Dovorany's I agree that it's not a contract if it's not in writing.  I disagree that a Realtor® should never "allow" this to happen.  As any Realtor "should" I give ALL of my clients the very best of advice accompanied with reasons why I'm giving the advice.  What I can't do is force them to take the advice.

That's what I'm saying Gene.  The wise buyer will take heed.  The risky buyer, well, will assume the risk.  But with so much on the line, you'd have to put it in writing for me.

That may be true Dick, but in 9 years, I can only recall once where a lender objected to an inclusion and in that case rather than including it in the contract, the buyer purchased an item from the seller and thus created a bill of sale.

What I'm really referring to is seller's objections to putting it in writing.  Once it's removed in writing and the buyer wishes to proceed, we move forward and hope for the best.  If things turn sour, we still work to our client's best interest and advantage, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  But when the deciding factor is what's on paper, well............ what can I say?

I agree Anna.  There is just no way you can go wrong by putting it in writing.

I do the same thing Kathleen, but depending on what it is, I consider the email to be the "in writing" requirement.  But I always feel so much more comfortable if it's something that the seller or buyer has put pen to paper.

I just makes sense.  Why risk a misunderstanding or miscommunication when it can be put in writing to make terms crystal clear.