Price of your house

Do you tell people what you paid for your house? I would never ask someone this. To me, that's like asking someone what their salary is or how much money they have in the bank.

However, I am hearing from other people that it's ok to ask what someone paid for their house and it's not right to keep it a secret if someone asks. Of course I know anyone can look it up online after the fact, but what are your thoughts on this? It's causing some issues in my family right now.

Re: Price of your house

I think it's the same with the price of anything....it's your choice to disclose or not!
No one can force you to tell them how much something cost....that's just rude!

Re: Price of your house

It doesn't really bother me. My SIL just said she paid a lot when my other SIL asked her. She also wouldn't say what the taxes were. Some people just prefer to keep it private.

If they really HAVE to know what you paid for your house, then let them google it. It's public knowledge on the WWW unfortunately.

Message edited 6/26/2011 7:02:41 PM.

Re: Price of your house

since I'm in the business I usually know once people close so I don't need to ask. I have no problem telling people but I'm very open with stuff like that.

Re: Price of your house

I have no problem telling somone what we paid

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Honestly, I don't care if someone asks and I don't mind telling. I guess amongst my friends and family we're all always talking about the housing market and when all of my friends were buying homes we were always discussing prices of homes we looked at and such. I don't know, I don't really think it's a big deal. I mean in all honesty, it's public record anyway so if someone REALLY wanted to know they could find out without my saying. KWIM?

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I think it's weird to ask someone, but if I got asked that question, I would tell them. You can also easily find out online.

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It doesn't bother me to tell people things like that (how much $ I make a year, what I pay a month in rent, etc) but I am a pretty open person...I can see how some people might want to keep that information to themselves.

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Re: Price of your house

I don't mind telling, especially if someone is in the market. I know the information would have helped me when I was looking.

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i honestly don't care. If you know the address you can usually just look it up online.

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Re: Price of your house

I wouldnt share what we paid nor would I ask someone that question. All of my friends have all bought houses in the past 2 years. I have never asked what they paid....some have chosen to share on their own.

I think also with family they do not need to know. For example we are in the middle of buying our home. My mom shared with everyone in the family how much we spent on our house. I was not happy about that and it makes me very uncomfortable. Now with my Dh's family they are the opposite and very quiet with everything. ( i dont think they even shared that we bought a house with anyone).


For me it makes me uncomfortable for family to know. Especially since they are out of state and gasp at what prices are here in LI. Then it goes into a long coversation with what little Property size for that price, what small sqft, the teaxes $$$, etc. I found it better not to share...just my personal experience.

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I never ask, though, where we live, the information is public. We get a lot of questions about the price of our houses because we do so much work to them, and because the one we just bought was a short sale, and I have no problem sharing the information.

Re: Price of your house

I don't really get asked that but if I know the person (for example, family member) I will tell them. They can probably look up what we paid for it online anyway (although it kills me knowing a year later we probably could have gotten our house for 30k less and with a low interest rate!)

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I don't care telling.... You can easily search and find out what someone paid for a house so its not really a secrest anyway!

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I'm a pretty open book - while I don't advertise it, I don't mind saying if someone asks.

But although the information is readily available (esp. to me, as a realtor), I would never ask someone unless they volunteered the information. I wouldn't want someone to feel put no the spot and uncomfortable. I can understand that some people view it as part of their personal finances.

In my experience, though, people LOVE to talk about real estate and home values, so probably most people wouldn't mind discussing it (or at least wouldn't be offended if the issue came up). And most people who ask are probably more curious about what the homes in that area are going for rather than what the buyer chose to pay/could pay, you know?

Re: Price of your house

You really don't ever have to ask, its all public info, all you need is the person's address and you can find out what they paid

You can even see, what the house was originally listed for, how long it was on the market, and the date of the closing

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To be honest, I felt like I was put on the spot and a little uncomfortable when people asked, especially when they started digging deeper asking how much we put down, etc. I don't like discussing personal finances.

Re: Price of your house

Whenever someone asks me how much my house was I reply, "Do you want to help me pay my mortgage?"

Usually they chuckle and it is dropped.

It's nobody's business what I paid, and I would never ask anyone what their house cost either.

eta: I know it is public knowledge, but the people who have asked me are just nosey and not in the market for a house.

Message edited 6/27/2011 11:38:44 AM.

Re: Price of your house

I saw an aquantence over the weekend. She asked me what we paid. Although I don't mind, I am always surprised when ppl who aren't close to me ask. I would never ask someone who I dont have a close relationship with. I also want to add that she offered the info on what she paid for her house. It does annoy me when ppl ask & then dont offer the info up.

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I don't mind telling if someone asks. It's public info anyway. So if they really want to know they can find out.

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I wouldn't ask, and I wouldn't like it if someone asked me, but I'd prob tell them if they did ask...I'd just think they were rude...also I love your username!

Message edited 6/27/2011 2:33:43 PM.

Re: Price of your house

I don't usually ask - I look online to find out the info.

If someone asks me, I'd tell them.

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I think it would depend on who is asking me, if it was someone that I'm close to then I wouldn't have a problem telling, but if I'm not that close to the person it would make me feel very uncomfortable. And its not something that I woud ever ask someone, if I wanted to know I would just look it up