Book Review
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Seller Beware
Insider Secrets You
Need to Know before Selling Your House
From Listing through Closing the
Deal.
by Robert Irwin |
Although Robert Irwin
presents the information in this book with the assumption that you will be
using a real estate agent to market your property, it is also well presented
for someone who is selling by owner. The well known cliché "Buyer
Beware" no longer applies in real estate. I was pleased to see the use
of an attorney repeatedly recommended throughout the book. Many people
assume that when they are listed with an agent or working with one who has
brought a buyer, that an attorney is unnecessary. Robert Irwin shows
why this is no longer true in today's litigious environment.
Many of the topics he presents revolve around disclosure. He lists
questions that you should ask yourself and of course gives you the
information you need to find out the answers. Here are a few of the
issues he brings up:
- Are you aware that if
you improperly handle a sale, the buyer could demand that you take back
your property and repay all costs of purchase plus expenses and even
damages?
- Have you avoided
contingencies in the sales agreement that unfairly favor the buyer?
- Must you disclose
something you've fixed?
- Can you avoid
disclosures by selling "as is"?
- Has your attorney
reviewed the final inspection clause?
Disclosure issues take
up the majority of this book, however there is an excellent chapter on
negotiating with a buyer who wants concessions. This will give any by
owner seller an understanding of the process and could protect them from
giving away too much to someone who hopes they don't understand their
options. Other topics discussed include home inspections, the toxic
house, home warranties, and discussions on whether you should "fix it or
leave it". There is also a home inspection checklist included in the
book. Many sellers will end up using this after their home is sold and
they become buyers looking for their next home.
It is unfortunate that
we need to be concerned about buyers coming after us for repairs or
compensation months after the transaction has closed. Robert Irwin's
book Seller Beware shows us how to breath easier and protect ourselves and
our buyer from unexpected surprises.
Seller Beware by Robert Irwin is available at Amazon.com |
