I agree. Mine states on the bottom I am a Army veteran and that helps. I usually don't even ask when there is one of those near perfect lawns that pretty much says the owner is a perfectionists. Not much chance getting a permission for those type of homes in my experience. But find some lawns where there are some weeds and bare spots where the owner is not a particular about their law, your permission chances increase.
I agree with the nice lawns thing, but there is a caveat to that. Tell them that you'd love to detect their lawn, but it is so beautifully manicured, it is too perfect to disturb, but that if they ever mess with some gardening, that you would love an opportunity to see what you can find there, since their home site is likely to be historically significant for stuff. You might be able to work it by degrees because these folks enjoy their gardening but also are interested in history and their property's place in it.
Good idea. In one area in metro Atlanta where a home was smack dab in the middle of a large final Civil War battle, a homeowner gardner dug up a civil war pistol in his garden.
