My new plan for obtaining permissions

[pplinker]

Today I stopped at a yard sale and the people owned the lot next door. There had been a gas station with a house. I asked the lady if they'd consider letting me metal detect and got an immediate NO. My husband doesn't like anyone on the property. Me, to myself, so how about all these yard sale people.

I've noticed a lot of old houses get taken over by renters or poor family members. I'm going to buy a carton of cigarettes, some Mountain Dew, and some candy and wait till the latter end of the month and offer a choice of a free gift to metal detect. Cigarettes will only be one pack and two if I find anything. I know everyone loves Mountain Dew because I used to own a vending machine and couldn't keep it stocked. Diet Pepsi...forget it. It could be offensive to offer diet Pepsi.

Oh, the yard sale lady, I told her jokingly that if she said yes, I'd be her friend, LOL. I guess she has enough friends. I sure don't or I'd have more places to detect.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Caffeine and nicotine, ya know i think that might just work..personally if i had a choice between mountain dew and clam juice i would rather have clam juice but thats just me.. i have considered offering to mow people's lawns for the privilege of detecting it upon completion but ive never acted on it yet.. some say a business card with your name and number on it helps as it gives people time to think it over before giving permission. . nobody like feeling like they're being put on the spot , like they need to make an immediate decision. .. good luck...

 

[Tom Slick]

Folks seem to have an immediate "No" response to questions so it's often better to ask "would you have any objection to letting me detect your property? Then offer the cigs and Dew.

 

[grantham]

I had one guy tell me that if I found any coins, jewelry or anything valuable it was his. I thought to myself...."ooh man, I get to keep all the nails, foil, tabs? Where do I sign?"

I like the business card idea and if it helps buy even one more second of consideration in my favor then 500 for less than $10 might be worth it.

 

[Elton]

So if their poor,or rent, they smoke, drink mountain dew, and like candy.... Hahahahhahahhah What a brilliant idea...

Hi I will give you a pack of cigarettes if you let me detect..and two if I find anything.. I don't know.I guess in some instances it could work..keep us posted...

Hi I will give you some candy if you let me detect .....lol or a mountain dew ..Sorry no diet pepsi.........
It's not the items you want to offer that troubles me..it's how you view the people living in the houses that bothers me... That said I guess we all form opinions about people .....I wish you luck...

[size=x-large]You know I am just teasing you a little here..as I am almost positive your post was a joke ..................[/size]

 

[still looking 52]

Sometimes you can just drive around an area and look for people mowing commercial property like churches and ask if you can metal hunt and sometimes they'll said as far as I'm concerned I don't mind but I don't own the property. We'll, that's more of a "Yes" than a " No".

 

[pplinker]

My post wasn't a joke, Elton. Everybody has something they like. I phrase it as a choice of a free gift.

So today I stocked up on free gifts. First house, nobody home. Second house nobody home but I talked to someone mowing the lawn and he didn't think the homeowner would want anyone in her yard because she is fussy. Third place is up for sale and is a historical house. Lady came to door with a cigarette in her mouth and she has a deep smokers voice. First she said there's a lot of slate in the ground then she said she's done a lot of landscaping. I said well you're going to sell it so it wouldn't hurt to get anything out of the ground and we could split it.. I did offer a pack of Marlboros since she is a smoker, but she wasn't interested. Definitely no. I probably messed up by not complementing her on the landscaping. I'm not much of a salesperson.

Next place I went is small, and never kept up very good. Guy answered the door and I asked if he is the homeowner. yes. Asked if I could metal detect and told him I always give a free gift. He said no he doesn't want anything, go ahead, just don't dig any big holes. So I detected awhile but only found three 60's/seventies pennies. Left him a 12 pack of Mountain Dew anyway.

