Housing News

The client communication hack that helps me close more deals (and saves hours daily)

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:37:32 +0000

Hey r/realestate, I wanted to share a game-changing tool that's transformed how I manage client communications and property details.

As real estate agents, our days are a whirlwind of showings, client calls, negotiations, and endless paperwork. I was constantly typing out property descriptions, client follow-ups, offer summaries, and market updates. It felt like I was spending more time on administrative tasks than on actually selling properties and building client relationships.

I tried various CRM tools and templates, but the bottleneck was always the speed at which I could capture and communicate detailed information accurately.

Then I started experimenting with voice dictation. My initial attempts with generic voice-to-text software were frustrating; they struggled with property addresses, specific features, and the nuanced language of real estate transactions. I spent more time correcting errors than actually gaining efficiency.

Then I discovered WillowVoice. The difference was profound. It accurately transcribes property details, client preferences, and even complex contractual language with impressive precision. This has allowed me to:

• Draft Property Descriptions: I can walk through a property and dictate its features, amenities, and selling points in real-time, creating compelling listings much faster.

• Capture Client Notes: After client calls or showings, I can immediately dictate detailed notes about their needs, feedback, and preferences, ensuring I never miss a detail.

• Compose Client Follow-ups: I can quickly create personalized emails and messages, addressing specific questions or providing market updates, making my communications more timely and relevant.

• Summarize Offers and Negotiations: I can dictate the terms of offers, counter-offers, and negotiation points, ensuring accuracy and clarity in complex transactions.

The accuracy and speed of WillowVoice mean I can focus on building rapport with clients and closing deals, rather than the mechanical act of typing. My communications are more detailed, my follow-ups are more timely, and I'm able to manage a higher volume of clients without feeling overwhelmed.

This tool has not only boosted my productivity but also significantly improved the quality and personalization of my client interactions.

What are your go-to tools or strategies for streamlining your real estate business and enhancing client communication? I'm always eager to learn from fellow agents!

submitted by /u/EscapeNormal_2024
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Did i waste my time painting

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:37:09 +0000

Selling the house. I was using leftover paint we had to cover up crayon and where we didnt color match right. Welp, ended up using yellow and blue on the 2nd floor. AITAH?? It wont let me post pictures??

submitted by /u/Usual-Pollution4065
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Purchasing a condo from the owner (I'm the renter) in California without RE agent.

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:26:37 +0000

Hi all, read many threads on here that suggest just getting a real estate attorney to help purchase the condo that I'm currently renting. I will be purchasing all cash, so no financing contigency. A few learnings from these threads that I'd love confirmation on:

Given the nature of this transaction, I should seek a RE attorney on a flat-fee arrangement ~$1,500.
How much should escrow/title fees be? I have no idea what is fair pricing. I assume it's a % of the purchase price?
I'm in California. From what I understand, many RE attorneys are unfamiliar with all the paperwork required to close a transaction. Can anyone confirm?

submitted by /u/WangtaWang
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Rate hikes due to hot ppi this am?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:01:32 +0000

Producer Price Index

Is this the correct process

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:21:58 +0000

2.5 weeks ago we found our dream house. We walked it Saturday and submitted a full price offer the next day Sunday. The offer had contingency of selling our home (which was not yet on the market) Wednesday we put our home up and the same day the seller sent a multiple counter to our offer asking for 15k earnest. We accepted they took the other buyer by that next Sunday. Come this past week on Sunday we received a single counter from the seller with same terms but with 48 hour of refusal. The previous buyer had backed out. The same day we signed the counter and sent it back.

Our agent said we just wait now for confirmation.

The sell of our house hasn’t had any offers yet but we are expecting one this week.

Is it just the process of waiting on the other agent now? While I would like to keep my 15k in the bank as long as possible I don’t want my lack of action to be the reason we loose the house.

submitted by /u/HallDull7474
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Say you’re a multi-millionaire buying a single-family home for your spouse and kids in USA. What neighborhood, in what city do you pick, and why? Looking for a diverse array of answers.

