Yeah, I don’t like anyone coming to the house and I’m not going to the hood. Lots of nice public places to meet.
It’s not always possible to meet in a public place. One time I went into what looked like a drug den that had several dazed looking men. Turns out it was a county run rehab house. Another time it was a seedy Tenderloin hotel in SF that had down and out residents. You never know who the seller will be and what their circumstances are. They are just as worried about who you are as a buyer. I try to talk as much as possible on the phone before meeting, so we can be comfortable about a transaction.