# In the future when faced with a choice



## Ohnojim (Mar 25, 2013)

between, getting my trip charge for a bid, and placing a padlock on an unsecured door, to make $1 less. I will place a padlock, take a picture of it remove it and put it back in my truck. That is such a messed up policy. Get paid less to actually do something, than to do nothing, and do the bid for free. They can all kiss my a#$. 

This is the last time I act in a conscientious manner for any of these scammers.


----------



## madxtreme01 (Mar 5, 2015)

Trip charges should be paid on every order on top of the price of the job itself to pay for exactly that, the trip.


----------



## Ohnojim (Mar 25, 2013)

*They should be, I knew I was doing a dumb thing*

by doing the right thing. I think I am just fed up with this scam business to the point of hanging it up altogether. 

After examining the thought of not doing a good job, or taking pictures of a lock, then taking it with me, I realized it just isn't worth it, and I'm not willing to sacrifice my self respect because "The Client" doesn't pay for trip charges or inspections if you do other work. Well let the client work with the monkeys who didn't secure the property, and caused damage to the property that sent me there to report/inspect in the first place. They deserve each other. 

I've managed to not get burned for 5 years now, and had fun and made a little money, that's probably all a guy can hope for.


----------



## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

Ohnojim said:


> by doing the right thing. I think I am just fed up with this scam business to the point of hanging it up altogether.
> 
> After examining the thought of not doing a good job, or taking pictures of a lock, then taking it with me, I realized it just isn't worth it, and I'm not willing to sacrifice my self respect because "The Client" doesn't pay for trip charges or inspections if you do other work. Well let the client work with the monkeys who didn't secure the property, and caused damage to the property that sent me there to report/inspect in the first place. They deserve each other.
> 
> I've managed to not get burned for 5 years now, and had fun and made a little money, that's probably all a guy can hope for.



I would put the padlock on and report it as work already completed by others. For the record a padlock should pay 40.00?


----------



## Ohnojim (Mar 25, 2013)

*It doen't pay anything if the take your*



Craigslist Hack said:


> I would put the padlock on and report it as work already completed by others. For the record a padlock should pay 40.00?


trip charge and inspection fee, because you secured the property. The problem is not the padlock that cost me $2 that I charge $40 for usually, the problem is the general principle, and the fact that the little guy in this scam has to lose every time. 

In every other contracting arrangement when you order a service, you pay for the service, you don't hide behind the "our client won't pay for it" line. In my world that is an issue between you and your client, you should negotiate a better deal with your client. 

The other part of the issue is, another contractor caused both the condition I was there to inspect, and did not secure the property, then I had to pay for it. I hate paying for my competition's errors. 

Yes, I could have done some other things at the property, I could have drummed up some other charges, I could have thrown the f'n padlock through a small window and boarded it,picked it up, put it on took a picture and them put it back in my truck. I could have dumped my coffee in the toilet and reported it as soiled, and on and on. 

All of this leads to the same questions we have to ask ourselves. 

Is it worth it? 

Does Wells Fargo really need my $2 padlock that bad? 

Am I willing to act in a deceptive, dishonest way just so I can get paid for something they should be happy to pay for, like securing a wide open property and/or explaining to them why the property is being damaged?

Yes, I could screw them day in and day out, and then it would just be a game and matters of principle wouldn't matter at all. I really isn't about the money.


----------



## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

I was at a $5000 shack a few weeks ago with my oldest son to bid some basement damage for the broker.
As I am reattaching this tiny combination padlock to a boarded rear door, crack head Cindy and her jail tats comes around the side of the house, and asks "Hi, are you here to show me the property?"
"Uh, no, I'm on a job and just leaving."
"Oh, well the bank told me I could come over and look at the inside of the house."
"Really? Are you meeting with the realtor?"
"No, they just said I could walk thru on my own."
"Yeahhh, well I can't allow access. Do you happen to know what the combination is to the padlock."
She looks down at a piece of paper and says "XXXX. I spoke to Slim at the number on the sign out front."
I'm thinking WTH! I locked it and told her "Okydokey. Have at it."
All the sign in sheets, the call from sites, the exf/gps data, etc won't do a thing about stupidity like that. I'm sure they will want a police report and follow up for insurance next month once they realize the copper and appliances are all awol.


