I wanted to take out my red pen and grade the offer...

Our state commission has started cracking down on in-complete contracts. Yet to this day, agents send offers like the one you describe.

The first ones i ever did told everyone clearly how much I knew about paperwork in just one word...NOTHING

Inexperienced or first time buyers unfortunately don't know the offer is poorly written...yicks !

There's no other reaction to have to this but laugh, since you know the rest of the process will only get worse! You only get one chance to make a first impression - looks like they never impressed. 

I would say, "Let's try this again. Come back when you have the contract filled out professionally."

There's something very rude and unprofessional about sending over a legal binding document with spelling errors and half filled out portions.  Makes no sense.  

Busy does not mean much.  I was butched by a "busy" orthopedic surgeon in 2008 and my life was altered tremendously. If the offer you got was not completed, perhaps these missed checks in boxes worked out in your client's favor?  

It just floors me when I come across these offers.  Ok, to be expected if a new agent, but a seasoned agent has no excuse. 

SOOOO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!! Please forgive two things - the length of this comment and the inclusion of links - they are not personal - they go to sites offering writing/spelling tips.

I have been teased about my reliance on "proper" English on AR - lovingly I always hope! I like "its location" not to be "it's" - a mis-use of an apostrophe; I like "their offer" not "there"; I like "cite a quotation" not "site it"; the right usage of accept/except;  assure/ensure/insure; forego/forgo; and, passed/past etc.

The same experience in reverse: Freddie Mac Listing Agent --- HORRIBLE presentation and organization of Special Stipulations - words spelled wrong; Stip's #1 and #14 are interdependent so why not present as #1 and #2?: HELLO FOLKS --- the plural of ADDENDUM is ADDENDA --- it is NOT "Addendums".

Again, a very active agent - REMARKS stated that the condo had "a wonderful view of" a DIFFERENT STREET two long city blocks away. You certainly cannot see any of the street from this condo!! It does have a GREAT view of the street it is facing and that's a plus for our Client!

Thanks for letting me get this off my mind -- in general, I try NEVER to complain about other professionals - we are all way too busy - for way too many hours a day. BUT THERE ARE LIMITS!!!!!!!!!!!!! And many of the other details cited in your post apply to my current interaction as well.

Have a happy day -
Lynn

I've seen a few offers like this written by agents who do a LOT of business. Obviously, their skillset does not include contract management.

I have graded these F offers many times by going over it line by line with the buyer agent at their convenience. Most times it is taken with the right intention. Careful with your tone.

My dialogue goes something like this:  ''I want to make sure that I am presenting your offer correctly. May I ask you a few questions just for my benefit? Did you mean for any of the dates to correspond?  Are you aware that this settlement date falls on a Sunday. I am missing the EMD, what page was it?  How many days did you want for that home inspection? The loan approval date comes after the settlement date...bet you were looking at another month."  

I am working for the seller to get the proper offer presented even if it means having the agent re write the entire offer. 

Andrea Bedard  Thanks for the mention.

The good news is that you got an offer (and in this case, multiple!), sure hope the all the players involved in the one that was ratified are as on top of the game of real estate as you are!  Congrats on the feature! Well-deserved!

I think we all make mistakes on occasion, but one after another on the same offer is just careless and/or stupid.

Good morning Andrea. Several years ago I had one of these and did mark it up and send it back. It was a newer agent but there are no excuses,

Perhaps the agent is so busy they don't have time to fill in all of the required blanks.  HA no excuses!

Andrea Swiedler one needs to proof-read before an offer is sent! Or may be, some agents believe that price is the only thing that sellers care....lol!

Loved this post and indeed we all have been there if we have been around a while...loved Margaret Rome, Baltimore Maryland  delivery I must take lessons;), Endre

I recently closed a transaction where the agent printed the documents and filled in the blanks with illegible scrawl that included random afterthoughts.  

Prior to acceptance, the agent called my broker and complained that I'd told him his offer was accepted (not true) and that he was shocked to learn there was not an acceptance.  

He knew we were reviewing multiple offers at that time.  I don't know if he was trying to manipulate the situation or if he was just being stupid. 

Andrea - I often wonder how some of the agents I know are so successful. I think that I am doing all the right things, yet I see others doing it all wrong, and they are killing it.