How I view the people living in rental houses or poor people is that poor people are often nicer than rich people....just like this guy was But offering a giant candy bar which cost two dollars or offering two dollars cash, the candy bar is best because it is a nice treat for anyone, and is better than saying ill give you two dollars if you let me detect your yard. As far as the cigarettes. I live close to a guy who is constantly bumming cigarettes from everybody. When he comes to my house I give him enough small jobs to equal about a half hours' work and then drive him to the store. More trouble for me than it's worth but I try to provide him the dignity of earning it. Sadly, he doesn't own an old house.

I remember a couple times needing assistance, like being broken down and needing to use a phone. Seemingly poorer people will more likely say yes and invite you right into their homes, whereas rich people often meet you with suspicion. So yes, I see what you're saying about me thinking poor people can be bought with nicotine, caffine, or sugar, and you're correct, I had some wrong thinking in that way. But the way I'm thinking of it now is that if someone lets me detect I want to give them a small gift of appreciation.

 

[marcomo]

There are a lot of different ways to obtain permissions for private property, so I'm not going to knock anybody else's way of doing it. If you have a certain technique works for you, stick with it regardless of if it works for orhers.

My opinion, though, is that offering gifts is counterproductive for obtaining permissions.

Human nature being what it is, if you offer someone a gift to detect their property, their most likely thought is why are they offering me this to detect here? Must be that they are expecting to find valuables on my property. If you feel compelled to give, offering to split finds is a much more compelling hook.

I've found what works best for me is what you would expect. Act natural, friendly and non-threatening when you ask. If you act nervous, you might as well forget about getting permission. The answer will almost always be no.

Common sense is important, too. That perfectly manicured and landscaped yard indicates homeowner(s) who are anal about their yard. Your odds of getting a yes go way down here. Not to mention a probable faster soil sink rate. Move on. Emphasize the fun aspect of your hobby, de-emphasize the treasure aspect.

Business cards advertising you as a detectorist are a good idea, but an even better idea is to offer a business card for your actual job if you have one. Some folks are not going to let you detect no matter what. But for many, the biggest reason for a rejection is safety...and not being comfortable with you. Having a business card from a legitimate business goes a long way towards alleviating those concerns. I also have the advantage of not only having a business card but also having a truck with my business name and my mobile phone number on three sides of the truck.

Having a cheap easy to use detector (Compadre, Eurotek, etc.) available for the use of someone in the homeowner family will also help sometimes.

Most importantly, when you are detecting a property a neighbor (or neighborhood kid) will often talk to you or show an interest in what you are doing, be friendly and open. The best and easiest way to get permissions is from the neighbors of a permission granter. Unless I'm given reason to think otherwise, I always consider the curious a potential resource rather than a nuisance.

 

[pplinker]

Folks seem to have an immediate "No" response to questions so it's often better to ask "would you have any objection to letting me detect your property? Then offer the cigs and Dew.

Now that really is "slick!"

 

[pplinker]

Caffeine and nicotine, ya know i think that might just work..personally if i had a choice between mountain dew and clam juice i would rather have clam juice but thats just me.. ..

clam juice?uke:

Mowing someone's yard is a good idea if it'd have to be mowed to detect anyway.

 

[Mega]

This is a interesting thread albeit its not really applicable to me as i live across the pond in the UK,we mainly hunt farmland etc and not as such private dwellings unless of course its really old.

One thing that i am not sure about is that is this comment 'I've noticed a lot of old houses get taken over by renters or poor family members.' surely the folks who rent the house dont have the right too offer permission to detect the land that is attached to the property ?? in the UK 'tenant farmers' although they may have farmed the land for generations and although they possibly dont have a problem saying yes for detectorist on the land etc,the ulimate decision is not the tenant farmer but the land owner !! this is a massive difference,of course if the Landowner who may not necessary be a farmer gives the 'green' light and also the tenant farmer agrees then its all systems go.

