What would you do?

[Big Dawg35]

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/sl...n-new-homes-attic/LjWSuEgauUupOO2YS9P4Rg.cspx

Family returns $45,000 found in new home's attic


Updated: 5/19 4:38 pm | Published: 5/19 4:37 pm

By CHI-CHI ZHANG
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - When Josh Ferrin closed on his family's first home, he never thought he'd make the discovery of a lifetime - then give it back.

Ferrin picked up the keys earlier this week and decided to check out the house in a Salt Lake City suburb.

As he walked into the garage, a piece of cloth clinging to an attic door caught his eye. Inside, he found eight boxes full of cash - about $45,000.

Ferrin says he thought about everything he could do with the money, but knew he had to give it back. And that's exactly what he did.

He called the previous owner's son and returned the money. That man says he knew his father had stored cash in the home but never imagined it was that much.

 

[Lou]

What they don't know don't hurt. I believe in karma but the home now belongs to the new owners. Finder's keepers I say.

 

[larzzyl]

I would have given half of it.

 

[Book]

I don't need the money that bad that I would screw somebody else out of their savings.

Therefore the money would go back.

 

[paddy]

Well, was it the son's savings or the father's? and was the father still alive? That would have some bearing on the situation. For eg: if the father passed away, and the son was selling the house as part of his father's estate and was making 100% profit on the sale, then no, I wouldn't have returned it.

Now let me put it this way: if the new owner discovered that the roof needed replacing and there was an airport being built next door, would the sellers give HIM his money back? Or pay for the new roof? I think not...in SPADES.

Did the seller not clean out the garage or did he leave it for the new owners to clean up? I can't tell you the messes I've seen let behind after home sales. Up here recently my R/E buddy sold a home and the sellers pulled up the fricken patio stones in the backyard and to avoid a prolonged legal battle, the R/E agent paid to have them replaced. It is a caveat emptor for any R/E transaction. Here's another example: I didn't dig (literally lol) deep enough before buying my place and have since discovered a) my well is over 20 yrs old and is due to be replaced and b) land that I thought was mine at the front ends up being a right of way so I can't build my garage on it and c) the river that I'm on is basically land locked and is more swamp than river. Therefore I can't swim in it. Am I being compensated for this? HELL no......

Now wallets and cheque books? That's another story. A chequebook is pretty much useless to someone unless they're a crook. I also know what it's like to lose a wallet full of ID so yeah, I'd return both of those poste haste. But when it comes to R/E deals the gloves are off.....the son should have cleaned out the garage (like he was supposed to) and if he had, he would have found the money. What this basically boiled down to is a windfall for the son as opposed to a windfall for the new owners.

BTW: wtf is with people who keep that kind of coin around? You hear all the time about people keeping their life's savings under their bed or ??

(and for the record, I AM that hard up for money so lol...it would have helped me out immensely)

Speaking of lost and found money, there was a story I read the other day about a teen who found $2000.00 in a parking lot. She turned it into the police and was told that it would be hers if someone didn't claim it in 90 days. Well the city (thieves) passed a bylaw that said any money turned in and NOT claimed by the rightful owners would get put into the city coffers. WELL fuck you all to hell. Fuckng politicians always looking for someway to screw people. It turns out that the news got out and the girl was inundated with well wishes and someone donated $4000.00 to her family. The city counsellors have since bowed down to the pressure and cancelled that new bylaw.....

 

[Jessica]

A good point Maurice. Sometimes desperate people do foolish things. I would feel like oddball. My conscience always gets the best of me.

 

[julie j]

So, theoretically speaking, if you sold a house and the water heater blew within a month, and the roof leaked, and they built an airport next door, would you give the new buyers their money back? Or pay for the water heater, new roof etc?

Or alternatively, you trade in an used car or sell it privately and a month later the engine blows, would you pay to replace it or give the trade in value back to the dealer?

Or better yet, you buy a new car and when you get it home, you find out they installed a gps, an upgraded hybrid engine and a kick ass stereo, would you drive back to the dealer and give him the value of the stuff not included in the orginal purchase price?

I like to think I'm pretty honest but this is a dog eat dog world and sometimes things work out IN your favour and (mostly) they don't. I've had/lost too many times not to reap the benefits when something good does come my way......

 

[Artyom2000]

Did the seller not clean out the garage or did he leave it for the new owners to clean up?

LOl very good point. But we all have different way of thinking, tboy.

 

[Hank Hill]

Actually, you're not 100% right on this, (well, it wasn't you who bought the house but let's skip that fact for a second):

The new owners bought the house lock stock and barrel. Everything on the property, in the house, and (most likely) under the ground, is theirs. You may think I'm over thinking this, but a R/E deal is a complicated one. It is totally different than finding a wallet on the sidewalk.

 

[knownout]

I would have to give it some thought and I would look into who is getting the money back before I would make up my mind and return it. I can definitely beyond a shadow of a doubt say I would not return it to any corporation or public entity.

 

[Live free or Die]

(I'm not arguing, just trying to get a handle on how you think...)

So, you only think of things "being yours" if you worked for it? So, does that include gifts? (from your wife, that would mean you did in fact work for it lol).....How about if a SR bought you lunch? Or someone at the bar bought you a beer?

Now let me ask you: if there were issues with the house discovered after the closing, do you feel or not, that the new owner is responsible for them?

If the previous owners left a ATV behind, would the new owners be obligated to return it to them?

If the previous owners left behind a Clock radio, would the new owners be obligated to return it to them?

If the previous owners left behind a working fridge in the garage, would the new owners be obligated to return it to them?

 

[muggs]

Although it s very tempting to keep it, I REALLY need my sleep. Thus, I would give it back. Yet it would be nice to get a reward for it. However i wouldnt expect it.

 

[cambay]

I would have kept the money, I couldn't resist the temptation. :???:

 

[craftypaddy]

Actually, no, it's not simple.....I think you feel morally obligated to return the money because in some sense you are thinking "it isn't mine". But it is yours (should "you" being the new owners of the house). So in effect you are giving away something that is both legally and morally yours.

What kind of a car do you drive btw? If you're giving stuff away, I want to be around when you do lol......

If you'd answered any of my hypothetical questions it'd be a lot simpler. You see, if as a new owner you are responsible for all the issues, then you are also responsible for all the benefits. If you feel you cannot keep the money because it isn't "yours", then the opposite must be true: the previous owners should be responsible for all issues.

I wonder, is the moral issue because it is cash? What if the father had put in a new pool and when the son sold the house, he didn't realize the true value of the pool? Would you then go to the son and offer him the true value of the pool? I don't think so.....

 

[No Lie]

I would have returned all the money to the owner's son.