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 11:15:59 +0000

submitted by /u/Akinjanuary
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$34,900 listing

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:23:53 +0000

MLS RX-11043684

Listing is for 1800 sq ft condo in Palm Springs County Florida at $34,900. Is there some kind of scam here? Something is really wrong about this.

submitted by /u/RealSharpNinja
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Repairs beyond FHA appraisal report

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:43:54 +0000

We're selling to buyers using FHA financing (had we known anything about FHA loans, we would have declined their offer, but that's a whole other post). The appraisal report came back with a few simple repairs. We agreed to a repair contract where we would fix a few items and the buyers who repair the remaining (mostly painting, as they're going to renovate anyway). All the repairs in the report have been completed and the appraiser is scheduling the final visit to confirm.

However, the appraiser is now saying that the balusters on the stair railing are too far apart and spindles need to be added. She's also questioning an attic baffle because she wants a "licensed contractor to identify it" (it's very clear what it is). Fortunately, our repair contract with the buyers notes what they will fix, but also includes "all other times on the inspection report", but are appraisers able to add items after sending the inspection report with identified repairs? I know the buyers will have to fight this with the lender and appraiser, but we're worried the sale will fall apart if new items just keep being added.

submitted by /u/LibrarianByNight
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Misrepresentation by my realtor while under contract un Philadelphia

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:14:25 +0000

My realtor pressured me into signing a doc prior to reading and reviewing all areas with me. I specifically asked him if a contingency was included, which he replied to as yes and I reread it and do not see it. He kept messaging and calling that the documents are needed, so we needed to hurry and sign. Im still interested in the property however, can we fire this agent for misrepresentation while under contract?

submitted by /u/Interesting-Meat6938
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Negotiating With Motivated Sellers Like a Pro

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:00:28 +0000

Agent won’t sign termination/release form

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 06:47:32 +0000

I am trying to sell my house and I had known this broker for many years and had done multiple transactions with her. This time around things didn’t work. She is in Florida and I am in NY but I still chose to trust her and have her as my agent and she managed things remotely. House was listed for 5 weeks with barely few bad offers. I asked her to remove the listing and terminate the agreement as I want to engage with another agent. She is stalling and is becoming extremely rude calling me names and twisting facts. She agreed to sign the form but still didn’t. I have documentation of her saying this writing as well as her unprofessional behavior. She is angry because I don’t want to deal with her and went with another agent. The agent listed the property after I told her to remove it and she agreed to it and to the termination, again this is documented. Yet, she keeps saying the other agent is in violation.

If she refuses to sign the form, what are my options?

Thank you.

submitted by /u/Necessary-Art-8898
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Should i feel like my dream is over

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 06:37:40 +0000

Husband and I put a deposit down for a new construction in NC. I got cold feet being it so close to school and I’ll have to pull my 4 yo from his pre k program, move into a short term rental, and then wait for the house to be done. Long story short, a ton of work and stress on a situation that’s already kinda stressful.

So I told the sales lady for the new home I want to wait until spring (our home is in WNY) to sell that way no short term rental during the school months, and I’m selling my home in peak season.

Now our realtor down south started telling me all home prices will shoot up with interest rate cuts, and basically to not wait.

Is he just trying to sell me? I really feel a lot of stress not waiting until Spring. I rather have my house done here (a few updates are needed, paint and trim, and a window) and my son move schools next year in kindergarten.

TLDR: am I going to be screwed selling my house in the spring with interest rate cuts or is my realtor down south trying to sell me

submitted by /u/freighttttttrr
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Virtual Staging Websites/Apps

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 05:56:12 +0000

So i am currently looking for a condo to buy and it can be hard to tell how it would look with furniture, etc. So if i have the floor plan, a video and some pix....are there any platforms that can help virtually stage the condo room by room?

submitted by /u/Durr-e-Shehwar
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Real Talk on My Lancaster Deal & Lessons Learned + Hustle Tips

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 05:00:26 +0000

Buyer Repair Caused Further Issues

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 04:41:44 +0000

I am less than a week from closing on a sale and a purchase (that depends on proceeds from sale). The buyers made several requests that included updating the electrical panel (built late ‘60’s, good condition fuse box, buyer is paying half the upgrade). Work got completed, no big deal, and we were on a time crunch so the cost is annoying but within our tolerance. Here’s where the issue arose: the existing wire gauge for the dryer supports 20A. The electrician installed the appropriate breaker. There previously was a fuse, unknown if it was 20A or 30A. Electrical specifics aside, the dryer now constantly flips the breaker. One settings combination allows it to run a full cycle. Do I disclose this? Does the repair need to go further? Wiring would need replaced over a hard lid and I did not agree to that amount of work.

