Geez, what a dick. Offered 10% of something that wasn't even his, and he'd rather ruin a friendship to get more. :rolleyes:

I agree it belongs to the homeowner. Possibly some claim by the decendents of the former owner but not the contractor.

If the house was sold, descendants would have a very hard time making any claim on it.

No, because the house was sold with the money in it, and the sellers showed no signs of coming back to retrieve the money, so it will probably be assumed to have been abandoned or sold with the property (though personal property sold with a house really ought to have a separate bill of sale, so probably more like abandoned).

But seriously, the guy was lucky to be offered a 10% finders fee. That was very generous of the homeowner, and probably offered because of their friendship.

Thank you guys for your views!

And, thanks, Morri, for your insight on this. It sounds like it is clear cut, could that be different in Ohio? Different real estate laws? If not, what court would accept the case and waste time and money? For the publicity?
For the $$?? They should have shut the guy down right away. Now, this money will be put on hold, right, no way for the owner to sell any of it? I doubt if she would want to have it appraised....

And, the name does sound very familiar...is that the name of a paint or paint company?

That is true about the hiding it.

Ah, yeah, I guess not. In my head I am seeing it as Dunne.....Dah!

Money changes people. Totally.
My grandfather died leaving a safe with my grandmother. No one knows the combination but one of my aunts. But it's not hers to open. She won't tell my grandmother what the combination is. They're fighting and my aunts and her sisters are fighting. All for what may or may not be in this safe.
People are freakin' nutz.

The butler did it.