When the Best Defense is a Good Offense Not every “For Sale” home is in “mint, move-in condition” — nor is that a realistic goal for many sellers (be it due to limited time, money, energy, or simply a cold-eyed cost-benefit analysis). When that’s the case, though, getting top dollar for the home hinges on...Read More
“Nobody Ever Washed a Rental Car” — Home Inspection Edition Normally, the condition of such things as TV satellite dishes, security systems, and water softeners is very important to home Buyers doing their inspection. After all, if they don’t work, post-closing, it’s the Buyer-now-Owner who’s on the hook.* So, what is the one exception to that? When...Read More
Looking for a Size 47 1/2 How is drafting a real estate contract — or almost any contract, for that matter — like picking a men’s suit? In both cases, the usual starting point is to select the closest-fitting, existing garment — er, legal boilerplate — you can find. Step #2: altering (“customizing”) it to fit...Read More
Thick — and Thin-Skinned — Buyers First, two disclaimers: 1) in a decade selling real estate, I’ve never had a Buyer or Seller I represented bring — or defend — a legal action or arbitration claim; and 2) lawsuits (or arbitration actions) over “home sales gone bad” aren’t very common to begin with (I’d estimate that...Read More
Heat Wave, A/C Glitches Overwhelm Home Warranty Phone Lines If you’re a homeowner whose central a/c is on the fritz, and are covered by a warranty policy, before you pick up the phone to report a claim today, you may want to get a cup of coffee and something to read. How come? The phone lines —...Read More
“Life is Inspections are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” –Forest Gump (paraphrased) Why waste $300 or $400 inspecting a condo that doesn’t have a foundation, roof, or other structural elements? Why not just apply roughly the same amount towards a home warranty, that will protect the Buyer in...Read More
