And that alone determines if it's worth the price or not? Are you telling me that if the price was average for the neighborhood but the backyard sucked, you wouldn't care to have a peak inside? Backyards are a ridiculous way to judge a house as it takes only a couple of weekends and minimal expense to entirely re-landscape a backyard by yourself. The size of the backyard? Come on. If that or any similar reason the sole reason why you don't take a 10 minute tour of a house, then you're never going to find one.
Maybe I just look at things differently, but I don't live in the backyard, I live in the house... and if the OP sounds like the incredible investor he is trying to sound like, any house with a decent price deserves a look inside. If you wanna pass on what could be a potential gold mine inside over the back yard, I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money and what you can and can't buy, but I can surely think that you're rushing to a decision any serious buyer shouldn't make, whether it's for better or for worse.
ViviTheMage
Lifer
waggy
No Lifer
- Dec 14, 2000
- 68,143
- 10
- 81
when we were looking for a house teh size of the backyard was important to us.
we spend a lot of time outside. i also have 2 kids (one at the time) and wanted a large area for them to play.
if the back yard was to small we didn't look at the inside of the place.
ATOT's opinion is that all cops are perfect and clearly you were in the wrong and should have been arrested, and also that that filthy pig was harassing you and you should get him fired and hopefully jailed.
My opinion is that you were in the right, but his initial suspicion is understandable. As a fellow motorcyclist I advise you to go back with a car and observe how suddenly you have no issues with looking for houses for sale. You SHOULD go down to the police station and explain things, though there's no need to name names or badge numbers. Act curious/concerned..."I was checking out houses for sale, and one of your officers stopped me and told me that he was going to arrest me if I didn't get a real estate agent. Is this really the law?"
Oh so they work for free then?
Sort of like the roads are free, police protection is free, and welfare is free?
Don't kid yourself. That money's coming from somewhere, and if the buyer plays it right he can split the commission that would otherwise have gone to an agent. If he buys a "for sale by owner" home, even better.
you should have punched him in the face, and then reported back to us with what happened afterwards. note: you dont really have to do it, just make something up and make sure its entertaining.
runzwithsizorz
Diamond Member
- Jan 24, 2002
- 3,497
- 14
- 76
On a lighter, and brighter side, sounds like a good neighborhood, where people look out for each other, unlike my old neighborhood, where my car was stripped, in my driveway, in broad daylight.
The property owners usually don't have an issue with people trespassing, they have a sign in the yard soliciting your interest. The people who call the police are the nosy neighbors who don't like their routine interrupted by strangers walking around.
I walk around my neighborhood and check out vacant houses with real estate signs all the time. I mostly want to see what people have done to homes similar to mine.
I walk around my neighborhood and check out vacant houses with real estate signs all the time. I mostly want to see what people have done to homes similar to mine.
That cop (like all cops) was a dumb fsck. You most definately do NOT need an agent.
Dave
<-- Works in the mortgage industry
Dave
<-- Works in the mortgage industry
OK, so we should contact a mortgage broker about looking at a house. I kid. It is silly to suggest working in Mortgage industry make you more knowledgeable about issues of trespass than a cop. I'm not saying the cops are the best here for such info, but far more likely to know the law in this matter than someone that works in the mortgage industry. Now if you said you work for a realtor, that would be another story. It is true that one does not need an agent, but they do need permission to enter private property, which a for sale sign in the yard does not provide, unless, and only unless, that sign reads "Open House." But you still should always go to the front door first.
Whoozyerdaddy
Lifer
- Jun 27, 2005
- 19,216
- 1
- 61
The money comes from the seller. As a buyer, you don't pay.
This is a fairly Pollyanna argument. If the listing agreement says 6% then the seller is more than likely going to pay that 6% to the agent regardless of whether there's another agent involved or not. I could probably count the number of times I've seen a realtor (broker really) reduce their commission because they weren't dealing with another realtor on one hand. There are some flexible commission agents out there where they specifically state that if they are the only agent in the transaction they will take a reduced commission... that happens. But this idea that as a buyer, independent of a realtor, you can just walk in and demand a 3% price reduction... I wouldn't bet on it. I'd say that works 10-15% of the time.
As for the FSBO stuff, you can write that into the buyer's listing. And most FSBO's are willing to offer a commission to a broker anyway. So again... with a buyer's agent, your life is much easier.
I wouldn't say the same for selling your home... but when buying, you're almost always better off with an agent.
Capt Caveman
Lifer
- Jan 30, 2005
- 34,543
- 651
- 126
You do realize someone called the cops on him and the cop was checking it out. How would the cop know he was house hunting? From the call and seeing the OP, walking around the back of the house, he could have easily thought he was casing the house.
How can the buyer split the commission? The seller has a contract with the real estate agent. If it's FSBO, there's no guarantee he's going to get a lower price either. A good buyer's agent, may even be able to negotiate a lower price than the OP.
I agree with everything you said. My only point was that I, as the buyer, do NOT need an agent to buy or view property. The seller may or may not have one, but that has nothing to do with me as the buyer. If the OP was trespassing, simply having HIS agent be there means nothing.
Dave
I never said it didn't. Whether or not I have my agent with me (assuming I even have one) has no bearing on whether I'm trespassing or not.
Dave
Capt Caveman
Lifer
- Jan 30, 2005
- 34,543
- 651
- 126
Ultimately, you need permission by the seller to enter/view their property. A seller's agent acts on the owner's behalf. A buyer's agent needs permission from the seller or seller's agent.
If the OP has an agent with him, we can assume the agent has contacted the seller or seller's agent for permission and therefore would not be trepassing.
BeauJangles
Lifer
- Aug 26, 2001
- 13,941
- 1
- 0
I really think the cop did the right thing. You were trespassing, had not obtained the permission of the agent or of the people who were selling the house to be on their property. You would have had no case if you'd reported him.
MagnusTheBrewer
IN MEMORIAM
- Jun 19, 2004
- 24,122
- 1,594
- 126
You just have to laugh at some folk's reactions to anyone riding a motorcycle.
Over the years, I've had people refuse to rent motel/hotel rooms to me. I've had people try to run me off the road (on purpose.)
I've also had elderly people buy me lunch just because I was worn out from the road and a nice little old lady who opened up her motel to me in BFE (Northern Wisconsin) at 2 am because I was tired of riding in a driving downpour.
Over the years, I've had people refuse to rent motel/hotel rooms to me. I've had people try to run me off the road (on purpose.)
I've also had elderly people buy me lunch just because I was worn out from the road and a nice little old lady who opened up her motel to me in BFE (Northern Wisconsin) at 2 am because I was tired of riding in a driving downpour.
Look, the buyer's agent is getting paid. That money is coming from the cost of buying the house. Obviously there are cases where the seller's agent would just take the extra commission with a smile, and there are cases where an owner won't budge on price despite the absence of any agents taking their cut...but the point is that the same amount of money will go further when you split it fewer ways. If you find a buyer's agent who is able to talk down the price of the house by more than their cost, fine. But that indicates to me that you just need better negotiating skills.
It's the same thing as hiring a lawyer for traffic court. Some people are good at arguing their case without the help, and they'd be better off without. Others need the expertise.
runzwithsizorz
Diamond Member
- Jan 24, 2002
- 3,497
- 14
- 76
Trespassing, resisting arrest, a fine for the broken tail light, unlawful parking, which means his bike is towed, and impounded, and if he continues to piss off the cop, THEN, things get really nasty!
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