FYI I have a realtor I cannot trust due to several ethics issues I intend to escalate. I’d ask them if I knew my interests would be protected.

submitted by /u/Antique-Corgi8595
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Refinancing for -$135/m - worth it?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:50:20 +0000

would actually be -$160 Mortage company just called today and said they can get us down from 6.99% to 6.125%. Would bring my payment from $3,025 to $2,865. He made it sound like this was too good to pass up. I’m not sure it’s worth it. Here’s the email summary from our call:

30 yr fixed @ 6.125% with $2K-$3K in closing costs • New payment estimate = $2,865/m • closing costs would be recouped in about 6-12 months • No out of pocket costs. Closing costs can be financed into the loan • Skip one mortgage payment during the process • You are eligible to refinance again in 6 months so if rates are lower at that time, we can always take advantage of the opportunity again

Would you do it?

submitted by /u/West_Contribution684
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Changing Buyer’s Agent with New Construction

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:38:22 +0000

A few months ago I toured a new construction house with a buyer’s agent. The builder registered them as my agent during the first visit.

My buyer’s agent agreement has expired (we are also past the window following the expiration where the commission is still required if I make a purchase following expiration). If I switch agents, will the builder pay the new agent if I end up having an offer accepted and going under contract for the same house I previously toured with my first agent?

State: Oregon

submitted by /u/YouMadOverChicken
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How good is a 0 down mortgage?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:17:05 +0000

Being in the military, I have access to the VA home loan meaning I can get a mortgage for 0 down. Hypothetically, how good of an idea is it to get a mortgage for 0 down and rent it out? And would a 15 or 30 year mortgage be better?

Before anyone mentions it, I know the rules for the VA loan requiring primary residency for a year.

submitted by /u/ALPHAmythic
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Selling a property using quit claim deed?

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:07:19 +0000

I have a buyer for my mobile home on a 1 acre hilltop rural property, but the county needs the septic inspected and I'm betting it wont pass.. But replacing it would eat up half of the 35k asking price. The buyer suggested he pay me cash, and I put him on the deed and then I do a quit claim deed and then its his without replacing the septic which has been operational for decades.. I bought it with cash and own the property alone, free and clear of any liens. Does anyone see any potential problems selling a property this way?

Thanks!

submitted by /u/spazatac
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Builder contingency extensions

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:04:50 +0000

I know I should speak with my realtor directly , but if you are under contract with a builder ( home is already ready ) under contingency to sale your current home , are they usually good about giving extentions needed? Our first contingency was for 30 days and we are kinda slow here so we asked for additional time, which they gave , as we was doing some updates and taking feedback and re listing , are they good about extentions since our initial close date was 09/30 ?

submitted by /u/Useful-Raise
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Lennar homes

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 01:56:01 +0000

Recently purchased a house with lennar. I was checking house price about neighbors house over the weekend and realized that I paid 30k more than all other neighbors in the same community. I was to first to purchase yet paid 30k. Checking with realtor who did the closing. Anyone has experienced this? What to do next?

submitted by /u/RamDulhari
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Prospective home buyers, what are your reasons to buy now?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:53:45 +0000

Folks planning who are thinking of purchasing a home, especially in areas where the price is declining, what is your rationale for thinking about purchasing it now instead of waiting longer?

My spouse and I are in that situation and would love to hear you views to see if we have the right reasons to go ahead with the purchase, or hold on.

We are empty nesters, kids in college. We moved to the Austin area more than a year ago and currently renting in Cedar Park. We work remotely though I need to travel from time to time (so not too far from the airport is a plus). We can afford to purchase the house with a relatively large down payment so as to keep the monthly payments low.

