levels of reports for a fee.

It is a bit disconcerting that anyone can see what your asset value is in one quick search. I suggest doing a search on yourself and see how you feel when that number comes up.

Here in my town, Los Angeles California, as a landlord you must provide a Brick and Mortar address to your tenants so they have a place to pay rent or serve a notice.

Next questions, how do you hide your net worth or address. To many landlords provide too much information when they obtain a mortgage. The lenders claim Government insured loans require disclosure of your real estate holdings. Even if a property if free and clear with no loan, lenders want a full disclosure. Then any good private detective can obtain your loan application with real estate holdings.

So what I do is the following:

I have my Family Trust. I have my LLC's. I have my

properties held in ficticious names, such as the 1234 East Sunshire Street Property. I have partnership properties with my name on title last, so it says Joe Smith et all.

There's many ways to be found and many things one can do to make it more difficult. If you come to a convention, find me and let me know your llc name and I can probably tell you where the leak is, as far as your anonymity...

Did you ever own the home in your own name?

Did the tax bill for that house ever get mailed to your home address? If you've ever had financing on the home, it's incredibly likely they put your home address on the deed or other recorded docs. If held in a LLC, where's the mailing address for it? Are you listed as an organizer of the llc? Has your home ever been the mailing address for the LLC?

I could go on for a long time on the potential ways.

Here's how the police violated the law:

The utilized the states drivers license database to find the home address of my attorney, who also vigorously protects her anonymity - even though they had her work address where they could've served her from 9-5M-F. Instead, they served her on a Sunday. Total abuse and misuse of the information - and guess what - ZERO CONSEQUENCES FOR THEM.

Good luck!

Thank you all so much.

I don’t understand why there aren’t stronger privacy laws concerning real estate ownership. If you own stocks or bank accounts, those asset values aren’t disclosed, but real estate is public. What?!?

You could always go to the local government to find out who owns a house by checking the tax records or deed transfers. The tax records have to be public, it is one way to contest your assessment, buy comparing your property to the same type one down the street. All of this can (and was) available as freedom of information. NOW, it is all on the computer, for the ease of the government and even the citizen to look up. This allows all the data to be analyzed easily by computer, and sites can then show it.

Stop giving out your last name and operate as a business. Any checks and correspondence should be addressed to the business. Set up a PO box in a different town.

First, privacy is a concern or a problem, not an issue.

Sandy,

This is high on my list and I go thru steps to stay private for safety reasons.

My offering is to constantly check and re-check. The county auditor thought she was doing me a favor by posting my home address on all (public) property records...even tho they were deeded to trusts, LLCs, etc.

Watch for "casual" registrations such as church directory, sports rosters, Meetup groups, clubs, Scouts, driver's license, and business such as loan apps, bank accounts, insurance mailing address, credit cards...

All online deliveries go to The UPS Store address because I've seen those deliveries cross referenced.

My city just started LL registrations with the promise to keep them secure but 5 people including interns handle each form at 3 different offices. We list our UPS Store mailbox (qualifies here as a brick and mortar address) and our Google voice phone number.

In Indiana property records cannot show your phone or email because they are too "private" but they happily show your home address for the bad people to see.

I may not win the entire battle but I DO have walls set up.

BRAD