On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 04:21:00 GMT, someone wrote:


I would contact the local building inspection department to see if there
is any way to have it inspected after the fact. If there is, insist
that the seller do this, and correct any violations, before you close.
If not, insist that the seller pay to have the basement checked out by a
qualified building inspector and pay for any safety problems uncovered.

Then he will never buy this house. The seller will not agree to those
condition, PLUS will hate his guts for turning him in to the city.

How do you know what the seller will or will not agree to?

Have you bought many properties where the Seller agreed to pay for
*any* problems that turned up? I have been buying and selling for
over 20 years and it just doesn't happen frequently enought to be a
realistic suggestion. (I've never seen it happen at all, but in then
infinity of the net, am leaving a way out.)

Sure the Buyer can have an inspection. But the Seller is HIGHLY
UNLIKELY TO THE POINT OF IT BEING RIDICULOUS TO EVEN WASTE YOUR TIME
ASKING, to agree to fix "any" problem found. Buyer can show the
Seller the problems and ask, or even get an agreement that (say) the
first $1,000 in repairs is covered, but rational sellers will not
agree to open ended clauses that encourage the Buyer to try to get a
free renovation out of the sale. And if you ask for unreasonable
stuff, you are likely to **** off the Seller and get thrown out of the
deal and NOT get any concessions.

And don't say how do I know the Seller won't NEGOTIATE, SURE he
probably WILL "negotiate", but that is not the same as agreeing to
your ridiculous terms. Whatever makes you think he WILL agree? And
DON'T say there is no harm in asking, there certainly is, if you knew
anything about negotiation.


-v.