Special offer

The stress of non-disclosure is finally put to rest!!!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC BK607690

I'm stressed!!!!Hi folks. I posted an article last year titled "Sally's Eyes Will Make a Grown Man Cry", if you haven't read it please take a minute to do so as it was a powerful post. This post is a follow up. 

When I listed Sally's house, the biggest issue, was whether or not to disclose the murder/suicide of her parents. Since this is not something we are required by law to disclose we decided not to. The reason we decided not to disclose was simple, all that the parents, of Sally and her two sisters, had left them was the equity in the house. My job, as their family's long time REALTOR® and friend, was to get as much as I could for the house. 

Having this house listed was very stressful. But what can you do? These girls really needed to sell and they had already been through enough. The fact that their parents had died in the house was a matter of public records. It had been on the news and in the papers. It was a known event. 

Every time there was a showing I would worry about the neighbors running out to tell the potential Buyers all about what had happened in the house. I was not at all comfortable with "the secret" that I had but I had to keep it. Unless I was asked......I wasn't talking. 

Anyway, after several months, many showings and no incidents, a Buyer was found!!! Thankfully they were working with their own agent. A deal was negotiated and we moved towards closing. 

The transaction was very smooth and it closed with no issues. The Sellers and I never met the Buyer. 

For months, after this closing, I kept waiting on the dreaded phone call, from the Buyer or their agent, reaming me out for keeping "the secret". I just knew the Buyer would find out from a neighbor and my reputation in Poinciana would be ruined. Their Attorney would sue me for "emotional duress" and I'd lose my business. But fortunately.....these things didn't happen. 

It's been a little more than two years now and I haven't heard a peep.......until today!!!!! 

It seems the Buyers of this property were part of "one of the largest marijuana grow house operations in the history of Osceola County". YIKES!!!!

I guess I should have disclosed to the neighbors....who....was buying the house. Go figure!

Posted by

 

Join Our Facebook Fan Page Check Us Out On Google+ Follow Us On Twitter

 

***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.

The BIO for Bryant Tutas

 

 Tutas Towne Realty, Inc handles Florida real estate sales, Florida short sales, Florida strategic short sales, Florida pre-foreclosure sales, Florida foreclosures in Kissimmee Florida Short Sales, Davenport Florida Short Sales, Haines City Florida Short Sales, Poinciana Florida Short Sales, Solivita Florida Short Sales,  Orlando Florida Short Sales, Celebration Florida Short Sales, Windermere Florida Short Sales. Serving all of Polk, Osceola and Orange Counties Florida. Florida Short Sale Broker. Short Sale Florida.

 Copyright © 2017 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Comments(41)

Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

BB- Now that's a house with a history. Does this fall under the category of "historic" ?

Aug 16, 2008 03:09 PM
Terry & Bonnie Westbrook
Westbrook Realty Broker-Owner - Grand Rapids, MI
Westbrook Realty - Grand Rapids Forest Hills MI Re

If this house could talk? It must be thinking why me? I have had one with a tragic death and we also thought right up to close the buyer would feel uncomfortable.

Aug 16, 2008 03:47 PM
Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

Elk Grove is a community nearby us - just south of Sacramento - and there have been so many marijuana houses busted there that it doesn't even seem like news any more, which is a shame, because these are upscale and relatively new neighborhoods, but the prices there have fallen through the floor because of the reputation that Elk Grove has developed (they are also one of the foreclosure capitals of the country, due to some really screwy sub-prime loans).

I suppose it would be a good long-term investment though, since they're bound to get most if not all of the growers out sooner or later.

Here in California, we must disclose any violent death that has occurred in a property.  It is considered a material fact, and any material fact must be disclosed.  It is sometimes surprising to see just what different buyers consider to be "material", but the death thing has been litigated, so it is clear.

I'm glad you were able to help your sellers before all of this drug stuff came to light!

Aug 16, 2008 04:22 PM
Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

I forgot to ask you about the scary photo you put in your post.  Is that you stunned at the newspaper article?  You look threatening!  And here you are such a nice guy!

Aug 16, 2008 04:26 PM
Mark Organek
And the United States of America - Mesa, AZ
It's not a game, it's your life.

Wow!  Such life you put into the daily reading that I try to get.  Lucky you!

Aug 16, 2008 04:35 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate

How weird is that?  In CA, we have to disclose any deaths on the property within the last 3 years.

Aug 16, 2008 04:55 PM
Pam Pugmire
Silvercreek Realty Group - Meridian, ID
Meridian Idaho Real Estate

I think that house needs a cleansing! 

Aug 16, 2008 05:29 PM
Alan 'AJ' Nisen California Contra Costa Mortgage Officer
A Large Bank in America - Lafayette, CA

BB, even if you disclosed the incident, it would have slowly driftedd over their heads, unless you were blowing smoke rings.  :-)  AJ

Aug 16, 2008 05:33 PM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI

It couldn't have worked out any better.  I bet you had quite a laugh when you read that.

Hope Sally and her sisters are finding some happiness and inner peace.  (I ache for them..)

Aug 16, 2008 10:49 PM
Debbie Summers
Charles Rutenberg Realty - New Smyrna Beach, FL

It really worked out for the girls... if it was anyone else, they might have cared.

I'm not disappointed.

Aug 17, 2008 09:30 AM
Louis Cammarosano
Smaulgld LLC - Hampton, NH
Smaulgld

Byrant

An interesting tale. I guess the dealers really did not care what had happened in the house before they bought it. However, it might have been a different story if law abiding people had purchased the home. I would think that full disclosure would probably be the better path in the future.

Aug 17, 2008 11:56 AM
Michael Sahlman
www.HomesForVIPs.com - Keller Williams Realty - Miami Beach, FL
e-PRO - Miami Beach Florida Luxury Homes

Wow you just never know....guess they needed a place so the deal had to go smoothly.

Aug 17, 2008 12:30 PM
Lizette Fitzpatrick
Lizette Realty - Richmond KY - Lexington, KY
Lizette Realty, Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes

Well, I guess the ghosts didn't protect their crop! I've had two stigmatized listings. I hope I don't have any more. It really is tto much stress.

Aug 17, 2008 02:31 PM
Spencer Hill
Hill Asset Management - Kingstree, SC
#1 Financial Planner -- South Carolina

Have you contacted the authorities to get in line for the listing?

Aug 18, 2008 02:10 AM
Allison Stewart
St.Cloud Homes - Saint Cloud, FL
St. Cloud Fl Realtor, Osceola County Real Estate 407-616-9904

ONLY YOU!   What else can I say?

Aug 18, 2008 02:26 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Ah the irony we sometimes see in real estate. You sure do have some good stories to tell.

Jeff

Aug 18, 2008 10:07 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Blog Boy...

That image creeps me out ya know :)

TLW...ROAR!

Aug 18, 2008 11:08 AM
Christina Williams. REALTOR® TN property search & local insights
First Realty Company - Crossville, TN

love it !!!

Aug 18, 2008 04:13 PM
Palm Coast Homes
100 Plus Realty LLC - Palm Coast, FL
Palm Coast/Flagler County Real Estate, The Ross/Co

Flippin Rolling on the floor Big B....LOLLLLL!!!!!!!!

Aug 28, 2008 09:09 AM
Betina Foreman
WJK Realty - Austin, TX
Realtor, C.N.E., with WJK REALTY

I'm ROFL!! That was too priceless. Who expected such an ending?!?!? Dude you crack me up!!

;)

Sep 03, 2008 09:17 AM