Re: Selling question - Posted by Eric C
Posted by Eric C on March 24, 2004 at 11:31:41:
Hi Doug -
Yep. You should disclose the situation when and if you get a signed purchase agreement or contract in hand.
Until that time, it’s your problem.
Take care,
Eric C
PS - I was once sued over a commercial sale of self-storage units. I had a former cop who “kept an eye on the place” in exchange for a free unit.
For whatever reason, he did not get listed as a tenant (paying or not) during the buyer’s inspection period though a copy of his lease agreement and the arrangement was included in the due diligence docs.
This “free” tenant told the selling broker that he would vacate when the sale closed since he “didn’t have anything in his unit worth paying rent for” - his exact words. He later wrote a note to the onsite management repeating this same point.
Meanwhile, sale day comes and the closing proceeds without a hitch. But a month later, both the Seller (me) and the selling broker are being sued by the buyer.
Seems like the “free” tenant didn’t move out as promised and the new buyer simply sold the contents of his unit – no notice, no nothing.
So, here’s where it stood: Former “free” tenant sues the new owner for improper eviction and loss of property. New owner then turns around and sues me for non-disclosure.
Great.
Anyway, my broker settled with the buyer (new owner) for about $5000 plus. That was good for the buyer because Judge informed him that “paying or not” the former tenant was entitled to due process – in other words, he should have been given proper notice.
Moral: disclose, disclose,disclose.
This was a minor thing… or at least that’s what everyone thought. Hey, it could have been worse.
Be smart. Don’t be a target.