Yep, I’m going to have to rant about this one. Recent sales and cavalier attitudes about seller responsibilities and accountability.

In this buyer’s market, buyers are in the car for days weeding through over priced homes or abandoned and neglected homes. Most of the homes moving in this market are “priced right” and show well, so that cuts out about two thirds of the inventory. Depending on the price point, those homes under $300,000 have recently been receiving multiple offers where the buyers then have to step up their game and come to the table to secure the property they’ve been search for, or they risk the chance of losing the home only to be back on the road searching again.

So, they bid on the home and secure the property. Then comes the fun part, well perhaps there’s a little sarcasm in my tone. The home inspection, the buyer has a home inspection and if they are reasonable in their request, often times sellers are cooperative. When repairs are requested, especially with specialty items or trade related systems,  Buyers Agents (advocates for the buyer), ask that those systems or items be serviced, repaired or replaced by a licensed and insured contractor to ensure the item is properly restored, repaired or replaced. Typically, the seller supplies receipts for such work to their listing agent who in turn supplies the buyer’s agent and buyer with copies to confirm the work was completed properly.

Well, here starts the ranting…. A while back, I walked into a walk through with my buyer client to confirm that the home was in “substantially” the same condition it was when the offer was made, and that the repair items requested were completed in accordance with the contract. We walk in to find it filthy, curtain hardware and blinds laying on the floor in several rooms, MOLD in the refrigerator and as we begin our walk through we realize that the work agreed to as a result of the home inspection has NOT been done, none of it! Of course, we call the listing agent who has no idea, the seller said they did it and I guess the agent never re-visited the house?  Quite frankly, I don’t understand this at all. Long story short, we spend hours at the property waiting for the seller and listing agent to show up, at which point the seller blames the listing agent for not giving them a complete list of repairs and the listing agent says they did. Whatever the case, a little follow up on the listing agent’s behalf would have avoided this situation completely. Thankfully, the seller was more than willing to honor the contract and take care of the issues right away.

Another one, is where the seller client agreed to repairs by a licensed and insured contractor for the particular system issues addressed in the home inspection. Upon arrival at walk through, there are no receipts from contractors and some of the work (per the seller) was not necessary. We insist they honor the contract and have licensed and insured contractors come in to evaluate the items repaired and repair/replace those items in need of repair. Many of the items required repairs and the seller was more than willing to correct. Here is a case where the seller had almost 2 months of lead time to address the repair items but chose not to. In my opinion, this is a clear case of “lack of planning on your part, does not constitute a crisis on mine” (or my buyer client). The worst part of this scenario is that this created a lot of stress for a buyer who fulfilled their obligation to the contract, but is now being punished.

Sellers, first if you mutually agree to make repairs and don’t perform those repairs, you are in breech of the contract. This cavalier attitude that because the buyer got a great buy that you don’t have to honor your word is a dangerous stance legally.  This market really is a painful price war and a beauty contest. Try to remember, that once you sell your home, if you intend to buy, you will expect consideration from the other side so the saying “do unto others…” might be something to think about. Okay, I got it out of my system… Happy selling.