De facto "as is"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't get over the furnace. LOL. Why not just ask for a brand new roof while you are at it.

Agree, and this is probably why the sellers came back as a hard no to all of OP’s requests. Anyone who expects something to be preemptively replaced just because it’s “old” loses their credibility and seems difficult to deal with. No one in their right mind is just going to buy you a new furnace (roof/appliances/etc.) just because you wish you were buying a house with a new one. That was a pretty egregious ask and frankly I’m shocked your realtor didn’t talk you out of asking for that. Also, sellers aren’t paying to bring older homes up to code. You should have known based on the age of the house that it would not be built to modern day code and that means it’s grandfathered in unless some sort of construction is done. Again, no one is bringing an old house up to modern day code because you wish that you were buying something up to the standards of new construction.

If you had gone in more reasonably, maybe you could have asked for the deck repair (since that is the type of hidden safety issue that an inspection is meant to catch).

You are the one who bait and switched the sellers by deciding you want to pay for an older home, but that you expect it to be like brand new.

This. I was on the other end of this kind of offer, and it was such a disappointment to think we had a solid offer and then have the buyer ask for tens of thousands of dollars in concessions for things were older but still working and in good condition. New roof, new heating system, etc. No way. Just because the inspector flags it doesn't mean it's appropriate to ask for it to be replaced. It's information for you to have as the homeowner.

Well, the reason your offer was so solid is because your buyer expected some concessions in the inspection process.

What ended up happening?

We agreed to one repair and said no to the rest. The buyer walked, but another came along within a week.

If they agreed to SOMETHING, it would be a starting point.
They said "0".

I wonder if they just want out of the contract.

Maybe. But our feeling was that the buyer was unreasonable and would be difficult the rest of the way. In addition to wanting replacements of aging systems, they wanted us to fix things like water that dripped from the tub faucet while the shower was running. Basically everything the inspector noted was dumped in there. You just can't expect that in a house that isn't new. "As is" means the seller won't even fix things that are broken. But it's not "as is" if it's just less-than-perfect or less-than-new. Is there anything to stop you from coming back with a more reasonable list of fixes--just the things that are not working or unsafe?

We could, but the agent said they will not be fixing anything or giving any money. During the initial negotiation they said they had money set up for inspection contingency.

I mean, it is normal for real estate agents to lie. So tired of this story.

OP, they should be fixing anything unsafe but it depends on the contract. If you purchased it as-is, your inspection is for information only. That is what we do. They would have let us out as it was an estate sale and they had a builder lined up if we changed our mind. So, get a chimney expert in to see what they say. And, maybe some of the unsafe wiring but it needs to be unsafe, not old.

Yea they should be, but they plain refused.

But everyone explained to me here that they have no moral or ethical obligation to fix anything because the only thing the inspection contingent gives me is the right to walk away.

If the roof doesn't leak, it's fine. If the furnace is working, it's fine. You are not buying a new home. You can demand anything you want but as long as it's working, it's a non-issue. However, OP agreed to as-is. That means no repairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is this thread still going? OP, you’re walking right? There was no bait and switch. Your demands were unreasonable. As someone else wrote, you sound very much like a first-time home buyer. You seem bitter and angry and there’s no reason for it. It’s not personal. Move on to the next prospective home and adjust your attitude.

Sellers like you will lose out in the new market. No one wants to deal with moldy dinosaur self-fix-it houses any longer.

[Anonymous]

What always confuses me is when able-bodied sellers leave huge amounts on the table to save a few k at closing. If you fix up the hovel you’ll make more multi fold. Unless you have something to hide. By the way people have gone to prison for hiding hazardous defects after tragedies happened. This seller was right to sell as is, the whole house is a red flag.

[Anonymous]

A new furnace? Ha. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is this thread still going? OP, you’re walking right? There was no bait and switch. Your demands were unreasonable. As someone else wrote, you sound very much like a first-time home buyer. You seem bitter and angry and there’s no reason for it. It’s not personal. Move on to the next prospective home and adjust your attitude.

Sellers like you will lose out in the new market. No one wants to deal with moldy dinosaur self-fix-it houses any longer.

I’m not a seller right now, but I was recently and did very, very well (NWDC). One bid came from someone like OP and the response was “absolutely not”. Other bids with information-only inspections and the house sold in less than a week. I can’t speak for all areas, of course, but if you’re selling in our old neighborhood there is no need to deal with a buyer like OP as long as the house is priced accordingly.

