I have had my share of dysfunctional sellers and buyers, but the last three for the first time in 20 years of practicing real estate, have made feel, just for a second or two, that I do not want to do this anymore!
Had a buyer, worked 3 months, found a fsbo, negotiated contract, contract accepted, inspection was done, repairs done, repairs re-inspected, inspection period up, closing in a week. Buyer decided to take some friends over to see home without telling me. Buyer calls and tells me her friends were saying that there were things wrong with the home's backyrad that the inspector did not write up; I told Buyer that the inspection period was over, and that I which her friends were there when the inspection was done. Buyer told she wanted me to discuss the issue with her friends. I told her they were not part of the contract and that I cannot discuss the contract with them. I told the Buyer that although the inspection period was over, she should call the inspector back, and if it was his professional opinion that there was something wrong, I will certainly talk to Owner about it, but that at this point if the Owner refused to resolve the issue she was still under contract and will probably lose the earnest money if she backed-out of the contract. The inspector went back and told the Buyer that in his professional opinion the friends were wrong, and that there is nothing wrong with the backyard other than cosmetics – she was furious with the inspector, she wanted the inspector to write up what she was told by her friends – I tried, and tried, and tried, for her to tell me exactly what she wanted the Owner to do – she could not tell me exactly, all she kept saying is that the yard had a problem and that the owner will not fix it! I finally told the Buyer - when you know what you want the owner to do, call me, so that I can talk to the owner about it -.
Well, the next morning went I got to the office, I went to see the mortgage consultant in our office, and there was the Buyer, she would not even say Hi! – and then the mortgage consultant called me and gave me a letter from her canceling the contract and the financing! What worries me is that I felt and still feel … happy about losing this sale!
The previous two: One of the them had a tantrum at the closing table with the attorney, she wanted the attorney to give her the check for her to go and pay-off the mortgage herself – she told the attorney that it was her money and he did not have a right to it, that she did not trust him to pay-off her mortgage – the attorney got up from the table and told me to handle my client – after tears and big show, she agree – but she stood over the attorney’s shoulder while he was wiring the money to her mortgage account!
The other one: Listed and sold his home in two weeks for a profit, found him another home, negotiated a great price and cc – during the whole process he was not happy that I sold his home so fast, every body was making money off of him, - and this after I gave him a break on my side of the commission for him to get more money at closing – he was not happy that the Buyer wanted the home at closing, he was not happy that he could not move into the other home 3 days before closing, he was not happy that he had to start paying on his new VA loan 30 days after closing, on and on, and on – and every other day he kept telling me, - I am not doing this, I am not closing, bla, bla, bla, - then the next day he will call me happy as a dog with four tails! –
After moving into the new home, he called me over and over because the phone company had not connected the phone – I found out he requested the transfer of the service 4 days after he moved into the home! - The last call I received from him about 10 days after he moved in – Hey there is something very wrong with this house! I was using the computer and everything went blank! - I thought to myself, yes, blank indeed – and never returned the call! Should I place these people on my follow up list of clients? or better, What Do You Think I Could Have Done Better in these situations?