----------



## Ohnojim (Mar 25, 2013)

*Just don't install a new lock while you are there*

they won't pay for your report.


----------



## garylaps (Sep 28, 2012)

This type of thing is EXACLY why I'm not in this business any longer. Life is too short to be worn down morally with having to make a living compromising your ethics to get paid. This kind of thing changes how you look at the world and leads one to accept things as OK that was and is fundamentally WRONG in the real world. I'm glad to have my integrity back even if it means making less $$$.
This whole industry sucks the best part of life out of you, from the slimy mortgages that were given to people that couldn't afford it to the low bidding sharks that service the banks that end up with the bad loan...These scoundrels will want you to do ANYTHING to make a buck then knife you in the back the first chance they get.
Good luck out there, don't lose your soul in the process.


----------



## Ohnojim (Mar 25, 2013)

*In their infinite penny wise pound foolish wisdom the*

banks have created a backwards morally bankrupt incentive system, that actually promotes fraud and abuse and attracts the kind of people who thrive in that environment at all levels.


----------



## AceVentura (Sep 6, 2015)

Ohnojim said:


> banks have created a backwards morally bankrupt incentive system, that actually promotes fraud and abuse and attracts the kind of people who thrive in that environment at all levels.


Yeah, they just found a way to continue there past frauds.

They got the bailout and had to get more creative, THink about the fact that they have billion dollar profits every year, but have not paid back bail out funds, and do not pay the botg.


----------



## brm1109 (Sep 17, 2012)

In all honesty I can tell you that I have found it is not as much the banks not paying as everyone thinks it is. From the dealings I have had, 98% of the time the banks do pay for the work. 
Most of the cutting of invoices and non payment is due to the nationals and regionals trying to keep as much as possible.


----------



## AceVentura (Sep 6, 2015)

brm1109 said:


> In all honesty I can tell you that I have found it is not as much the banks not paying as everyone thinks it is. From the dealings I have had, 98% of the time the banks do pay for the work.
> Most of the cutting of invoices and non payment is due to the nationals and regionals trying to keep as much as possible.



The banks are not better then a national, they are just nicer to talk too.

I do not care if a bank has paid a national, if a national has paid a regional. 

My only concern is if I am paid for my work, the farther up the ladder you go you will learn that no one cares about the guy who actually had expenses for the job and did the labor.

A bank can promise that you will be paid, but then say "the national will have to pay it" and then the national wont pay so you go to court and the natonal says "we paid our regional" and the bottom line is me, the person who purchased the materials, me the person who labored for the work, does not get to see a dime of the money that is owed to me - Why??? 

Fraud, pure and simple, f em all, and f u pay me is now the only thing I can say.


----------



## mtmtnman (May 1, 2012)

AceVentura said:


> Yeah, they just found a way to continue there past frauds.
> 
> They got the bailout and had to get more creative, THink about the fact that they have billion dollar profits every year, but have not paid back bail out funds, and do not pay the botg.




I see a LOT of finger pointing at the banks and while i don't care for them or their predatory practices 95% of the problems in this industry come from the greed of the servicing companies. While on P&P side if it is a government backed loan the servicing companies are supposed to adhere to HUD guidelines. Problem is most of the main line (nationals) do but they sub it to a regional and then the regional subs out a grass cut they got from Screwguard for $64 to some poor schmuck for $20. 

On the REO side of things all bets are off. Prices are much less than HUD allowables but i have been told this is because the liability is less which is partly true as once the deed has transferred and the redemption period (in some states) is over you not very likely to get sued for throwing away great grandmas POS couch. These contracts as we have seen go to the lowest bidder and then they make pricing apples to apples across the country. Problem with that is expenses are not the same across the country. For example in my county we dump anything we want other than liquid hazards for $32.50 a ton. 2 counties south of me they charge $16.70 a Cubic Yard!!! Generalization doesn't work!

All of this could be solved by getting rid of the nationals and having all work in a certain area go to a company FROM THAT AREA who can have boots on the ground to follow up on properties. Wells Fargo for example has branches in nearly every state. For a LOT less that they are loosing to the nationals Wells could put a bank employee on the ground to follow up on properties. The local banks have been doing this for YEARS and it works! I believe this is what will likely happen in the near future when greed finally crashes this industry.


----------

