Anonymous wrote:OP what state are you in and what does your lease say?

I'm in VA and our lease has to be honored. So any potential buyer will have to be ok with being a landlord for 8 months.

As for the other stuff, we already agreed no lockbox. I had a baby 2 weeks ago and am on maternity leave so anyone barging in probably would be met with a breastfeeding baby and a dog. Not good for me or the seller. I would never sabotage the listing though. If we don't buy it, I want it to sell ASAP for my own sanity, so doing anything to make it harder would be hilarious but stupid.

Anyway, I was wondering if I have a leg to stand on in wanting a price credit to account for reduced commission or for the sellers agent to split his commission with a buyers agent (typical practice I thought) and it is clear I don't. So, we'll make a decision based on that. Thanks for those who provided reasonable responses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let him put the house on the market. Make it VERY difficult to show-refuse a lockbox and say by appointment only. Don't clean or pick up at all.

Don't leave the house during showings--follow the buyers around being "helpful"--"This room gets very hot during the summer/the neighbors have a zydeco band and they practice on Sunday mornings/I hope you are planning on private schools b/c the local one is terrible/this is the room with the asbestos" etc.

The tenant cannot refuse a lockbox if it states in their lease that a lockbox is allowed. As far as your other suggestions, not sure what you think this will accomplish. If someone wants the house, I thin they are more likely to believe an inspector vs a tenant about asbestos.

Really? So a landlord, realtors, and anyone else can walk through your living space at any time if you rent if there's a lockbox? That is shocking.

Why is this so hard for people to understand. READ YOUR LEASE. It gives the specific instances that the landlord/property manager can go into the property, right to offer house first for buying, lockbox issues etc. A lease is a legal document. So many people never read their leases and then get upset when the landlord does exactly what the lease says.

A landlord or property manager may enter a property with 24 hours notice to inspect the property. A lockbox may go up 60 days before the lease is up if the tenant decides not to renew their lease. Leases may be different in different states which is why you need to read your lease and understand your options.

Most areas you need to give the current tenant the option to buy 1st so the current owner is not doing any favors to the current tenant.


Get an agent - it is the only way you can find real comps to make sure your offer is appropriate. They also know the laws around tenant rights and will help you navigate them.

OP what state are you in and what does your lease say?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let him put the house on the market. Make it VERY difficult to show-refuse a lockbox and say by appointment only. Don't clean or pick up at all.

Don't leave the house during showings--follow the buyers around being "helpful"--"This room gets very hot during the summer/the neighbors have a zydeco band and they practice on Sunday mornings/I hope you are planning on private schools b/c the local one is terrible/this is the room with the asbestos" etc.

The tenant cannot refuse a lockbox if it states in their lease that a lockbox is allowed. As far as your other suggestions, not sure what you think this will accomplish. If someone wants the house, I thin they are more likely to believe an inspector vs a tenant about asbestos.

Really? So a landlord, realtors, and anyone else can walk through your living space at any time if you rent if there's a lockbox? That is shocking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, it sounds like you're mad that someone is going to make a profit from you. Newsflash- that's the point of buying and selling real estate. You sound like a nightmare tenant who's translating that over into the home-buying process. What a shame. Hopefully, you're mature at some point. In the mean time, I hope your landlord can get rid of you and find someone normal to buy his house. I also hope no other home seller has to deal with you. You'll be renters for a very long time.

You're joking right? I know I shouldn't engage a troll, but seriously. We are ideal tenants and LL uses a property manager so we have never dealt with him. Always pay on time, great credit, keep house in excellent condition. LL decided to sell 3 months after our lease started. Really, he should never have rented it to us. Wie are just hoping for some level of common courtesy/decency. You're jumping to a huge and incorrect conclusion because we as tenants expect to also have representation in the buying process (what anyone else would have).

The owner is showing courtesy. Giving you the opportunity to buy before the house is listed as well as giving you a counter offer. You don't like the response. As far as the owner selling 3 months into your lease, things change. Perhaps he needs the money for another investment, etc. If you want to stay and inventory is low, buy before it gets listed. Most likely their will be multiple offers and it will go for above the asking price.

+1. This seems to really be about the OP's anger regarding how the seller and his agent plan to divvy up the profit. What a waste of time- for both OP and the seller.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, it sounds like you're mad that someone is going to make a profit from you. Newsflash- that's the point of buying and selling real estate. You sound like a nightmare tenant who's translating that over into the home-buying process. What a shame. Hopefully, you're mature at some point. In the mean time, I hope your landlord can get rid of you and find someone normal to buy his house. I also hope no other home seller has to deal with you. You'll be renters for a very long time.

