What's Happening In The Forum
Our community forum is a great place to share opinions and find answers to your real estate questions. Here's a sampling of recent conversations.
Real Estate Agent From H-E-double-L
".....agent lied, cheated, everything that happened was somebody's fault. She was blameless and she refused to take responsibility for anything that happened during this nightmare......The warning signs were there from the beginning but I refused to see them....Day of the settlement comes. I moved out of the house, place my belongings in storage, quit my job since I was moving, disconnect utilities and wait for the walk through just one hour before the settlement....The agent comes to the walk through (one hour before the settlement) tells me there is no settlement the people did not get the loan....She also told me that I cannot get the escrow money because I could not sell my house if I ask for the money. Moreover, she told me that I should not be heartless and ask for the money since these poor people do not have any money......." -JUDITHBLASSE
Read all of this message in the forum
Family Room Built Without Permit
"The single house we are considering buying has a (little?) problem: the family room was built WITHOUT a city permit! We learned that there could be problem with fire insurance. What other consequences we might face if we become new owners?" -TIMYOUNG888
Offer advice to this home buyer
How Much Money Should Go Into Escrow?
"I just made an offer that was accepted in New York and now we are working on the escrow instructions...$210,000, 10% down no trouble qualifying for the loan. The seller wants the total down, $21,000, in escrow. I feel that is too much, and I remember my folks putting just a couple of thousand dollars in escrow for their home and came up with the rest of the down before escrow, but that was in California. Is it normal to put the whole down payment into escrow? Isn't that too much money to risk in case the escrow doesn't go through? I would be worried about the deposit getting tied up. " -2RUBES
Buyer Has Disclosure Dilemma
"The results of a home inspection revealed that, among other things, there is a gas leak in the basement coming from the furnace pipes. I was told by my realtor that the sellers will probably not agree to ANY repairs, including fixing the gas leak....My dilemma--there are currently residing in the home a man and two children, relatives of the seller. I know that the man uses power tools just inches from the spot where the leak was discovered. Even if his aunt will not fix it, I feel I have a moral obligation to inform the man. Should I?" -FLAMEWORKER
Who Gets the Earnest Money?
"....My husband and I listed our house for $239,000. The buyers made an offer of $225,000 and we accepted. My lawyer drew up a legal binding contract, with the contingency that the $225.000 would be based on the buyer securing a mortgage of $200,000. The buyers signed the contract putting $10,000 down. The buyer's bank appraised the house for $210,000. The buyer called and asked if we were willing to accept the $210,000. We told them that all correspondence should be done though our lawyer. I then call my lawyer and he said that so for he'd not received the appraisal report from the buyer's lawyer and based on the contingency clause, you will get $225,000. My husband and I would consider $220,000 and no less...if the buyer does not offer to pay the difference of $15,000, and does not accept our offer of $220,000 will they lose the $10,000 and if so, who gets it?" -ECMCAIN
What would you tell this seller?
How About Home Staging
"We are getting our home ready to go on the market in September. I have been doing a ton of reading and have come across articles about "staging." One of the suggestions is to remove family photographs so the buyers can imagine their pictures in the home...Okay - if I do that, there won't be any pictures on the walls! Any suggestions?" -JO5329
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