We explored several neighborhoods in Cedar Park, Leander and Georgetown. Based on location and our budget, we liked KB Homes River Bluff at the border of Leander and Georgetown. We can build a house from the available plan options on a lot of our choice (well, about a half anyway, since the rest are sold).

I've noticed that the price for these to-be-built houses have come down about 80-100K from about a year ago, based on their list prices. However, they are slowly inching back up, having gone up by 5K in the last 2 weeks (first 3K and recently 2K). On the other hand, their ready-to-move inventory homes did not have much of a price cut earlier, but recently they had 5-10K price cuts.

Sorry for rambling on...but here's what I'm trying to figure out...

- why is the price of the to-be-built staying steady or moving up, in the other direction of inventory homes

- what would be justifiable reasons to purchase now instead of waiting longer to see if price falls further

submitted by /u/supergundi
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My real estate agent isn’t communicating with me and ghosted me?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:30:24 +0000

So, my house is for sale in CO and it’s been a few months, which I understand why. But my problem is that I have been trying to contact the realtor to see if there’s anything I can do to boost my listing- like lower the price, include more appliances, update the information on the listing, anything. We’ve had no showings at all and I just wanted to see if there’s anything I can do to get more views out there. I’ve tried calling the realtor, left a voicemail and sent a couple messages (maybe 1-2 texts over a period of a week). I asked if we could take the price down a couple thousand dollars and the realtor said they would do it. That was a couple of days ago and it has not changed at all. Even if there’s nothing we can do right now, I still need communication- which I’m obviously not getting. I’m not being pushy about it or anything and not harassing them by any means. What can I do? I don’t want this realtor to get fired but I am paying for their service! Any help or tips is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

submitted by /u/Weird_Apricot2546
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Annoying to Realtor to Look at Houses Out of My Price Range?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:51:07 +0000

Am I going to be annoying to ask my realtor to show me houses that are listed about 50k above what I am comfortable spending but have been sitting for a few months? I want to be respectful of her time and don’t want to act of line but don’t want to miss an opportunity on a home I like either. For what it’s worth, I’ve looked at a few places but have yet to make an offer on anything. Theres one I would like to but the sellers are making ongoing modifications to the house.

submitted by /u/keystonecadaver
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100 acre lot - simple sell OR possibility of development?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:44:26 +0000

My family has a 100-acre lot with one house on it. Tons of trees all over it.

Currently, there is about 1.1 mil left on the mortgage.

My mother would prefer to sell the property to break even on the mortgage and be done with everything.

However, my brother thinks that it might be a good idea to instead clear the land and sell all the wood (if it’s even valuable) and prep the land for development.

Adding a bit of background here, the city is medium-sized, high-pop and has an extreme need for affordable housing. They just announced a plan to grant funds to developers for the following as long as it’s towards the construction of affordable housing:

• Land/property acquisition in conjunction with new construction or rehabilitation of rental properties. • New construction of rental properties • Rehabilitation of rental properties • Relocation as applicable • Demolition in conjunction with new construction of rental properties

I know that the development game is pretty unforgiving and can be riddled with unforeseen problems but I was wondering what would be the best path forward with this?

If this is the wrong sub and flair - sorry in advance and pls let me know.

submitted by /u/-Zenpai-
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Question about a partially earth sheltered home

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 21:09:41 +0000

So my wife and I went and looked a home recently. It is partially earth sheltered (you can step onto the roof from the back yard) and one of the ‘bedrooms’ listed is on the underground side therefor does not have a window.

Can this technically be considered a bedroom if it doesn’t have a window? My realtor did some research and said “it can be listed as that but it may not appraise as that”.

We want to make an offer but are worried about reselling in the future, anyone have any insight?

submitted by /u/TCollins90
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Single, Early 20’s, Dreaming to Build

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:57:15 +0000

I am looking for advice for a single young F whose dream would be to build a house. My parents put a trailer on their land while building their home. Of course the other issue would be building/buying while single and how that can change in the future. I live in rural area so not many options to be bouncing around from home to home.

Any other women who found themselves in a similar situation? What did you do?

submitted by /u/MathematicianMore484
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Are Zestimates really this wild?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:49:45 +0000

I'm not looking to sell but it's tempting when I paid 175k and Zillow is telling me it's worth 247k. I could rent an acceptable place in my town for 1k a month.