Also if a farmer/landowner who actually owns the land says 'yes' then that is also fine,i do have access to a reasonable large acreage of private property and i show the land owner everything if they are interested,most are not interested unless its a hoard etc,all this farm land is agreed on a gentleman's handshake and for the most part a decent bottle of scotch and a nice box of chocolates at christmas it basically all it takes for another 12 months detecting on the land,some require a written agreement,but although that is never a issue,i cannot recall when i had a active one as most folks dont like paperwork or anything like,a handshake is basically all that is required.

A drink of pop and cigs are a novel idea,as long as it works then carry on using this method,still cannot beat the face to face method,once a land owner has gained trust in you and you are seen as a responsible person and respects his land etc then more than often farmers/landowners always talk to one another and this can then unlock more local farms etc,word of mouth in my mind is still one of the most powerful ways too gain extra detecting permissions,gaining the initial land is always the hardest but it does get alot easier.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Caffeine and nicotine, ya know i think that might just work..personally if i had a choice between mountain dew and clam juice i would rather have clam juice but thats just me.. ..

clam juice?uke: just trying hint how much i dont like mountain dew lol..it's a reference to something i saw on an episode of the Simpsons

Mowing someone's yard is a good idea if it'd have to be mowed to detect anyway.

 

[mrwilburino]

One thing that i am not sure about is that is this comment 'I've noticed a lot of old houses get taken over by renters or poor family members.' surely the folks who rent the house dont have the right too offer permission to detect the land that is attached to the property ?? in the UK 'tenant farmers' although they may have farmed the land for generations and although they possibly dont have a problem saying yes for detectorist on the land etc,the ulimate decision is not the tenant farmer but the land owner !!

In the US there are those who feel that a "yes" from anyone (contractor, landscaper, mailman, pizza delivery boy) is fair game as long as they're on the property at the time permission was asked.

 

[Elton]

HAHAHAHA Man that is the truth Mr. Wilburino..Even if the dog Barks some take that as a yes ...........

 

[pplinker]

Some landowners let their property go downhill and don't want to spend a dime to fix anything so they take advantage of desperate people to rent the property. I don't feel sorry or obligated to landlords like that. If a person is paying rent, the property should be theirs as long as the rent is paid. Imagine the people living there, if they had a metal detector, you think they might not go out in the yard and play with it or would they call up Mr Landlord and ask permission? You think if they found a quarter laying in the drive way they would consider it to be the landlords? It's not like you're digging up gold. Even an old coin, dug out of the ground is worth very little, except to the person who finds it.

I'm going to do what I'm going to do with a clear conscience and from now on won't share it on this forum which is pretty dead sometimes.

 

[marcomo]

The law says if you don't have property owner permission for private property, you don't have permission.

If your moral compass points in a different direction, keep in mind that not everyone lurking on this forum is necessarily friendly to our hobby.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Lets reverse the situation...someone knocks on your door and asks to detect your yard...what would you do???
Abandoned properties, farmland , parks, public places etc. I will ask..... private yards tough situation...

 

[John-Edmonton]

I like your idea of using a "gift" as a means of obtaining permission, I just am not sure about the cigarettes and caffeinated Mountain Dew. Lots of people don't smoke these days, and being offered some free cigarettes is a bit of an insult to someone these days knowingly what the smoking hazards are, and probably having had someone die from a cancer related death.Maybe I am too biased as I have been a Registered Nurse for 27 years,I don't know?

Perhaps a %-off coupon or free gallon of gas might be more neutral.

I have only asked for permission a couple of times, and offered to let them also join me detecting with a spare unit, giving them too the opportunity to detect and also getting a free lesson at the same time.

And if they want to keep the treasures I dig, that's fine by me. To me it's the hunt that gives me the satisfaction. I can always take a pick of the finds and post them on a forum and refer them as being returned to the owner.

 

[John-Edmonton]

n/t

 

[pplinker]

Yeah, the cigarettes are bad. Mt Dew is bad. Candy is bad. Maybe a nice Confederate flag tee shirt......NO, NO, NO, just kidding! My plan was bad.

Seriously posting this was wrong on my part, I apologize for any wrong thinking or disrespect to any group of people or to the hobby.