[Anonymous]

There is NO ONE who didn’t do well. I’m also a multiple seller who did very well in all kinds of markets. But really dislike unethical sellers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is this thread still going? OP, you’re walking right? There was no bait and switch. Your demands were unreasonable. As someone else wrote, you sound very much like a first-time home buyer. You seem bitter and angry and there’s no reason for it. It’s not personal. Move on to the next prospective home and adjust your attitude.

You guys persuaded me that this behavior by the sellers is likely to happen in many homes, and that the chimney issues may be less drastic than the report implies. It is just bad in this area.

Fine, I can be bad, too. I have 3 more days to decide. Once the chimney is out of the equation, the inspection addendum is not that costly.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I will stay or maybe I will walk, but there is no emergency to decide that right now. It can sit for a minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't get over the furnace. LOL. Why not just ask for a brand new roof while you are at it.

Agree, and this is probably why the sellers came back as a hard no to all of OP’s requests. Anyone who expects something to be preemptively replaced just because it’s “old” loses their credibility and seems difficult to deal with. No one in their right mind is just going to buy you a new furnace (roof/appliances/etc.) just because you wish you were buying a house with a new one. That was a pretty egregious ask and frankly I’m shocked your realtor didn’t talk you out of asking for that. Also, sellers aren’t paying to bring older homes up to code. You should have known based on the age of the house that it would not be built to modern day code and that means it’s grandfathered in unless some sort of construction is done. Again, no one is bringing an old house up to modern day code because you wish that you were buying something up to the standards of new construction.

If you had gone in more reasonably, maybe you could have asked for the deck repair (since that is the type of hidden safety issue that an inspection is meant to catch).

You are the one who bait and switched the sellers by deciding you want to pay for an older home, but that you expect it to be like brand new.

This. I was on the other end of this kind of offer, and it was such a disappointment to think we had a solid offer and then have the buyer ask for tens of thousands of dollars in concessions for things were older but still working and in good condition. New roof, new heating system, etc. No way. Just because the inspector flags it doesn't mean it's appropriate to ask for it to be replaced. It's information for you to have as the homeowner.

Well, the reason your offer was so solid is because your buyer expected some concessions in the inspection process.

What ended up happening?

We agreed to one repair and said no to the rest. The buyer walked, but another came along within a week.

If they agreed to SOMETHING, it would be a starting point.
They said "0".

I wonder if they just want out of the contract.

Maybe. But our feeling was that the buyer was unreasonable and would be difficult the rest of the way. In addition to wanting replacements of aging systems, they wanted us to fix things like water that dripped from the tub faucet while the shower was running. Basically everything the inspector noted was dumped in there. You just can't expect that in a house that isn't new. "As is" means the seller won't even fix things that are broken. But it's not "as is" if it's just less-than-perfect or less-than-new. Is there anything to stop you from coming back with a more reasonable list of fixes--just the things that are not working or unsafe?

We could, but the agent said they will not be fixing anything or giving any money. During the initial negotiation they said they had money set up for inspection contingency.

I mean, it is normal for real estate agents to lie. So tired of this story.

OP, they should be fixing anything unsafe but it depends on the contract. If you purchased it as-is, your inspection is for information only. That is what we do. They would have let us out as it was an estate sale and they had a builder lined up if we changed our mind. So, get a chimney expert in to see what they say. And, maybe some of the unsafe wiring but it needs to be unsafe, not old.

You and OP keep making up stuff. No, there's nothing that the sellers "should" do. They're well within their rights to refuse to make any repairs or lower the sales price. There's no legal term called "as-is." Realtors may advertise homes are selling "as-is" but that's just to signal to buyers not to ask for any repairs.

The only thing that matters are the legal terms in the contract. Not your feelings. Not some arcane code that you invented for how you want things to go. I'm amazed at how many stupid rich people there are in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

This is a quote from another ongoing thread. I think it sums up most of the sellers here:

“so you want to punk someone into buying your nightmare?”

😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't get over the furnace. LOL. Why not just ask for a brand new roof while you are at it.