A few months ago Wyoming cut real estate taxes by 25% for two years, so of course the city went around and appraised everyone higher. I asked my realtor to pull comps for me so I could protest my valuation but the lowest one he gave me was 209k and the highest was 237k, when the city has me at 235k.

My 95 year old grandma is in hospice and I want to move my 70 year old dad in with me when he's done taking care of her. So buying a nicer house might be in my near future.

submitted by /u/Dogbuysvan
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How do we Brady Bunch?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:08:58 +0000

Here’s the rundown: I just* purchased my house (so maybe $20,000 in equity realistically). My partner has had his house a lot longer and has around $100,000 in the equity in his home. Both would make decent rentals. Between the two of us, we have 3 kids and I work from home so we need a 4 BR with enough space for an office.

I am so confused on how we do this. His income is lower than mine, but his credit is excellent. Mine is meh (thanks ex-husband!) We’re looking at reasonable houses well within our budget and prices have been going down in our market from the exorbitantly high prices of a few years ago.

Can we keep my house if I can afford to be on both loans? Do I have to rent it out first? Do we have to sell his house before we can close? I’m less concerned with the contract terms (that’s covered), and more concerned with what lenders want to see and with how this process normally works. Thanks so much for the help and guidance.

submitted by /u/Nelleyesac
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Inspection report from buyer

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:09:03 +0000

After going back and forth with the buyer who I am under contract with and accepting an offer 21.5k under asking, they are making further demands of 4.5k.

Their realtor is making many demands based on false claims such as:

-dishwasher not working (it does, its one year old) - ovens not working (they both do, I just used them) - microwave not working (also just used) - window screens missing (none are) - doors not locking (they all work) - they want ac replaced (it works)

All of their "list of issues" are not reflected on the report from their inspection. It says ac works, dishwasher works, etc.

They want at least 3.8k after asking 4.5k or are threatening to walk away.

What would you all do?

Update: seems like the buyer's agent is not negotiating in good faith. When my agent asked where the 4.5k number came from he kept throwing around different amounts to see what would stick. The answer was nothing.

Their option runs out tomorrow so we'll see what happens.

submitted by /u/justherefor23andme
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Who pays the taxes for our inherited home if it was seller financed to one of the heirs

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:52:11 +0000

My grandfather died a few years ago and left his house to my family (mom, dad, myself) in his will. My parents and I signed an agreement that I would buy out their 2/3 of the home over a 10 year span at 0% interest. I plan on selling the home prior to the 10 years and am curious about how taxes will pan out. For easy math, let’s say the home was valued at $300k at the time of his death, so I am paying my parents a total of $200k. When I pay out their remaining balance, will they be taxed on it? Or, will I only be taxed on the appreciation that the house made since his death? If both of these answers are wrong, I’m open to the right answer. TIA

submitted by /u/Hufflepuff-McGruff
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Appraisal ended up hurting us the most

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:32:30 +0000

Newer (still building) cookie cutter neighborhood in Texas. 2400 sq ft house that's landscaped wonderfully with some add ons that the new homes no longer have due to trying to squeeze maximum profits.

Started at 339k...dropped to 307k after a few weeks. Only three showings but all three were offers. Took the third offer and settled on 310k. Inspection went well, discovered a small leak on the hot water heater that they didn't request to be fixed but I had repaired.

Next up appraisal....a week later we were told its came in at 295k and the buyers don't have the extra funds to put more than 5% down.

All parties involved except for the lender and their appraiser feel its worth the 310k

The comp homes used is this neighborhood are 5-600 sq ft smaller and have less features and though all lots are small we have a 17 acre green space behind us with a pond and great distance views.

I did contact a person that lives in the neighborhood with the exact same floorplan after a public record search with the county and he verified that he bought his home within the past year for 313k gave all this info with deed screenshots with loan info to my realtor and she contacted the lender with it. The appraiser came back saying that example wasn't within the past 6 months so we are SOL, though originally said there weren't many comps in our neighborhood so he had to use what he could. Funny part is when he was here I explained that the house with the same floor plan was sold within the past year and I couldn't find out what it sold for (sold through builder) he kind of dismissed me and said he has more ways than I do to figure out what it sold for.

