# Houses for $1 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884 "2010-09-15T20:34:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/1 "2010-09-15T20:34:46Z")
I see this a lot and many times it’s a house about to go up for auction and I understand why a relator may price it at $1 temporarily to get a listing up. However, I see a bunch of houses selling for $1 that: 1. Are sold by the same guy. I guess he’s a licensed relator but he has his own “management group” 2. The listings have not been updated in over a month 3. He doesn’t return emails. So what’s going on with these houses? Something very technical or is he just a flake? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/2 "2010-09-15T20:56:26Z")
If a house is listed on MLS for $1, do they have to accept an offer from someone who walks in with cash? (It’s “realtor,” by the way - pronounced REE-al-tor) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/3 "2010-09-15T21:14:14Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:2, topic:553884”] If a house is listed on MLS for $1, do they have to accept an offer from someone who walks in with cash? (It’s “realtor,” by the way - pronounced REE-al-tor) [/QUOTE] This guy’s a relator. It’s like the Rolax watch I bought on the street in Shanghai. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/4 "2010-09-15T21:28:35Z")
I live in an affluent suburb of a major city. I have seen several houses sold for $1 around here. The deals involved moving the house. The buyer would purchase an empty lot not too far away and have the home moved. The seller avoided demolition fees to prepare his site for a McMansion. Decades ago, the same thing happened to hundreds of homes in the path of the expressway that cut through the city. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/5 "2010-09-15T21:29:21Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:2, topic:553884”] If a house is listed on MLS for $1, do they have to accept an offer from someone who walks in with cash? (It’s “realtor,” by the way - pronounced REE-al-tor) [/QUOTE] Actually it’s Realtor. Always capitalized. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/6 "2010-09-15T21:37:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > [quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:2, topic:553884”] > > If a house is listed on MLS for $1, do they have to accept an offer from someone who walks in with cash? > > (It’s “realtor,” by the way - pronounced REE-al-tor) Actually it’s Realtor. Always capitalized. [/QUOTE] Actually, for all we know it was a real estate agent. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/7 "2010-09-15T21:50:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > [quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:2, topic:553884”] > > If a house is listed on MLS for $1, do they have to accept an offer from someone who walks in with cash? > > (It’s “realtor,” by the way - pronounced REE-al-tor) Actually it’s Realtor. Always capitalized. [/QUOTE] Wait what? …why…? I don’t capitalize lawyer or doctor or any of numerous other such job titles. Why (r/R)ealtor? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/8 "2010-09-15T22:04:33Z")
National Association of Realtors holds a trademark on Realtor in the USA otherwise referred to real estate broker and real estate agent ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/9 "2010-09-15T22:14:12Z")
Yes, Realtor is a registered trademark. Mea culpa. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/10 "2010-09-15T22:27:57Z")
To be completely accurate, it’s REALTOR. A lot of times these $1 houses come with back taxes or the like which cost more than the house is worth. They are just trying to get rid of it and have someone else take on the obligations. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/11 "2010-09-15T22:33:28Z")
> [@treis](#): > > To be completely accurate, it’s REALTOR. And it’s not a trademark, either. [Apparently](http://www.realtor.org/realtororg.nsf/pages/AboutREALTORS?OpenDocument), it’s a registered collective membership mark, which I had never heard of before. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/12 "2010-09-15T23:38:37Z")
> [@treis](#): > > To be completely accurate, it’s REALTOR. > > A lot of times these $1 houses come with back taxes or the like which cost more than the house is worth. They are just trying to get rid of it and have someone else take on the obligations. this, exactly. There were a few stories in the news about houses in Detroit being listed for a dollar. The real “catches” were the back taxes, and the fact that most of the houses were uninhabitable (read:burned out,) and demolition can cost several thousand dollars on top of the taxes. And you’re hosed if there are asbestos-containing materials in the house. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/13 "2010-09-16T00:01:05Z")
> [@treis](#): > > To be completely accurate, it’s REALTOR. To be completely honest, if my name doesn’t get put in all upper case, neither does theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/14 "2010-09-16T00:53:47Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > National Association of Realtors holds a trademark on Realtor in the USA Why does that mean I’m not supposed to use the word ‘realtor’ with a small ‘r’? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/15 "2010-09-16T01:11:44Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > > [@johnpost](#): > > > > National Association of Realtors holds a trademark on Realtor in the USA > > Why does that mean I’m not supposed to use the word ‘realtor’ with a small ‘r’? I suppose for the same reason you don’t type “mcdonalds.” ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/16 "2010-09-16T01:21:01Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > > [@Frylock](#): > > > > Why does that mean I’m not supposed to use the word ‘realtor’ with a small ‘r’? > > I suppose for the same reason you don’t type “mcdonalds.” I type “McDonald’s” because it’s a proper name. As far as I can tell, that “Realtor” is trademarked doesn’t make it a proper name. You still can refer to “a realtor” for example, can’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/17 "2010-09-16T01:30:13Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > > [@johnpost](#): > > > > National Association of Realtors holds a trademark on Realtor in the USA > > Why does that mean I’m not supposed to use the word ‘realtor’ with a small ‘r’? It doesn’t, really. It just means _they_ can’t if they want to maintain their mark’s integrity and their ability to sue people who misuse it. It’s the same reason you don’t ever have to use ™ or ®, or ever acknowledge that trademarks are owned by their owners. Those practices are _solely_ the responsibility of the people who actually own the marks; it is up to them to do them. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/18 "2010-09-16T01:39:45Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > > [@Leaffan](#): > > > > I suppose for the same reason you don’t type “mcdonalds.” > > I type “McDonald’s” because it’s a proper name. As far as I can tell, that “Realtor” is trademarked doesn’t make it a proper name. You still can refer to “a realtor” for example, can’t you? Not if the National Association of Realtors has any say in the matter. They don’t want you to use realtor (with or without a capital letter) for anyone except one of their members. And, if you use it to refer to one of their members, they want you to use the capital letter. In both cases they are trying to reserve the word so that it describes, and is generally understood to describe, someone who has met whatever exacting standard must be met to become a member, and not simply anyone who engages in real estate agency. In truth, though, they have a limited say in the matter. They can stop you from using the term to describe yourself, if you’re not a member. But they can’t stop you from using it to describe someone else. They can just point out politely that you are mistaken, and ask you to refrain from repeating the mistake. If you want to be bloody-minded (and who wouldn’t want to be bloody-minded when dealing with a bunch of real estate agents?) you can tell them to get stuffed. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/19 "2010-09-16T01:47:35Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > > [@Frylock](#): > > > > I type “McDonald’s” because it’s a proper name. As far as I can tell, that “Realtor” is trademarked doesn’t make it a proper name. You still can refer to “a realtor” for example, can’t you? > > Not if the National Association of Realtors has any say in the matter. Yes, that’s been said already. What I’m asking is, _does_ the National Association of Realtors have any say in the matter? > [@](#): > > In truth, though, they have a limited say in the matter. They can stop you from using the term to describe yourself, if you’re not a member. But they can’t stop you from using it to describe someone else. They can just point out politely that you are mistaken, and ask you to refrain from repeating the mistake. Do they have enough say to make it the case that using a small ‘r’ is indeed a mistake? ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884/20 "2010-09-16T02:51:41Z")
> [@treis](#): > > To be completely accurate, it’s REALTOR. > > A lot of times these $1 houses come with back taxes or the like which cost more than the house is worth. They are just trying to get rid of it and have someone else take on the obligations. Actually, even more technically I think it is properly: REALTOR® [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houses-for-1/553884.md?page=2)