2023 Real Estate Observations (Springfield, Weymouth, Chelmsford: job transfer, legal, shoppers)

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I think it's probably pretty common to look up someone's house these days. I do it all the time. Now I personally don't go as far to look at their mortgage payment info lol.

One of the homes I bought in years past I looked up the mortgage info of current owner and found out they did a modification agreement w/their lender about 5 months before listing for sale. This piece of info let me know that they were in some financially challenging times for themselves, perhaps fairly motivated to sell and that I could likely get a decent deal. I used this knowledge when structuring my offer and it worked out to my benefit. This is just one real life example of why someone would want to look into the mortgage info on places.

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

The reality is there are many reasons why people may need to or want to review these records, even though you seem to believe it's just because they are nosy.

Denial is a river in Egypt.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

One of the homes I bought in years past I looked up the mortgage info of current owner and found out they did a modification agreement w/their lender about 5 months before listing for sale. This piece of info let me know that they were in some financially challenging times for themselves, perhaps fairly motivated to sell and that I could likely get a decent deal. I used this knowledge when structuring my offer and it worked out to my benefit. This is just one real life example of why someone would want to look into the mortgage info on places.

Good idea!

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

One of the homes I bought in years past I looked up the mortgage info of current owner and found out they did a modification agreement w/their lender about 5 months before listing for sale. This piece of info let me know that they were in some financially challenging times for themselves, perhaps fairly motivated to sell and that I could likely get a decent deal. I used this knowledge when structuring my offer and it worked out to my benefit. This is just one real life example of why someone would want to look into the mortgage info on places.

I went online at the Registry of Deeds and looked at my house before I made an offer. As you say, it's useful to know about mortgages and any liens before you jump in. I own part of a private lane so I also looked at the other houses on the lane to understand how the easements worked.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I went online at the Registry of Deeds and looked at my house before I made an offer. As you say, it's useful to know about mortgages and any liens before you jump in. I own part of a private lane so I also looked at the other houses on the lane to understand how the easements worked.

Now that a few of us have shared some real life examples as to why we use the registry maybe Matrix will understand!

[Moh1988]

It got sort of intense around here over the weekend
I think it's fair to say that this town is not a town for first-time homeowners (very much similar trend to CA homes, NYC, and other big towns),,, and for me,,, that's ok! I'm happy renting a nice app for now! Once the family reaches a point where a purchase is a must (4-5 bedrooms) then we simply find another nice and cheaper town,,, and there are plenty of these around this nation and remote work is making it possible for a lot of people (not the case for everyone)

I don't see a reason why homes will or need to become cheaper around here (of course I wish but it does not make a damn sense)!

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Now that a few of us have shared some real life examples as to why we use the registry maybe Matrix will understand!

What is and isn't nosy depends on context and also social norms. If you have some interest in a property, e.g. you are in the process of consider purchasing it, looking up the stats isn't nosy. If you're a curious third party, though, that same behavior would be considered nosy.

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I went online at the Registry of Deeds and looked at my house before I made an offer. As you say, it's useful to know about mortgages and any liens before you jump in. I own part of a private lane so I also looked at the other houses on the lane to understand how the easements worked.

This would be prudent research.

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Here's a recently sold in the Weymouth development that everyone was debating last week as to whether or not it's considered a 'new' neighborhood. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...52209042_zpid/



Matrix, You may not be happy to know that I did just look up the record b/c I was curious if this development is attracting cash buyers or not. Looks like cash buyers haven't infiltrated Weymouth yet....$896K mortgage on a $1,054,446 sales price....so 15% down.

Unless you're in the market for that particular house in Weymouth, this is nosy. Looking up the mortgages of your neighbors is VERY nosy. I mean that in the sense of, "if I learned my neighbors were doing this, would find myself disliking them because they are overly concerned with my affairs". It isn't illegal, but it does violate social norms. The question isn't "am I allowed to do this" but rather "if I told my neighbors that I did this, do I think they would be upset?"

[whiteboard]

Originally Posted by gf2020

That's not how it works either.

Feel free to share how you think it works, then.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

What is and isn't nosy depends on context and also social norms. If you have some interest in a property, e.g. you are in the process of consider purchasing it, looking up the stats isn't nosy. If you're a curious third party, though, that same behavior would be considered nosy.



This would be prudent research.



Unless you're in the market for that particular house in Weymouth, this is nosy. Looking up the mortgages of your neighbors is VERY nosy. I mean that in the sense of, "if I learned my neighbors were doing this, would find myself disliking them because they are overly concerned with my affairs". It isn't illegal, but it does violate social norms. The question isn't "am I allowed to do this" but rather "if I told my neighbors that I did this, do I think they would be upset?"

I don't even live in Weymouth so that wasn't a neighbor's mortgage. I already said why I looked that sale up. It is a new development and I was curious if the recent sales were more cash buyers or financed to see if the cash buyer craze in this state has hit towns like Weymouth yet. The good news is, normal folk can still have a chance at buying a home there and don't necessarily have to worry about bidding against a cash buyer as if it were Hingham. Who knows though, that may change in coming years if Weymouth continues to gentrify and evolves into the next Hingham.


Violate social norms? I didn't know there were social norms pertaining to registry of deeds searches?! Please tell me more about them.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I don't even live in Weymouth so that wasn't a neighbor's mortgage. I already said why I looked that sale up. It is a new development and I was curious if the recent sales were more cash buyers or financed to see if the cash buyer craze in this state has hit towns like Weymouth yet. The good news is, normal folk can still have a chance at buying a home there and don't necessarily have to worry about bidding against a cash buyer as if it were Hingham. Who knows though, that may change in coming years if Weymouth continues to gentrify and evolves into the next Hingham.

You can have a reason for being nosy. It's still being nosy.

nos·y
/ˈnōzē/
adjective
showing too much curiosity about other people's affairs.

You are publicly commenting on the downpayment amounts of a specific total stranger.

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Violate social norms? I didn't know there were social norms pertaining to registry of deeds searches?! Please tell me more about them.

For someone who frequently badmouths your neighbors, I think you have a sense of what social norms are. They are not universal and they have no real legal basis. We obviously disagree about this, and from early discussions a few others. I'm sure there's more overlap than disagreement, but people don't discuss norms where they align.

In this case, I can say that I would personally be unsettled if my neighbors were looking at my downpayment amounts and commenting on my fiscal responsibility. I would be even more unsettled if I saw complete strangers doing so. While the records publicly available, I consider that my business, so others looking into is them being nosy. I suspect that would be something many, if not most, people I know would also find disconcerting.

I certainly know people who would have absolutely no qualms about doing so or having such things done regarding their publicly available legal records. Divorce records are public, just like property and loan records. I also know people who have no qualms about other stuff, like telling a casual acquaintance they are overweight or castigating them for eating what they consider to be unhealthy food.