Dealing with a difficult seller
Ask Phyllis: a blog series of frequently asked real estate questions. Email us here
Dear Phyllis,
We purchased our home six years ago, which was a horrible experience. Our Realtor was great, but the sellers and their agent were awful. They were all so nasty. They had to squeeze every last penny from us during the negotiations and insisted on keeping their refrigerator. They nicked the floor tiles when they moved out because the fridge opening was so tight. Our inspector recommended a sewer scan and chimney inspection when we inspected the home. Getting back into the home for the additional inspectors was also difficult. Now that home prices have gone back up, we want to sell our home, but we are gun-shy because of the last experience. How can we avoid the drama and stress of dealing with difficult people? Ken
Dear Ken,
I am sorry you dealt with a difficult seller and his agent. Buying and selling a home is both stressful and emotional for both home sellers and buyers. Your experience was obviously bad if you so vividly remember the struggle from six years ago. You didn’t ask, but as far as the refrigerator, you might have offered to pay for it. If the seller damaged the floor by removing it, you and your agent should have addressed this with the seller. The contract binds the seller to deliver the property to you in similar condition as of the date you agreed to purchase.
Scheduling additional inspections are often problematic as there are so many schedules involved. Hopefully, you won’t be that difficult seller and can be more understanding of the tight time frames and deadlines when you sell your home.
Ken, because of your prior experience, you will likely be a home buyer’s dream seller. But selling your home is a business transaction; you should try to sell for the highest possible price. In Los Angeles, there is a shortage of “affordable” homes for sale, and you should use this advantage to the fullest extent. By working with a local experienced real estate agent, you can ideally avoid the real estate drama. Likely your home will sell in multiple offers, and your Realtor should be able to guide you in selecting the best offer regarding price, and simplicity in closing. I hope you have a much better experience this time around.
Best of luck to you.
Related Post: Dueling Sellers in a Real Estate Transaction
