So, let me tell you about this crazy rollercoaster ride I recently went on while trying to buy a condo. It was a total nightmare, and I just need to get it off my chest and maybe get some perspective on the whole thing.
Here’s the deal: I found this condo that I really liked and decided to make an offer. The seller accepted, and everything seemed to be moving along smoothly until we got to the inspection. And let me tell you, it was a disaster. The HVAC system and the water heater had some major issues, and I was not about to take on that kind of financial burden.
I asked the seller to either make the necessary repairs or give me a credit to cover the costs, but they flat out refused. So, I did what any sensible person would do in that situation – I exercised my right to terminate the contract and walked away from the deal.
Fast forward two weeks, and out of the blue, the seller’s agent reaches out to me directly. Can you believe that? She completely bypassed my buyer’s agent and tried to pitch me some kind of shady “deal.” She wanted me to come back to the table and let her represent both sides of the transaction. And get this – she said she would lower the price by $5k and claimed that the HVAC issue was just a minor problem with the thermostat. But here’s the kicker: she wanted me to make an offer before she even had the thermostat replaced. Major red flag right there.
When I expressed my hesitation, she started laying on the guilt trip thick. She told me this sob story about how she had to go out of her way to help the elderly seller because the seller didn’t know how to use DocuSign. Like, seriously? She tried to make me feel obligated to make another offer because of all the “hard work” she supposedly put in for her client.
Well, I shut that down real quick. I declined her offer and wasted no time in telling my buyer’s agent all about what had gone down. And let me tell you, my agent was livid. She explained to me that what the listing agent did, by contacting a represented buyer directly to push for a dual agency deal, is not just highly unethical – it’s also illegal in our state.
So, there you have it. My insane condo-buying experience that turned out to be a lesson in shady real estate practices. But hey, at least I stood my ground and