Joined Jul 2008
You can call me "Al"
Forum Thread
Buying a home, no agent involved. Advice needed.
June 29, 2015 at
09:48 PM
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OT is fine ... so long as it makes me laugh.
Okay, so the seller called about the house we want and she made an offer. It's slightly more than we were willing to offer, but not grotesque. She said she will split the cost of whatever the title company charges to research the title and will also split the attorney's fees. She absolutely, positively refuses to use an agent. She said if we hire one, we have to pay 100% of her commission.
I told her we needed to talk it over, get some estimates from the title company and see what hiring an attorney will cost. I realize we have to pay for an appraisal and the inspection. Actually, at this point, do we even need an appraisal?
We had an appraisal done by a licensed realtor when we were there a few weeks ago. The owner wasn't happy with what the realtor said so she's decided to go with an appraisal she got last July because it's higher.
Have any of you ever bought a home without using an agent?
Can a real estate attorney handle everything?
Are RE attorneys cheaper than RE agents?
At what point in the purchase do you hire the attorney?
Even if we pay her asking price, she's taking a HUGE loss. MASSIVE! I realize that's not our problem but we do want to be kind. We know our original offer is above the appraisal we got but we want the house ... she needs to sell the house ... and we're not assholes.
Any advice to offer?
Okay, so the seller called about the house we want and she made an offer. It's slightly more than we were willing to offer, but not grotesque. She said she will split the cost of whatever the title company charges to research the title and will also split the attorney's fees. She absolutely, positively refuses to use an agent. She said if we hire one, we have to pay 100% of her commission.
I told her we needed to talk it over, get some estimates from the title company and see what hiring an attorney will cost. I realize we have to pay for an appraisal and the inspection. Actually, at this point, do we even need an appraisal?
We had an appraisal done by a licensed realtor when we were there a few weeks ago. The owner wasn't happy with what the realtor said so she's decided to go with an appraisal she got last July because it's higher.Have any of you ever bought a home without using an agent?
Can a real estate attorney handle everything?
Are RE attorneys cheaper than RE agents?
At what point in the purchase do you hire the attorney?
Even if we pay her asking price, she's taking a HUGE loss. MASSIVE! I realize that's not our problem but we do want to be kind. We know our original offer is above the appraisal we got but we want the house ... she needs to sell the house ... and we're not assholes.
Any advice to offer?
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Post and let us know what happens.
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Just got back from FL a couple of hours ago. The inspection lasted about 3 hours, the appraisal about 45 minutes. We'll have both reports by Thursday. I spoke with the owner and told her I would forward them via email after we look them over and we can go from there.
The inspector was a real nice guy. He made note of a few things; needs new garage door, the wood-boring bee issue, condensation on the air handler inside, microwave leaking radiation.... but all in all, he said the house is "solid" and looks good. He asked about our offer and her counter-offer and said he definitely feels there is some bargaining room, based on his findings. Of course she may disagree.
This is kind of funny though. My husband and I were standing outside talking to the guy that had moved in next door about a year ago and we asked if he had ever met the owner of the house we're interested in. He paused, gave us this really wicked grin and said "Yes, we have. Please buy this house. You have to buy this house so she can move away FOREVER."
I'm not sure what happened between them but we get the feeling they aren't exactly best buds.
I don't know how you've been SO patient.
I don't know how you've been SO patient.
You crack me up.
So, did you get the reports or not? If so, what did they say.
Can you tell that I have an issue with being strung along?
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So, did you get the reports or not? If so, what did they say.
Can you tell that I have an issue with being strung along?
Sorry I'm late with the updates. Things around here (my house) are not good. I just got a $500 electric bill, our privacy fence needs replacing, we need a new roof, that water heater I mentioned last month is truly on its last leg, my husband's Explorer is having problems, the reverse osmosis water filtration system started leaking under the kitchen sink, and my radiologist found a suspicious lump in my left breast. She wants me to have surgery ASAP but seriously, I just can't find the time to go to Birmingham (almost 3 hours away) and do this right now. My oldest son goes back to college on the 5th and my youngest starts back to school on the 10th. Both have several appointments between now and then.
I called about the fence and the company wants $6000 to replace it. $6000!!!!!
I have a guy coming in the morning about the water heater. We bought a new one and he said he can put it in for less than half of what a plumber charges.
I swear, if the homeowner were to call me today and say I could have the house for half of what we offered, I'm pretty sure I would tell her to pack sand. "Overwhelmed" doesn't begin to describe how I feel right now.
And Raddish, I don't think so. Yes, we are both in the Huntsville area, but I don't go out to eat one on one with a Married Man due to the perception it has. (single, never been married. NOT Gay).
Have you checked online pricing for fencing? You can usually buy (6 foot) sections of fence. (menards, lowes, etc)
Sorry I'm late with the updates. Things around here (my house) are not good. I just got a $500 electric bill, our privacy fence needs replacing, we need a new roof, that water heater I mentioned last month is truly on its last leg, my husband's Explorer is having problems, the reverse osmosis water filtration system started leaking under the kitchen sink, and my radiologist found a suspicious lump in my left breast. She wants me to have surgery ASAP but seriously, I just can't find the time to go to Birmingham (almost 3 hours away) and do this right now. My oldest son goes back to college on the 5th and my youngest starts back to school on the 10th. Both have several appointments between now and then.
I called about the fence and the company wants $6000 to replace it. $6000!!!!!
I have a guy coming in the morning about the water heater. We bought a new one and he said he can put it in for less than half of what a plumber charges.
I swear, if the homeowner were to call me today and say I could have the house for half of what we offered, I'm pretty sure I would tell her to pack sand. "Overwhelmed" doesn't begin to describe how I feel right now.
Go see the Doc. Everything else can wait.
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Sorry I'm late with the updates. Things around here (my house) are not good. I just got a $500 electric bill, our privacy fence needs replacing, we need a new roof, that water heater I mentioned last month is truly on its last leg, my husband's Explorer is having problems, the reverse osmosis water filtration system started leaking under the kitchen sink, and my radiologist found a suspicious lump in my left breast. She wants me to have surgery ASAP but seriously, I just can't find the time to go to Birmingham (almost 3 hours away) and do this right now. My oldest son goes back to college on the 5th and my youngest starts back to school on the 10th. Both have several appointments between now and then.
I called about the fence and the company wants $6000 to replace it. $6000!!!!!
I have a guy coming in the morning about the water heater. We bought a new one and he said he can put it in for less than half of what a plumber charges.
I swear, if the homeowner were to call me today and say I could have the house for half of what we offered, I'm pretty sure I would tell her to pack sand. "Overwhelmed" doesn't begin to describe how I feel right now.