Agree, and this is probably why the sellers came back as a hard no to all of OP’s requests. Anyone who expects something to be preemptively replaced just because it’s “old” loses their credibility and seems difficult to deal with. No one in their right mind is just going to buy you a new furnace (roof/appliances/etc.) just because you wish you were buying a house with a new one. That was a pretty egregious ask and frankly I’m shocked your realtor didn’t talk you out of asking for that. Also, sellers aren’t paying to bring older homes up to code. You should have known based on the age of the house that it would not be built to modern day code and that means it’s grandfathered in unless some sort of construction is done. Again, no one is bringing an old house up to modern day code because you wish that you were buying something up to the standards of new construction.

If you had gone in more reasonably, maybe you could have asked for the deck repair (since that is the type of hidden safety issue that an inspection is meant to catch).

You are the one who bait and switched the sellers by deciding you want to pay for an older home, but that you expect it to be like brand new.

This. I was on the other end of this kind of offer, and it was such a disappointment to think we had a solid offer and then have the buyer ask for tens of thousands of dollars in concessions for things were older but still working and in good condition. New roof, new heating system, etc. No way. Just because the inspector flags it doesn't mean it's appropriate to ask for it to be replaced. It's information for you to have as the homeowner.

Well, the reason your offer was so solid is because your buyer expected some concessions in the inspection process.

What ended up happening?

We agreed to one repair and said no to the rest. The buyer walked, but another came along within a week.

If they agreed to SOMETHING, it would be a starting point.
They said "0".

I wonder if they just want out of the contract.

Maybe. But our feeling was that the buyer was unreasonable and would be difficult the rest of the way. In addition to wanting replacements of aging systems, they wanted us to fix things like water that dripped from the tub faucet while the shower was running. Basically everything the inspector noted was dumped in there. You just can't expect that in a house that isn't new. "As is" means the seller won't even fix things that are broken. But it's not "as is" if it's just less-than-perfect or less-than-new. Is there anything to stop you from coming back with a more reasonable list of fixes--just the things that are not working or unsafe?

We could, but the agent said they will not be fixing anything or giving any money. During the initial negotiation they said they had money set up for inspection contingency.

I mean, it is normal for real estate agents to lie. So tired of this story.

OP, they should be fixing anything unsafe but it depends on the contract. If you purchased it as-is, your inspection is for information only. That is what we do. They would have let us out as it was an estate sale and they had a builder lined up if we changed our mind. So, get a chimney expert in to see what they say. And, maybe some of the unsafe wiring but it needs to be unsafe, not old.

You and OP keep making up stuff. No, there's nothing that the sellers "should" do. They're well within their rights to refuse to make any repairs or lower the sales price. There's no legal term called "as-is." Realtors may advertise homes are selling "as-is" but that's just to signal to buyers not to ask for any repairs.

The only thing that matters are the legal terms in the contract. Not your feelings. Not some arcane code that you invented for how you want things to go. I'm amazed at how many stupid rich people there are in the DMV.

You are not wrong. I just need to decide if the house is priced well enough without any post - inspection fixes. Sounds like many sellers in Virginia agree with your viewpoint.

This is why I wanted to open this topic to begin with - to see what is customary around here.

If this is normal, then it will happen again in another house. I need to decide if I want to hold onto this home or move to the next one. It is a purely financial question now, and I need time to get estimates.

[Anonymous]

Virginia is a buyer beware state. That’s why sellers are so comfortable. The market is really precarious. Be careful.

Chimney is very expensive. Can you get an actual quote? They tend to come in higher than the inspection suggests. Also, was there water ingress as the result? If so you may have a moldy disaster and structural issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virginia is a buyer beware state. That’s why sellers are so comfortable. The market is really precarious. Be careful.

Chimney is very expensive. Can you get an actual quote? They tend to come in higher than the inspection suggests. Also, was there water ingress as the result? If so you may have a moldy disaster and structural issues.

The inspection came with the official quote , which we forwarded to the sellers. They just don't want to do it.

There do not appear to get leaks yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't get over the furnace. LOL. Why not just ask for a brand new roof while you are at it.

Agree, and this is probably why the sellers came back as a hard no to all of OP’s requests. Anyone who expects something to be preemptively replaced just because it’s “old” loses their credibility and seems difficult to deal with. No one in their right mind is just going to buy you a new furnace (roof/appliances/etc.) just because you wish you were buying a house with a new one. That was a pretty egregious ask and frankly I’m shocked your realtor didn’t talk you out of asking for that. Also, sellers aren’t paying to bring older homes up to code. You should have known based on the age of the house that it would not be built to modern day code and that means it’s grandfathered in unless some sort of construction is done. Again, no one is bringing an old house up to modern day code because you wish that you were buying something up to the standards of new construction.

