Real Estate Legal Tip – there are no “easy” transactions.

Some people say that when the market is hot, “I can sell my home myself,” or “I don’t need an experienced agent because it costs money,” or “how hard can it be?”

Curtis Bullock From the Salt Lake Board of Realtors® Writes 

I can tell you that after being an attorney in this industry for almost two decades, there are no “easy” transactions in real estate right now – even in this hot seller’s market. Selling or purchasing a home requires a unique skill set and knowledge base to ensure the transaction goes smoothly. If you have recently purchased or sold a home and felt like it was easy, it’s probably because your Realtor® was solving problems left and right behind the scenes without you knowing about it.

I’ve shared this before, but here is a list of potential trouble spots your Realtor® will help you avoid when purchasing or selling a home. I’ve seen most of these happen when a seller or buyer tries DIY’ing the purchase or sale of their home:

* Seller misunderstanding what “as-is” condition means.
* How to deal with multiple offers.
* Husband or wife didn’t sign the REPC. Causes dispute over validity of the contract.
* CC&R’s not given to buyer causing problems.
* Seller disclosure form not delivered to buyer by the deadline. Causing lawsuit.
* Buyer not reviewing the Commitment for Title Insurance.
* Seller not providing Buyer Agent with Commitment for Title insurance by the deadline.
* Double contract. Loan fraud.
* Not using the correct contract or disclosure form in the appropriate situation.
* Buyer’s receive the key prior to recording, funding doesn’t occur, dispute arises.
* Buyer moving from out of state on friday to Settle at title company, doesn’t fund until Tuesday (Monday is a holiday) and becomes upset.
* Confusion on how the Time Clause Addendum works. Causing a disagreement.
* Lease agreements not provided to buyer before seller disclosure deadline.
* Low appraisal. Buyer sends notice of cancellation but forgets to include the appraisal.
* Multiple offers. Seller puts the property under contract with two buyers at the same time. Dispute arises.
* Counter offer is not withdrawn before accepting another offer. Problem arises.
* 10 different addenda included with the REPC. Confusion as to what has been agreed upon.
* Subject to Sale contingency not satisfied causing a domino effect resulting in two cancelled contracts.
* Missing initials on one page of the REPC causing a dispute.
* Seller repairs not completed. What to do next?
* Not delivering a document by the deadline. Dispute arises.
* Mold in the home detected. Who is responsible? Can I cancel the contract?
* Termites or radon detected in the home. What do I do now?
* No legal access to the lot. Implied easement issue.
* $10,000 earnest money not delivered by the buyer on time. Major dispute arises.
* Money wired and lost due to wire fraud.
* Mechanics lien filed on home that was “recently remodeled.”
* Sloppy language in an addendum causing a dispute.
* Air conditioner doesn’t work.
* Conflict between what is on the MLS and what is in the REPC.
* Multiple offers disclosed without seller approval, prospective buyers back out.
* Seller decides not to sell a week before settlement. Seller default. Lawsuit arises.
* Buyer backing out after deadlines expires. Buyer default. Lawsuit arises.
* Dispute over who pays for the HOA transfer fee.
* Dispute over who pays for the HOA special assessment.
* After Settlement but prior to Funding & Recording, house is vandalized.
* Missing dates on the REPC.
* Can’t get the HOA docs.
* Language on the REPC crossed out causing ambiguity.
* Sections of the REPC left blank causing ambiguity.
* The wrong address listed on the REPC.
* Two addendum number 4 – causing ambiguity and dispute.
* Seller failing to disclose major structural problem with the home.
* Fair Housing issue created after buyer submits letter with offer.
* “TBD” filled in on the REPC in too many places causing uncertainty.
* Poorly filled out forms and contracts causing problems.
* Representing multiple buyers at the same time on the same property causing a conflict.
* Angry tenant when showing a property.
* Seller didn’t accurately fill out the seller disclosure form.
* Checking “Acceptance” on page 6 of the REPC, then checking “Counter” on Addendum #1 that was also included in the offer.

Hiring an experienced Realtor® will be the best money you spend this year.