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Aren't Sellers most creative people while selling their homes?

By
Real Estate Agent with Samson Properties VA0225077251
Qualified first time home buyer, regular seller selling, home inspection was a breeze, radon & termite all good, excellent lender had everything lined up prior to closing. Just waiting for d-day to arrive. Wow!!! that is a dream come true transaction. Well I might have jinxed it .....

A day before our closing during the final walk through my easy transaction became a night mare transaction:

Our very friendly Mr. & Mrs. Sellers thought it would be cheaper to take up the task of the home inspection to do list on their shoulder. With the confidence of sure to beat the best handyman in the town lead to a stress full and more expensive to my dear sellers.

The list of fairly simple to:
Repair /replace shower stall loose & broken tiles with similar new ones: My buyers had requested to have the problem corrected with new similar tiles by a professional receipt provided. Seller felt it was a fairly easy task to install the new tiles. The problem they bought more trendy and fancy tiles (found on sale) than the rest of the shower stall wall had. There assumption was this would stand out and make a bold contrast. It ends up looking gaudy, unprofessional & a patch up shower. This became a huge point of discussion on the closing table. Seller ends up crediting more money to have the problem corrected later by my buyers.

Repair or Replace the back door lock
: Minor problem to replace and have it realigned so the back door would lock properly. Again sellers thought it was so easy for their handy skills. They did replace the lock but every time you have to lock you have to lift the door up to have it latched to close. My concern if a child is locked in how he/she is going to open the door?

Consider this post as sarcastic or a sense of humor. The time & money these folks might have spend to correct the problem was more than a handy man would have taken and cost. If you are not sure talk to your Realtor and run by them before assuming.
Posted by

 
                             
Associate Broker
MRP, ABR, ePRO

NVAR, Life Time Top Producer
NVAR,Multiple Million Dollar Sales Club Member
Samson Properties
Cell - 703-625-4949
Email - info@eNOVAHomes.com
Web: www.eNOVAHOMES.com
 
Residential real estate agent serving Northern Virginia in Fairfax & Loudoun county over a decade and almost $100+M in sales volume experience. 


 

Comments (11)

Larry Story ALC
Total Care Realty - Greensboro, NC
Beneath it all is the Land, Covering all of NC

Ritu,

This tale goes right along with one of my posts from last week about smooth closings and the lack thereof.  You sounded like you almost had one but at least you got it closed.  Congratulations and now you can move on to the next one. 

Aug 23, 2010 02:58 AM
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

that's a lesson learned....we always hire a handyman and produce a paid receipt at closing for all repairs.

Aug 23, 2010 03:03 AM
Fred Hookham
Keller Williams - Milton, WI

Your post reminds me of one of my favorite contractors. His quote is "My rates double when repairing what you tried to repair, under the deadline that you thought you'd have it finished by.....Call me first, not last."

Aug 23, 2010 03:03 AM
Mike Saunders
Retired - Athens, GA

That's why a detailed and specific addendum to address concerns found in inspection is important, as well as a detailed pre-closing walkthrough. Hope you got it corrected and closed finally!

Aug 23, 2010 04:35 AM
Doug Rogers
RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals - Alexandria, LA
Your Real Estate Resource!

Such cheapness almost always costs the seller more in the end.

Aug 23, 2010 05:05 AM
Ritu Desai 703-625-4949
Samson Properties - Chantilly, VA
Northern Virginia,Washington DC & Maryland Realtor

Greensboro, I did move on after that transaction. My buyers were bit disappointed and left concerned what else owner might have tried to fix after the home inspection...

Aug 23, 2010 07:24 AM
Ritu Desai 703-625-4949
Samson Properties - Chantilly, VA
Northern Virginia,Washington DC & Maryland Realtor

Barbara, I agree and that was requested on the addendum. That's why they end up crediting my buyers for being cheap and cutting corners.

Aug 23, 2010 07:24 AM
Ritu Desai 703-625-4949
Samson Properties - Chantilly, VA
Northern Virginia,Washington DC & Maryland Realtor

Fred, I am sure my clients will end up buying quite a lot to undo and repair those items. It felt me and my clients quite frustrated because they wanted to start living their lives rather than deal with the contractors.

 

Aug 23, 2010 07:26 AM
Ritu Desai 703-625-4949
Samson Properties - Chantilly, VA
Northern Virginia,Washington DC & Maryland Realtor

Mike I agree details in what we write changes the nature of all transactions. Our home inspection items clearly stated it had to be repaired by licensed contractors with receipt provided.

Aug 23, 2010 07:28 AM
Ritu Desai 703-625-4949
Samson Properties - Chantilly, VA
Northern Virginia,Washington DC & Maryland Realtor

Doug, my head was shaking with disbelief how cheap a person can go ... I think seller thought they could get back these things. Wish they had spoken to their Realtor before making these choices.

Aug 23, 2010 07:29 AM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

It is difficult when there short-cuts taken.    I always have a respectable handyman do repairs and produce receipts also.

Aug 25, 2010 01:54 AM