The Paper Crunch

I'm embarrassed to see that it's been so long since I wrote. A sign of the times, I'm afraid!

I am sitting in the office (it's 7:20 pm), having spent the day writing an offer, presenting it, and now waiting for the response. I wish they were all this easily decided and written.

I also worked on paperwork, making sure that everything is as up to date as possible before new listings come on hopefully later this week. There is so much paperwork - forms upon forms, most resulting from some litigation. The latest is a "Theft" form - new buyers state whether they will occupy the property as their primary residences. If not, then the seller needs to be aware of this so as not to be coerced into the contract to ward off foreclosure.

Some are important, not to say this one isn't. Property disclosures require the seller to sign his name to the condition of the house. I had a friend who bought a house years ago and was never told there had been a fire in it - a huge fire! The agent (who always worked for the seller then)was cautioned to say nothing, the inspector didn't catch it, and it wasn't until the welcoming party when he was told "Nice job they did on the house since the fire!" We now have disclosure laws, and agents MUST disclose all material defects. (In court my friend ultimately lost - he should have contacted the local fire department, he was told by the last judge who heard the case.)

So I do paperwork, on a warm night in a beautiful village with the door open wide. There are worse things to do, worse places to be.