All Together Now

Oh woe is me. I had to work aallll weekend. Wah. A continuing theme with me is, "I don't have anything in the pipeline/Why do people keep calling me at home so I can sell a house."

This past weekend, I felt as though my life wasn't my own, which it wasn't. It was my client's, which is as it should be. When one is in the middle of negotiations, in this case the results of a whole house inspection, it behooves all to get things wrapped up as quickly as possible lest some other problem rear it's ugly head. And GET IT IN WRITING. Duh. Duh? You would be amazed at what some brokerages try to do without having it in writing. Now, yes, this is a small town and there is still such thing as a gentleman's agreement. But small town or not, have you ever watched Judge Mathis? The disputes are real, the courtroom is real and it is full of friends suing friends and relatives suing relatives because of a gentlemans's agreement. Ultimately what happens is that when the whole sordid thing is over, there is not a gentleman standing.

So my negotiations this weekend centered around what the buyer(the other guy) and my seller would agree was the responsiblity of the other party. Initially, the buyer's agent said they wanted A and B. My sellers said that they would do A but that their contractor said B was not necessary. Weellll, the buyer's agent hadn't put anything in writing so I did. I typed in what was requested and what my seller's were willing to do. And, lo and behold! The sellers wanted MORE! (Please sir, I'd like some more.) You want more, you want MORE!?

Yep. So now the buyers wanted to send over their contractor. Okay. A fact finding mission for their own edification. Or so I thought. But not wanting to stir a pot that doesn't yet stink, I advised my people to let the buyer's contractor take a look. What was I supposed to do? I knew that the buyer's could walk because they didn't want to buy a pig in a poke. And, lo and behold! They, well, you get the drift.

To make a long story short, all is now thankfully signed and delivered. A little more money out of my seller's pocket but it has kept the deal together and everybody is slightly happier. The buyers get the house they want and the sellers can get the heck out of Dodge.

A realtor(r) told me once that if everyone at the closing table isn't mad, then he hasn't done his job. That sounded just horrible and insensitive at the time. But now, having gotten a whiff of the shoe being on the other foot, I can see where one just doesn't want to stick around to see if the other shoe will drop. It is best to keep truckin' and try to cut everyone's losses.

Won't I be surprised when the closing finally comes, and it will, and someone stands up at the table, bangs their large brogan on it and yells, "Order! Order!"

I'll take a ham on rye.