County assessment is 309.9k

Extremely frustrated but I think they broke me.

submitted by /u/leadnbrass
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What was buying / selling a home like in the Pacific Northwest this summer?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:13:56 +0000

It seems like the summer buying season is about over. I just purchased in Boise, Idaho and wanted to share a bit of my experience and see what others experience in the Northwest this summer (Oregon, Washington, Idaho).

We had a big range and did lots of open houses. People are super picky now it seems. Things were definitely competitive for homes that were under 500k or so in trendy areas but even then so much seemed dependent on staging and photos. Homes sold fast if they were in trendy areas, looked and felt move in ready and had amazing photos. Everything else seemed to just not be as competitive. Also - tons of older buyers in the market - specifically looking for single level homes - those homes always went super fast.

We were able to get a pretty good deal on a home about 10% under list price as the home we chose the sellers chose to not remove their items for pictures and didn’t do an open house. It sat for a while due to pictures and we were able to get a good deal.

What did you see in the market this summer?

submitted by /u/Joeb0b
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Should I buy land or buy a house

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:04:33 +0000

So I've been looking at properties vs land, my husband and I should be ready finally to buy a house in about a year. But looking at it, it looks like it would he cheaper to buy land and then put like a manufactured home on it than just buying a house, plus no hoa. What are truly the downsides of going that route? The only one I can really think of is that trailers aren't long term, maybe 15 years before they start breaking down. Homes are longer lasting. Commute and schools aren't bad for my area either.

ETA Thank you everyone for all this information! It's hard finding a house within our price range right now but we are so so tired of renting. We are looking at all options, and I've been doing SOME research obviously I need to do more. Thank you everyone! I'm gonna look into modular homes which I honestly thought was the same as manufactured homes, but I stand corrected!

submitted by /u/Better_Temporary_353
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How I Bought Properties Without Banks or Credit — And You Can Too

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 02:00:22 +0000

Even if it's a buyer's market, don't be a stupid buyer.

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:11:21 +0000

I don't know what it is with some of these buyers, but I've got to vent a little. I've just told one potential buyer to pound sand and I'm refunding their EMD. They've been complete clowns throughout the entire process of dealing with them.

My property appraised at $509K, from an actual licensed appraiser. I have it listed for $499K. They came in with an incredibly stupid lowball offer of $385K because they'd done their "research" on Zillow and insisted they "knew what I paid for the property". When my realtor explained that Zillow doesn't record the actual construction costs to complete the house, they "generously" came up to $425K. I laughed at them again and told my realtor $475K is my absolute rock bottom price, take it or leave it. They accepted the price, but contingent on their current property selling first. They sent in their EMD and we agreed that we'd give them 48 hours to remove the pending clause and close on the property if another buyer came in with an offer that was ready to buy immediately.

Then the inspection report comes in and they came back with a laundry list of demands. Some of it was piddly stuff, and I even agreed to replace the water heater at my own expense due to a small leak on the pressure relief valve. Some of it involved major structural changes to the house and big ticket items, which I rejected.

This is where their stupidity really started ramping up. I guess one of them is starting a new job in the town where my property is located. If they don't move then one of them has nearly a 2 hour commute one way to work every day. So they come back with an idiotic request to let them have "early occupancy". They wanted to move into my house, rent free and without giving me any money at all, and in return they'd let me not do the things on the inspection report I already told them I wasn't going to do. I told my realtor to tell them there was no way in hell that was going to happen.

Fast forward to today, and I get another stupid request from them. Now they want to move into my house on a "short term lease", but they want to dictate the terms of the lease. They want to pay $2000 a month, but have half that go towards their down payment. So in exchange for the $1000 a month, they expect me to let them move into my 3000 square foot house on multiple acres of land and basically stay there until their current property sells at some indeterminate point in the future.

