JL's Columbia SC Real Estate Blog: January 2018

  In this business every deal is unique and each one has it's own set of obstacles to overcome. Whether it's a low ball offer that requires you to convince a buyer to become more reasonable or a frustrated seller who is angry over frivolous requests from a repair addendum.

  Some of the worst offenders to derail an otherwise perfectly good offer can be upfront requests that come as part of the offer itself. It's not unusual for a buyer to ask a seller to leave window treatments or the like, but what if the request is a little more personal?

Years ago a friend of mine told me about a time that he represented a buyer when he was new to the business. The buyer looked at every home in a particular community and finally settled in on a home that he liked. As the buyer walked through that home on his third viewing, he saw the seller's dog playing in the backyard and rolling in the leaves.

  Can you guess where this is headed yet? When the agent got ready to write up the offer, the buyer asked for the seller's dog to be included as part of the deal. Being new to the business and unable to convince the buyer to leave the dog out of it, the agent reluctantly wrote up the offer for what was at the time a very expensive home here and he did indeed need the commission. Being that this is a public forum, I will not repeat the reply of the listing agent or the buyer, but let's just say they were unhappy with the request. I am perfectly willing to write this off as a real estate urban legend and say it never happened, but I know the buyer's agent and he swears it occurred and so do a few other agents here that I would be willing to trust.

  I write this as a cautionary tale to warn that you simply never know what a buyer may ask for as of a transaction. Whether it's Grandma's china cabinet, a set of curtains, or even the family pet just trying to enjoy some time in the backyard. So that these situations can be avoided, I always recommend that sellers put items they do not want to part ways with out of sight and out of mind. Or better yet, get them out of the house altogether. Because if it's not there, no one can ask for it in the first place.