Special offer

But It Was A Wedding Present!!!

By
Real Estate Agent with Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Irvine REALTOR

Just when you thought you had heard it all, along comes a new one.

I met with one of my buyers today for a final walk through, and for the most part, the house was in pretty good shape... except for the stove... which wasn't there anymore?

My first thought, and please don't judge me for saying this, was that it was sold to make some extra cash. The transaction in question is a Short Sale, and my understanding is that the sellers had a real financial hardship. Moving isn't cheap, so maybe they sold a few things to pay for the movers... BUT THE OVEN??

I contacted the listing broker, who seemed just as upset as I was. He looked into it quickly, and I have no complaint about how he handled it today. How this will end... well, I guess I'll have to revise this blog in a few days. In the meantime, back to the show!!!!

So yes, the sellers did take the oven, but NO, they did not sell it. In fact, they would never sell it... to anyone... because IT WAS A WEDDING PRESENT!

Some of you are wondering to yourself, "Are you serious"?
"Yes, I am", said me. I'm serious. They took the stove because it was a wedding present, really.

I've had plenty of time to think about this today, and I'm not sure which is worse, the fact that the sellers took it because it was a wedding present, or the fact that a stove was a wedding present (just kidding, relax! That was inserted for "humor" people).

So now, the seller is going to replace the stove with a new, similar stove. Again, not kidding. This doesn't seem to make much sense either! Just leave the old, used stove, and buy yourselves a new one! Right?

And for those of you who read these looking for a technicality you can complain about (yes, you know who you are), the stove was clearly identified in the contract as transferring with the house... so there!

If I'm wrong, go ahead, tell me I'm wrong. But man... is today over yet?

 

*** UPDATE ***

Okay, I've gotten tons of emails asking me how this actually ended, so here it is... ready?... okay...GO!

The sellers ended up giving a $650.00 credit toward a new stove! Now I'm not going to say there wasn't a little negotiating going on behind the scenes, and once again, I have to credit the listing agent on honoring his side of the bargain while dealing with some "unique" (aagh hemm) sellers. My buyer was incredibly patient, and this whole thing proves... once again... that when we all work together, even the toughest, strangest, silliest, most outlandish deals can still be closed, even when it seems like all hope is lost! Never give up.

Remember that my fellow agents as we role into 2011 :-)     Happy New Year!

 

Posted by

Rob Magnotta ~ http://www.servinghuntingtonbeach.com

714.330.9558 direct

Huntington Beach Short Sale Specialist Huntington Harbour Homes     Huntington Beach Short Sale Specialist Huntington Harbour Homes     Huntington Beach Short Sale Specialist Huntington Harbour Homes     Huntington Beach Short Sale Specialist Huntington Harbour Homes     Huntington Beach Short Sale Specialist Huntington Harbour Homes     Huntington Beach Short Sale Agent & Huntington Harbour Homes Top Realtor                      Green Realtor Orange County Homes Green Real Estate Agent     Huntington Beach REO Broker Orange County Homes REO Top Agent     Huntington Beach REO Broker Orange County Homes REO Top Agent

Comments(104)

Anna Tolstoy
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Natick, MA

Well, at least the buyers will get new stove, instead of a used one. 

It's sometimes hard to part with things, and sentimental value might come before actual monetary value, usability, and even common sense. 

It might help to take a picture - say, cook a nice meal on that stove, and take a picture, with sellers next to it (or without them). That way, even when the stove is long gone to its stove heaven, sellers could have "documented memories"...

Hope it all works out for everybody!

Dec 01, 2010 10:42 AM
Michael Simcock
Coldwell Banker (Elk Grove, CA) - Elk Grove, CA
Elk Grove, CA Realtor 916 425-1084

Emotion will cause people to do funny things. Would have been easier if they had taken it out prior to going on the market or excluding it in the contract.

Sounds like everyone wins on this one.

 

Dec 01, 2010 11:04 AM
Eric Michael
Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI - Livonia, MI
Metro Detroit Real Estate Professional 734.564.1519

I bought a dishwasher for an exgirlfriend a lot of years ago for sweetest day. I learned a Lot that day. Gifts like that should stay with the house. A puppy or a watch, take them with you. Ceiling fan or fridge? Leave them there.

Dec 01, 2010 11:05 AM
Patricia Aulson
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate - Exeter, NH
Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes

Some people do the damnedest things don't they!  The sentiment attached to a wedding present does exist and I too have seen people act nutty over things.  Not much you can do by try to negotiate a peace offering, so to speak.!! Oh boy...ain't being a Realtor grand!