I get that it's a buyer's market right now. It's why I'm listing the property at $10K under appraised value, and willing to take another $25K off that. I'm not trying to flip the house, I lived in it for a few years. Do buyers really think sellers are this stupid to accept such ridiculous offers? Are there any serious buyers out there at all, or is this just a market rife with stupid buyers operating under some misguided notion that sellers are desperate to dump properties for pennies on the dollar?

submitted by /u/Ceseuron
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Seller intentionally killed a deal over solar

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 11:30:08 +0000

My husband and I went under contract on a house in June, with closing scheduled for this Friday. The property has leased solar panels, and we signed an addendum agreeing to take over the lease at $200/month plus a $900 transfer fee.

Today, the title company contacted me asking how we planned to pay a $12,000 transfer fee. We had never heard of this fee. Our agent immediately clarified that we were not responsible for it. He spoke with the seller’s agent, who explained that when the sellers installed the panels, their contract included an optional $12,000 payment after two years that would reamortize the loan and lower the monthly payment. The sellers chose not to pay this fee, which would have been fine had they stayed in the home for the duration of the lease. However, the contract also states that if the property is sold, the seller must pay this $12,000 incentivization fee before transferring the solar loan to a new owner.

We are refusing to pay this undisclosed cost, and the seller is now using it as grounds to cancel the deal. We are shocked and devastated. We now have to fight to recover our $15,000 earnest money and appraisal fees, and we have already lost money on mover deposits, furniture, packing supplies, and more.

Looking for advice on the best way to proceed.

TLDR: I'm scheduled to close this Friday on a home with leased solar panels. Our contract states we would assume the $200/month lease and $900 transfer fee. The seller’s solar agreement requires them to pay a $12,000 incentivization fee upon sale and they are refusing to pay it.

Update 08/12: Spoke to a lawyer and we, the buyer, are not in any way responsible for the fee. The seller came back and tried to have us split the 12k cost with them, telling us we can bake it into our loan. We said absolutely not. This fee is 100% their responsibility and was clearly stated in the contract THEY signed with the solar company. They ultimately came back and said they would pay it. Still TBD if they do it in time for our closing in 3 days - as of writing this, the solar company has not received the funds or an updated closing disclosure stating the funds would be paid at closing.

Update 08/13: Closing is still scheduled for Friday and the seller will be paying the $12k fee to the solar company at closing.

To clear up some questions:

This is a solar loan we are assuming (not a lease). Once the loan is paid off, we will own the panels.
The $12,000 fee was part of the seller’s initial solar contract and was intended to be paid after two years, once they received the tax credit for the panels. Paying it would have reduced their monthly payment to $120. The sellers chose not to pay it, despite the contract clearly stating it would have to be paid in order to transfer the loan. They are not doing us any favors by paying it now—they agreed to this obligation from the start. They could have paid it years ago using their tax credit and would have benefited from lower payments.
The sellers have been difficult to work with from the very beginning. This was the final straw for us. We were not willing to concede to any more of their demands and were fully prepared to walk away from the deal, with a lawyer ready to proceed. We are in the fortunate position of still owning our current home and are not under pressure to move. With plenty of inventory in the area, we knew we could have found another property.
For those asking why we think we should get the solar benefits without paying—maybe you don’t understand how contracts work when buying a house. We signed a contract agreeing to assume the loan, which must be in good standing by the seller, and to pay a $900 transfer fee plus $200/month until the loan is paid off.

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Table Closing Real Estate Walkthrough – All the Paperwork You Need to Close Like a Pro!

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 02:00:10 +0000

Considering a room revamp, but not sure where to begin—or how much to invest? In our latest series, One-Room Renos, we explore renovation projects big and small, from soft-good upgrades you can accomplish in a weekend to total overhauls that cost a small

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 21:12:34 +0000

Considering a room revamp, but not sure where to begin—or how much to invest? In our latest series, One-Room Renos, we explore renovation projects big and small, from soft-good upgrades you can accomplish in a weekend to total overhauls that cost a small fortune and last for months (or longer). Today, a couple shares how they converted their sunroom into a 485-square-foot accessory dwelling unit to help them pay their mortgage.

How to Fund Real Estate Deals with $0 – No Banks, No Credit, No Hard Money Needed

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 02:00:16 +0000

How to Know If Your Marketing Is Working Even When People Hate It!

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 02:00:36 +0000

Just saw 2k price drop.