You're joking right? I know I shouldn't engage a troll, but seriously. We are ideal tenants and LL uses a property manager so we have never dealt with him. Always pay on time, great credit, keep house in excellent condition. LL decided to sell 3 months after our lease started. Really, he should never have rented it to us. Wie are just hoping for some level of common courtesy/decency. You're jumping to a huge and incorrect conclusion because we as tenants expect to also have representation in the buying process (what anyone else would have).

The owner is showing courtesy. Giving you the opportunity to buy before the house is listed as well as giving you a counter offer. You don't like the response. As far as the owner selling 3 months into your lease, things change. Perhaps he needs the money for another investment, etc. If you want to stay and inventory is low, buy before it gets listed. Most likely their will be multiple offers and it will go for above the asking price.

Anonymous wrote:OP, let him put the house on the market. Make it VERY difficult to show-refuse a lockbox and say by appointment only. Don't clean or pick up at all.

Don't leave the house during showings--follow the buyers around being "helpful"--"This room gets very hot during the summer/the neighbors have a zydeco band and they practice on Sunday mornings/I hope you are planning on private schools b/c the local one is terrible/this is the room with the asbestos" etc.

The tenant cannot refuse a lockbox if it states in their lease that a lockbox is allowed. As far as your other suggestions, not sure what you think this will accomplish. If someone wants the house, I thin they are more likely to believe an inspector vs a tenant about asbestos.

OP, you are in a good position if you have a valid lease. Look into the laws where you live. In DC, you cannot be forced to leave before your lease ends and even then, you have some rights.

In DC, tenants have the right to match any offers which can really slow the process down. Also, check your lease about what you agreed to in terms of showing the property if it goes on the market. You do not have to be inconvenienced by that, and you may even be able to negotiate a reduction of rent during that process because it is a serious inconvenience.

If you want to buy the place, figure out what you want to pay and make an offer.

Finally, let go of what the real estate agent makes. It has nothing to do with what you pay, agents are paid by the seller. Let that piece go.

Anonymous wrote:Op, it sounds like you're mad that someone is going to make a profit from you. Newsflash- that's the point of buying and selling real estate. You sound like a nightmare tenant who's translating that over into the home-buying process. What a shame. Hopefully, you're mature at some point. In the mean time, I hope your landlord can get rid of you and find someone normal to buy his house. I also hope no other home seller has to deal with you. You'll be renters for a very long time.

You're joking right? I know I shouldn't engage a troll, but seriously. We are ideal tenants and LL uses a property manager so we have never dealt with him. Always pay on time, great credit, keep house in excellent condition. LL decided to sell 3 months after our lease started. Really, he should never have rented it to us. Wie are just hoping for some level of common courtesy/decency. You're jumping to a huge and incorrect conclusion because we as tenants expect to also have representation in the buying process (what anyone else would have).

Op, why would it be any of your business how the agent and seller are going to divy the monies from the home sale?

Two issues here:

OP, other PPs' are correct that you should not be bothered with the compensation arrangement between your landlord and the agent. If you want to buy the place just base it on the comps.

You don't have to go out of the way to accommodate the showings of the property. I would not bother with tidying up the place or vacating the property while it is being shown. But I would not go out of my way to make it unduly difficult either. Basically allow showings to the extent that it does not inconvenience you.

Anonymous wrote:Op, it sounds like you're mad that someone is going to make a profit from you. Newsflash- that's the point of buying and selling real estate. You sound like a nightmare tenant who's translating that over into the home-buying process. What a shame. Hopefully, you're mature at some point. In the mean time, I hope your landlord can get rid of you and find someone normal to buy his house. I also hope no other home seller has to deal with you. You'll be renters for a very long time.

Another PITA landlord here. Seriously, owner could have listed after lease expires. But no, he thinks he's a fuedal lord and is confused and thinks he is at Medieval Times chomping on a turkey leg.

Hah padlocking the rooms. That is brilliant and you can claimits 'childproofing'

Op, it sounds like you're mad that someone is going to make a profit from you. Newsflash- that's the point of buying and selling real estate. You sound like a nightmare tenant who's translating that over into the home-buying process. What a shame. Hopefully, you're mature at some point. In the mean time, I hope your landlord can get rid of you and find someone normal to buy his house. I also hope no other home seller has to deal with you. You'll be renters for a very long time.