This article gives us all yet another reason to DIY. When you find that big stash of money (and we all know we’ve got money in the walls, or the floors, or somewhere, right? Pretty please?) you do not want to share it.
According to this Yahoo article, a homeowner and contractor are in a major feud over some found money – $182,000 to be exact. I am frankly surprised the contractor has any argument at all since it’s not his house. Shouldn’t everything on the premise be the owner’s by default? She offered him a 10% finders fee, but apparently he wants more.
Comments, Thoughts, and Feedback
That’s ridiculous! The contractor should be GRATEFUL he was even offered a “finder’s fee”! It was PART of the house! If the contractor started taking priceless light fixtures or other high demand historical salvage items out of a house, because he “found” them, NOBODY would think he had a case. Same here!
i agree its the home owners. but she did agree to share. he sounds pretty greedy tho !!! and if the contractor had a plummer in to fix a pipe and he found same in his house what do you think he would do???
I heard about this on the radio the other day and frankly, 10% is considered a fair ‘finders fee’. He should have taken it but here’s the rub: The guy is a friend of the person whose house he was working in and so I guess he feels as though as a friend he should get more. My question is was he doing the work at a big discount? And wouldn’t 10% more than make up for a discount?
Also, they brought up the fact that the previous owner owned a store and the money was undoubtedly his and therefore shouldn’t it go to his heirs?
The answer to that I feel is: no. Whoever bought the house owns everything that was in the house, on the house and anywhere on the yard by law.
In addition, the money itself has been valued at somewhere around $500,000, much more than the $180,000 face value which means if she offered him 10% he’d be getting $50,000. That is a lot of money. The guy should have shut up, held out his had and been very thankful.
Patricia,
Thanks for the added info – makes it iven more interesting. I’m with you… once you buy the house, everything in it is yours.
$50,000 is a pretty decent finders fee. I’d have thanked them, taken my money, and kept my friendship if I were him!
With any luck, this will go to court and draw a decent judge who will deny the contractor even a finders fee and make him pay all court costs.
I agree with Mindy — he should have just taken the money and kept the friendship. It appears he isn’t much of a friend after all.
He wanted to be greedy and ended up with nothing. Something is better than nothing my mother always said. He should had taken the money and been grateful
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