Patricia/Seacoast NH & ME

Dec 01, 2010 12:00 PM
Tamara Inzunza
Realty One Group Capital - Alexandria, VA
Close-In Alexandria and Arlington Living

Well, at least this way you'll have a funny, but 'lesson learned' experience to share with your future buyers....things that can happen with a short sale...or for any sale really.  I had sellers take the washer/dryer and all of the celing fans.  Sold them for cash, yep a short sale.  Gotta love this job.

Dec 01, 2010 12:52 PM
Rodney Mason, VP of Mtg Lending
Guaranteed Rate NMLS# 2611 - Atlanta, GA
AL,AR,AZ,CA,CO,FL,GA,IN,MI,MS,NC,NV,SC,TN,TX,VA,WA

A stove definitely goes on the unusual wedding gift list.  That part is strange enough in itself.  Why they included it in the property disclosure if they never intended to leave it is a little suspect.

Dec 01, 2010 01:21 PM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy

As long as the replacement is agreeable to the buyers, I would call it good.  Bad move on the part of the sellers, but not fatal...

Dec 01, 2010 01:49 PM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

I have learned to ask what appliance will stay in a house, in spite of what the listing agreement, contract, or other written materials say.  The truth is always stranger than fiction!

Dec 01, 2010 02:57 PM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Wow, can't believe this one. It's a short sale but they take the old stove and then pay for a new one? Sounds crazy to me.

Dec 01, 2010 03:54 PM
Vickie McCartney
Maverick Realty - Owensboro, KY
Broker, Real Estate Agent Owensboro KY
Hi Rob~ You just never know what can happen to complicate a deal! I have had a porch swing become an issue because it was a gift!
Dec 01, 2010 04:06 PM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Rob, An interesting story. I am afraid these situations are ever more frequent with the increased SS transactions. And many don't have this good of an outcome,:-)

Dec 01, 2010 04:07 PM
Roland Woodworth
Blue Cord Realty - Clarksville, TN
Blue Cord Realty

Simply amazing is all I can really think at this moment. What were they really thinking here.. or were they ?  Maybe they didn't think anyone would notice

Dec 01, 2010 04:57 PM
CA COASTAL ESTATES Lauren Selinsky Perez CRS
California Coastal Estates - Aliso Viejo, CA
"Your Real Estate Broker" #oclauren

Classic Rob! Absolutely love it! Only in the OC ;) right??? Ha!

Dec 01, 2010 07:31 PM
Jason Burkholder
Weichert, Realtors - Welcome Home - Lancaster, PA
Associate Broker, Realtor, e-Pro, CMS

Thats funny!  I learned in the beginning that there are 3 functioning things required by appraisal standards for a home to be considered "habitable" :  running water, a stove and a heat source. 

Dec 02, 2010 12:59 AM
Toula Rosebrock
Diane Turton, Realtors, Forked River, NJ - Lacey Township, NJ
Broker/Sales Associate, Realtor, Lacey Township,

Hi Rob:

A stove for a wedding present? 

Unreal that someone actually took a stove, they should have made mention of it to their realtor however.

Dec 03, 2010 02:11 PM
Maya Thomas, Broker
Tampa, FL
Please see my client recommendations.
Love the way you wrote this. Got a few good laughs and you brought back some funny memories!
Dec 08, 2010 03:03 PM
Dawn A Fabiszak
Private Label Realty ( Denver metro area, Colorado - Aurora, CO
The Dawn of a New Real Estate Experience!

Rob ~ I had the sellers refuse to include their refrigerator in the transaction, because it was a wedding present!

Dec 18, 2010 01:58 PM
Renée Donohue~Home Photography
Savvy Home Pix - Allegan, MI
Western Michigan Real Estate Photographer

WOW, getting closer every day to being able to say I have seen or heard it all!

Dec 19, 2010 04:59 AM
Chris "The Loan Ranger" McBrearty, NMLS 274079
Fairway Independent Mortgage, DBO/CRMLA #41DBO-78367, NMLS #2289 - Rancho Bernardo, CA
FHA, VA, USDA, Loan Officer and Educator

"""And for those of you who read these looking for a technicality you can complain about (yes, you know who you are), the stove was clearly identified in the contract as transferring with the house... so there!"""

 

BWAHAHAHHAHA! Yes, they do know who they are! lol!!!!

Feb 28, 2011 08:49 AM
Rob Magnotta
Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Irvine REALTOR - Huntington Beach, CA
Huntington Beach & Newport Beach Coastal Specialist

Chris - Thanks for appreciating the humor and not looking for something to quip about! :-)

Feb 28, 2011 08:55 AM