A couple of days ago I gave a quote to a realtor on a boundary survey for a small residential lot. Some of you might call it a "mortgage survey", but it would be done to normal boundary survey MTS per Florida law.
Anyway, today she called back and said:
-"I have a quote from another surveyor who did the lot before to 'recertify' the lot for $125, but he won't return my calls anymore, and we’re in a bind."
-"I'll give you ‘the opportunity’ to survey the lot if you can match his price."
-"I'm really in a hurry for this! I can’t stress enough the rush we are in."
-"I'm going to keep calling other surveyors until I can find someone to match his price."
So, I did take the time to try to explain that my price was for surveying the lot, not recertify the drawing, but she didn’t care. I had to pass on this ‘opportunity’.
Well if it makes you feel better, I might pass on an 'opportunity' on a $40,000 ALTA survey if I can't work out the language on the certification...(see SIGN THIS below)..
-"I'll give you ‘the opportunity’ to survey the lot if you can match his price."
"Well Maaam, I guess that would make me Mr. Opportunity and you've come a knockin', but unfortunately for you I'm a Surveyor and not a Honda dealership". Click.
Hey Psuedo, you heard that Urban has hung it up? Keep your hands off my Mullen!;-)
You should have told her that the price was so cheap because the service sucks.
I only have to pay $125 to do the survey?
Or how about: "sounds good to me. Just to be sure, add you are missing a zero at the end of your number. We'll add that zero and I'll start as soon as I can.
Or: "I'll split the $125 with you for a finders fee....but I get to split your commission with you."
I am sure she would have hung up before I stopped laughing.......:clap:
Call her back and tell her you have a property for her to RE-SELL, and you would like her to sell it for 2% commission cause thats what the realator before her had sold it for.
Never have had luck with realtors. No matter the price they think it is expensive. Bet her comission is more than $125! P.S. Hey Perry. Just signed up.
Rumors are Mullen is #1 on the list, but I'd perfer Leach or Malzahn. I'm tired of the east-west passing attack.
Hey Tom
Welcome to Beerleg.
> Well if it makes you feel better, I might pass on an 'opportunity' on a $40,000 ALTA survey if I can't work out the language on the certification...(see SIGN THIS below)..
Joe, this is off topic, but why don't you just rewrite the certificate and make the revised language a provision of your proposal? Just keep the same number of items and try to keep as much of the language of the original as is prudent. Then, if they kick about it, the natural question is "Why isn't that good enough?". If they don't object and go ahead and accept the proposal, then at the end of the day you have the certificate as proposed to refer to as a term of the contract.
Welcome aboard Thomas! 🙂
SHE CALLED BACK!
She called back today, talked to my wife. Today's highlights were:
(1) "I might have called you last week, I can't remember who I've already called"
(2) "I'm now calling every surveyor in the phonebook until I find one that has surveyed this property before and will give me a copy for free"
(3) "It [the survey] is just a peice a paper to satisfy the bank, we shouldn't have to pay for this at all"
(4) "$125 is highway robbery, but I'm willing to go to $150 just to get it over with".
My wife said she was polite but firm with the realtor, but the conversation ended with the realtor hanging up. I told my wife she'll probably call back a couple days before the closing and try to order it ... and she can tell her about our 3X rush fee ...
SHE CALLED BACK!
TPR - Has this woman never closed a sale before? How is she getting the idea that surveys are free? She might never be convinced that surveys aren't worthless pieces of paper but in her business she should be used to expensive worthless things.
:clap: :music: :hi5: :good: :gift: Welcome, Thomas!! :gift: :clap: :music: :hi5: :good:
We're glad to have you here! 🙂
SHE CALLED BACK!
It's weird how this seems to go in cycles, but this area now seems to be in a cycle where banks and title companies are refusing to order surveys on behalf on the client, and are turning that over to realtors or buyers directly. This will last until the title companies get tired of realtors screwing up the process and decide to resume this responsibility. I'm really not kidding about this. I was just talking about this with a local surveyor friend and he's noticed the same cycle over the years.
I tried Kent, they stuck to there guns...
Oh well..
TPR
In California, it's totally optional whether there's a survey when a property is sold. I'd say 90% of the real estate sales here don't involve a survey. The only time we get called for a survey related to a sale is if the buyer actually wants to know what they're buying and demands that the seller provide a survey. Then, we're in the same boat as the places where they are required and it's a big panic to get it done in a day or two because they have no idea that it might be more involved than a pest inspection. Fortunately, I have some real estate clients that know they're not free and that if I'm going to tell people where their property lines are, it's going to take a while and it's going to cost some money.
TPR
Yeah, and the seller could care less if the survey is good or bad, they're just looking for the ABSOLUTE lowest price to satisfy the buyer.
A piece of paper is good enough!