+- Ask Noah Q&A Forum (https://www.asknoah.org/forum)
+-- Forum: Living the Seven Commandments (https://www.asknoah.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Ask The Academy Rabbis (https://www.asknoah.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=2)
+---- Forum: Prohibition of Theft (R, T) (https://www.asknoah.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=14)
+---- Thread: Bypassing sales on commision (/showthread.php?tid=640)
Bypassing sales on commision - Benoach - 10-16-2011
Shalom!
My family lives in an apartment in the center of the city, but we want to sell it and buy a house outside the city. I found in internet several advertisements about one interesting house, which have been published by various real estate agencies. Those agencies have been hired by owner of his house. They use to withhold their commission from the buyer. It is of course much cheaper to buy a real estate directly from the owner. This is why real estate agencies don't publish localization of properties. You have to call them and sign a special agreement to get this information.
Because of this, basing on pictures of this house in those advertisement and Google Map, I reconstructed localization of the house. Now I may contact directly to the owner. But is this not a sort of stealing information from those agencies?
RE: Bypassing sales on commision - Director Michael - 10-17-2011
It is clear that you did not steal any information, because all the information you collected was freely available. It is possible that the house owner might have made a contract that he will only sell through one of those real estate agencies that is advertising his house. So you will know about his willingness or legal right to consider a direct sale until you ask him.
RE: Bypassing sales on commision - nathanbenyosef - 10-26-2011
Shalom,
Mr Director said: "It is possible that the house owner might have made a contract that he will only sell through one of those real estate agencies that is advertising his house"
my question is: is such a contract legal in the jewish law for us? If it's legal, after how much time does it become invalid?
RE: Bypassing sales on commision - Director Michael - 11-04-2011
In concept, such a contract is permitted within Torah Law. You can check the civil law in your location. The duration of the contract and the advertising would be agreed upon by the seller and the real estate agency.