Let me first say, I lurk more than I post. You guys help keep my sanity concerning surveying.
Now for the reason of this post or should I say the 'RANT'. As a surveyor, I have been exposed to several different professions, trades, and skilled craftsman. I respect most of each category that I have crossed paths with, but there are a few of each that I have to wonder if they are really truly qualified.
I don't want to pick on any one of the categories, but I really want to say that our public, private and home education systems need to educate our offspring about home ownership, the American dream of owning your own home. Teach our kids that there are good and bad practitioners of each category and how to identify the lesser of them all. Don't just let the real estate agent, lender, title company, home inspector, appraiser and surveyor tell you that all is good without having a general understanding of what they do. It shouldn't be just a box to check off to make the transaction happen. A lot of these people are making good money with(IMHO)less than an educated guess at what they do. Knowledge of what they do is powerful.
I don't need a real estate agent to buy or sell real property. No law says I do.
I can buy real property for cash, no need for a lender. As a cash buyer, and if I do my due diligence, I can decide whether or not I want Title Insurance. I can also be the lender if I choose to sell real property. Real Estate agents have their purpose and to me it's to keep track of the paper work and to make sure deadlines are met. You are my b*tch! Get it done!
I can guarantee title to real property if I follow thru with a Torren's Title Certificate. (Quiet Title action essentially). This could be a whole discussion about insurance and title.
Home Inspectors are not regulated by my State, but can make a deal go south based solely on their opinion on what is livable or what is not. If they don't like the color of the house, it will need to be painted. I can be a home inspector if I want to be without any certifications, just have a good reputation and pad a few pockets. I can add SCHI to my name and who would really care? (BTW, SCHI stands for 'Self Certified Home Inspector'). Easy duty! $500 for a half days work!! Do 2 a day and that's real good money with no liability. All I got to say is it worked at the time of the inspection or condition was not observed.
I don't need an appraiser to tell me what my home is worth. I know what it's worth to me and if it sells at the price, I'm happy. As an appraiser, make sure you know what the loan request amount is and I'm sure you can make your appraisal report work.
As a surveyor, I can only opine on what I think the property boundary is/was or intended to be of your property. I can't say that this is your boundary, I can only let you know what my opinion is to its location. Only you and your adjoiner can decide that and if you can't agree, get the judge to tell you where it is based off of the evidence my survey presents. A fence is a fence and is not a boundary line until it's agreed by the affected parties to be the boundary. (Or the judge says it is). This is another profession that can have a detrimental impact on the American Dream. Some lenders(the conventional types) avoid the surveyor as do real estate agents because the closing could be affected. That's money out of their pocket. No closing, no money.
I'm just ranting/venting right now and please take no offense to my above statements. I need an oil change on my truck, I think I'll take it to a mechanic. I just don't want to get dirty right now.
And, always remember that if you have no mortgage on your property, your home, you still do not truly own it. You have to pay your taxes for the privilege of the American Dream of home ownership. If you don't pay your taxes, you loose it.
Be a Professional Land Surveyor and be diligent at the practice and you will understand a lot about life. I am so misunderstood by the general public and proclaimed professionals.
I'll read responses, but I'm not looking for a debate, just venting.
I am truly blessed to be a licensed Professional Land Surveyor.
(Disclaimer: The above statements are made with the intention of being only of an entertainment value only. Please seek professional guidance if you find anything of the above offensive.)
Sub D Vider, PLS, PRA, SCHI :whistle:
PS: PRA stands for 'Property Rights Advocate' (Looks good, doesn't it?)
That's good. I like it.
I have a 30 year mortgage and every 25 years I pay the price of the house in taxes (40 mills is 4% or 1/25 the the value)
You can buy property without a real estate agent.
You can THEORETICALLY sell a house without an agent, but you will find it quite difficult. Most buyers need more guidance through the financing and legal paperwork than you can give them.
And buyers want to think they have someone looking out for their interests. This despite the fact that the agent's priorities are himself, then the seller who he has the contract with, and last the buyer.
>Home Inspectors are not regulated by my State...I can be a home inspector if I want to be without any certifications, just have a good reputation and pad a few pockets
In Maryland Home Inspectors are considered by the state to be so unable to perform their work and exercise judgment without regulatory hand holding that they are one of only two groups of licensed individuals who have to operate their businesses under a state mandated minimum standard of practice. The other, of course, being Land Surveyors
For me...
For me it's home owership, not ownership.
> And buyers want to think they have someone looking out for their interests. This despite the fact that the agent's priorities are himself, then the seller who he has the contract with, and last the buyer.
:good:
I've heard language to the effect from an agent, that I need to find one agent to help me, and that somehow they would be violating some kind of moral concept if they worked with a buyer who has more than one agent helping him. I had asked one lady if I could look at a house I saw and her name and company were on the for sale sign. She went on to say that she didn't want to waste time with "looky-loos". Heck...I am not doing anything wrong with going to as many agents as I want. I need to find someone who I like. I am the consumer here. You treat me with some respect. Don't go off at the mouth telling me about bad "buyers". Lady..the buyers are your bread-and-butter. We're looking for good agents, not the other way around.
Okay...I was going to apologize for my rant, but on second thought, this is a "rant" thread. So I think I'm okay. 😉
For me...
:good:
Sub
And, always remember that if you have no mortgage on your property, your home, you still do not truly own it. You have to pay your taxes for the privilege of the American Dream of home ownership. If you don't pay your taxes, you loose it.
Not true. In Texas, if you have paid off your mortgage, then the only person who can take it from you is your wife/significant other, or GOD. Several other states have similar homestead laws. They can take everything else, but not the farm.
It seems that in any kind of sales operation, the first one to contact a customer owns that customer's business.
It's very obvious in car sales, where the first thing they say after Hello is "Are you working with anyone here?". I think no matter who is there to make the sale if you go back later, the initial salesperson gets credit for the sale.
I dislike being owned.
Sub
No Kris, Texas' homestead law protects your home from many things, but not tax foreclosure.
