Sign of the times

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

You know things are bad in the SCV when you see creepy job ads like the one below:

Do you like to drive and are good with GPS and maps? We are hiring 1 field inspector in the Santa Clarita area. To be considered for this position you must live within these zip codes: 91321, 91351, or 91387. The name of our company is 24HR Corporation. In short, we need people to drive around in their vehicle and take photos of homes as well as drop off notes from the bank that services the mortgages on their homes. We act as the middleman between the homeowner and the bank.

Duties include:
-Take an average of 4-10 photos of the home and update the bank’s file via an online database.
– knock on some doors to see if the property is occupied and/or leave a note from the bank
- try to determine if the home is vacant or occupied by a homeowner/tenant.
– Check the property for damage or neglect that the bank would have interest in knowing

This is part time work that is paying $3 an inspection and currently has 520 inspections in that area a month.

The worst part of it is, I bet “24 Hour Corporation” will get a ton of applicants. There’s enough desperate people in the SCV (like the residents of those 520 homes) that someone will take this job, work for scraps for a middleman who, in turn, is getting paid by one of those criminal banks we bailed out not long ago.

How much do you want to bet that the founder of “24 Hour Corporation” used to sling mortgages or refis or even homes just a few years ago during the boom?

Craigslist ad

Comments (10)

Mr PerezAugust 10, 2011 at 10:37 pm

I take that bet and would like to investigate if the IP for 24 Hour is out of Nigeria.

Sterling KingAugust 10, 2011 at 10:44 pm

Are you sure the Boaz’s didn’t place the ad?

LindaAugust 11, 2011 at 7:11 am

Three dollars per inspection? I’m betting that wouldn’t pay for your gas! Sounds like a good career choice for someone who needs a place to live rent free!

LarMccAugust 11, 2011 at 7:44 am

$1500 a month to drive to 500 homes? I think you would be better off working at Walmart.

CCAugust 11, 2011 at 8:16 am

It’s a job isn’t it? But we are all still just too good to work.

LindaAugust 11, 2011 at 9:35 am

Five hundred inspections in 30 days would work out to 16.66 “inspections” per day for less than $50 per day. How much would you spend in gas? And how many hours would it take you? And that doesn’t take into account the wear and tear on your car or the risk you take of running into angry homeowners or dangerous squatters. I’d take the Walmart job. Interesting that those zip codes are just for Canyon Country and Newhall.

Jim FarleyAugust 11, 2011 at 10:09 am

Wow – we posted such similar comments at the same time. Must be some kind of cosmic-vulcan mind-meld.

Jim FarleyAugust 11, 2011 at 9:33 am

A little math. If you can do four of these per hour you would be earning $12 per hour less your car expense. At that rate (which might be generous) it would require the equivalent of 3 full time work weeks to get to all 520 houses. It might still be worth it to someone for some extra income who has an inexpensive car and can move efficiently. One other huge consideration however. This is not a low risk job. Obviously these homes are either in or are close to foreclosure. Or maybe they are being occupied by a squatter. What will the state of mind of the tenant be when a “bank representative” shows up?

CCAugust 11, 2011 at 12:42 pm

The bigger question really should be; Why is Lancaster getting a Laemmie theater before us? Are we really going to continue to be limited to REGAL? ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHG

Lori RivasAugust 12, 2011 at 8:21 am

Really? Lancaster is getting a Lemmlae? Shoot. Is anyone familiar with the jazz-fusion group, Tizer, playing at Central Park tomorrow?

Mr PerezAugust 10, 2011 at 10:37 pm
I take that bet and would like to investigate if the IP for 24 Hour is out of Nigeria.
Sterling KingAugust 10, 2011 at 10:44 pm
Are you sure the Boaz’s didn’t place the ad?
LindaAugust 11, 2011 at 7:11 am
Three dollars per inspection? I’m betting that wouldn’t pay for your gas! Sounds like a good career choice for someone who needs a place to live rent free!
LarMccAugust 11, 2011 at 7:44 am
$1500 a month to drive to 500 homes? I think you would be better off working at Walmart.
CCAugust 11, 2011 at 8:16 am
It’s a job isn’t it? But we are all still just too good to work.
LindaAugust 11, 2011 at 9:35 am
Five hundred inspections in 30 days would work out to 16.66 “inspections” per day for less than $50 per day. How much would you spend in gas? And how many hours would it take you? And that doesn’t take into account the wear and tear on your car or the risk you take of running into angry homeowners or dangerous squatters. I’d take the Walmart job. Interesting that those zip codes are just for Canyon Country and Newhall.
Jim FarleyAugust 11, 2011 at 10:09 am
Wow – we posted such similar comments at the same time. Must be some kind of cosmic-vulcan mind-meld.
Jim FarleyAugust 11, 2011 at 9:33 am
A little math. If you can do four of these per hour you would be earning $12 per hour less your car expense. At that rate (which might be generous) it would require the equivalent of 3 full time work weeks to get to all 520 houses. It might still be worth it to someone for some extra income who has an inexpensive car and can move efficiently. One other huge consideration however. This is not a low risk job. Obviously these homes are either in or are close to foreclosure. Or maybe they are being occupied by a squatter. What will the state of mind of the tenant be when a “bank representative” shows up?
CCAugust 11, 2011 at 12:42 pm
The bigger question really should be; Why is Lancaster getting a Laemmie theater before us? Are we really going to continue to be limited to REGAL? ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHG
Lori RivasAugust 12, 2011 at 8:21 am
Really? Lancaster is getting a Lemmlae? Shoot. Is anyone familiar with the jazz-fusion group, Tizer, playing at Central Park tomorrow?