Posted by Brian (UT) on September 16, 2005 at 12:35:44:
Kim
Don’t sweat it! Send a certified letter to the sellers and the agents stating misrepresentation and they have two options. One to promptly return your deposit or for the sellers and the agents to finish off the garage with permits to your satisfaction to provide the home with the proper square footage as represented plus build a garage of eqaul size to the one they represented as the house having…
The agents in this case don’t have a leg to stand on due to the level of expertise they are assumed to have,and the sellers were surely aware they didn’t have that much living space and if they are that dumb their complaint should be against their agent, not you.
If you don’t get quick action then file a formal complaint with the state dept of real estate.
My husband and mother flew to Tacoma to look for a home last week. Told the realtor only homes over 2000 sq ft. The Realtor took them to a house that mom liked and an offer was made. When they returned home I kept saying the square footage did not match the measurements they took of the house. Turns out the garage was included in the living space, (it was listed this was on the tax records as having no garage, total sq ft was living area) So now 500 sq ft of living space is missing and we want out of the deal. All of this was done by taking a measuring tape to the outside of the house (simple math) but the realtor now says WE must pay for an appraisel to get out of contract. The same firm that listed the house is representing us. If I could figure this out by pulling the tax records and seeing the house listed with no garage and have someone run over with a tape measure shouldn’t they have been able to also? Poor research on their part before listing and now I have to pay so that this issue can be corrected for future purchasers? Lets see, bait and switch? misrepresentation? I only want my 1,000 in ernest money back so I can move on. What should I do?
Thank
Kim