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:57:30 +0000

On a home that was listed previously for 767k. 767k all the way down to 765k.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/29881-Circle-R-Creek-Ln-Escondido-CA-92026/16628949_zpid/?rtoken=9b3bd6c2-4077-4f3a-829f-355ecf62c6a7~X1-ZUv6778rvc43yh_8p8t0

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Thinking about selling my 3 bedroom house in the city and moving into a mobile home in the country.

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:46:43 +0000

As the title says I've been thinking about selling my 1,200 sq ft home and moving to a 1.5 acre piece of land outside the city, it has a trailer on it that me and my grandfather (licensed contractor) would completely redo along with putting central air in. My house is currently worth 185k and I still owe 148k on it. With a down payment from selling I should be able to get the land and trailer for around 100k which would cut my mortgage in half, some of the reasons I am looking into this is the fact that my mortgage keeps going up being in city limits, and the house has to have window units so my electric bill gets crazy in the summer, also I plan on paying off the trailer early and then building a house on the land, I'm in Michigan so land prices keep skyrocketing. thoughts?

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Foreclosure with Deed of Trust

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:23:52 +0000

Hello. I’ve tried looking at some posts but just wanted to get clarification if anyone knows.

We found a “foreclosure” (per the listing agent) that is owned by a finance company. This is who is on the property appraiser website. I have been having a hard time locating older records to show a clear timeline of ownership.

I found some previous owner information in 2019 a couple owned the home and had a Warranty Deed with a traditional mortgage amount.

In 2024 there is a Deed of Trust entry with a single individual listed as the buyer and the seller is HUD. Neither of these people are the finance company that’s currently listed on the property appraiser website. The amount of this purchase was under 5,000.

Can anyone explain the process that likely happened? Did the owner from 2019 default on their mortgage and HUD took over? Then this individual bought some kind of interest/guarantee in the property like paying taxes owed to hopefully get back in a sale?

We’d like to put an offer in and I was thinking if basing it more on what is likely owed plus a bit more. The whole home needs to be demo’d but it’s in a decent place that long term would be worthwhile purchase with some sweat equity.

Any help understanding this is most appreciated. Our first home was a foreclosure but we bought it directly from HUD. Our offer was submitted to them and they accepted. For this current home I don’t want to pay list price I feel it’s overpriced.

Thank you

NYC Buyer Broker Confusion

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:10:16 +0000

As a buyer, I’ve noticed that buyer brokers seem less interested in showing properties anymore. I understand that recent changes in the laws have shifted the landscape, but now I’m wondering, how are people viewing homes besides attending open houses? It’s starting to feel like a real challenge for me.

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Zillow- can you post a listing video?

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:05:12 +0000

Just wondering- I can’t recall seeing any. How about Redfin?

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Should I sent my building survey to the selling estate agent? (See body for more info)

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:49:14 +0000

I am first time buying a house so not very experienced and the building survey I had a conveyancer carry out mentioned damp readings.

The seller mentioned that they have never had a problem (because of course they would say that) but when talking to the selling estate agent they mentioned that for price negotiation purposes they would need my full copy of the building survey I had commissioned.

Is there any reason why I should not send them this? Would it weaken my position as a buyer? Any repercussions of ‘showing my hand’ so to speak?

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Would you be afraid to live near a steel mill?

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:38:35 +0000

For example near being 3.5 miles away from one. And a mile from a chemical solvent company? Its in an industrial area. Wind seems to typically blow in the direction away from the mill.

Its starting to make me nervous after reading some reports about long term health effects but they say that is more in a 3 mile and under radius in one report. Am I just having first home buyer anxiety? I love the place otherwise. Someone help. Okay just looked there's a smaller steel plant 2.7 miles away.

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How to Tell

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:17:41 +0000

With all of the changes in contracts these days, what is the best way to broach the subject while vetting a realtor to determine if their fees will be covered by the Seller? Is there any good language to use? Does it vary by State?

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Septic/Well 40+years old

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:10:36 +0000

Looking at a house where the current owners have been there for 40 years and put on the disclosure they have never serviced or pumped the septic system except for one expansion.

Is this a red flag?

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