If you had gone in more reasonably, maybe you could have asked for the deck repair (since that is the type of hidden safety issue that an inspection is meant to catch).

You are the one who bait and switched the sellers by deciding you want to pay for an older home, but that you expect it to be like brand new.

This. I was on the other end of this kind of offer, and it was such a disappointment to think we had a solid offer and then have the buyer ask for tens of thousands of dollars in concessions for things were older but still working and in good condition. New roof, new heating system, etc. No way. Just because the inspector flags it doesn't mean it's appropriate to ask for it to be replaced. It's information for you to have as the homeowner.

Well, the reason your offer was so solid is because your buyer expected some concessions in the inspection process.

What ended up happening?

We agreed to one repair and said no to the rest. The buyer walked, but another came along within a week.

If they agreed to SOMETHING, it would be a starting point.
They said "0".

I wonder if they just want out of the contract.

Maybe. But our feeling was that the buyer was unreasonable and would be difficult the rest of the way. In addition to wanting replacements of aging systems, they wanted us to fix things like water that dripped from the tub faucet while the shower was running. Basically everything the inspector noted was dumped in there. You just can't expect that in a house that isn't new. "As is" means the seller won't even fix things that are broken. But it's not "as is" if it's just less-than-perfect or less-than-new. Is there anything to stop you from coming back with a more reasonable list of fixes--just the things that are not working or unsafe?

We could, but the agent said they will not be fixing anything or giving any money. During the initial negotiation they said they had money set up for inspection contingency.

I mean, it is normal for real estate agents to lie. So tired of this story.

Seller probably has a backup contact with a better price offer. OP just all so that the seller can move on with the backup contact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't get over the furnace. LOL. Why not just ask for a brand new roof while you are at it.

Agree, and this is probably why the sellers came back as a hard no to all of OP’s requests. Anyone who expects something to be preemptively replaced just because it’s “old” loses their credibility and seems difficult to deal with. No one in their right mind is just going to buy you a new furnace (roof/appliances/etc.) just because you wish you were buying a house with a new one. That was a pretty egregious ask and frankly I’m shocked your realtor didn’t talk you out of asking for that. Also, sellers aren’t paying to bring older homes up to code. You should have known based on the age of the house that it would not be built to modern day code and that means it’s grandfathered in unless some sort of construction is done. Again, no one is bringing an old house up to modern day code because you wish that you were buying something up to the standards of new construction.

If you had gone in more reasonably, maybe you could have asked for the deck repair (since that is the type of hidden safety issue that an inspection is meant to catch).

You are the one who bait and switched the sellers by deciding you want to pay for an older home, but that you expect it to be like brand new.

This. I was on the other end of this kind of offer, and it was such a disappointment to think we had a solid offer and then have the buyer ask for tens of thousands of dollars in concessions for things were older but still working and in good condition. New roof, new heating system, etc. No way. Just because the inspector flags it doesn't mean it's appropriate to ask for it to be replaced. It's information for you to have as the homeowner.

Well, the reason your offer was so solid is because your buyer expected some concessions in the inspection process.

What ended up happening?

We agreed to one repair and said no to the rest. The buyer walked, but another came along within a week.

If they agreed to SOMETHING, it would be a starting point.
They said "0".

I wonder if they just want out of the contract.

Maybe. But our feeling was that the buyer was unreasonable and would be difficult the rest of the way. In addition to wanting replacements of aging systems, they wanted us to fix things like water that dripped from the tub faucet while the shower was running. Basically everything the inspector noted was dumped in there. You just can't expect that in a house that isn't new. "As is" means the seller won't even fix things that are broken. But it's not "as is" if it's just less-than-perfect or less-than-new. Is there anything to stop you from coming back with a more reasonable list of fixes--just the things that are not working or unsafe?

We could, but the agent said they will not be fixing anything or giving any money. During the initial negotiation they said they had money set up for inspection contingency.

I mean, it is normal for real estate agents to lie. So tired of this story.

Seller probably has a backup contact with a better price offer. OP just all so that the seller can move on with the backup contact.

I’ll take that bet and raise you double. Not a chance