I viewed a home with my realtor last night and as anybody in the market for homes know, the owners leave while the realtor shows you the home. Anyway, I was looking at a very nice house and noticed a crock-pot filled with beef stew on the counter.
I went to view this home right after work so did not have time for my supper. While the realtor was going through his checkpoint of the home I grabbed a fork and helped myself to a fair portion of the beef stew directly from the crock-pot (I did not want to dirty any dishes).
I placed a bid on the home and from what I understand by far the highest. However, I got a call from my realtor stating the owners refused my bid because they knew I ate some of the beef stew in the crock-pot. Realtor stated they were "disgusted" I ate the food.
My question - is this legal? Can they NOT sell me the house just because of this?
2007-03-22 01:55:16 · 16 answers · asked by Rick Martel 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
It's probably legal.
If I were you I would drop 20% off their asking price, require the seller to pay a finance point and make the seller put $500 in escrow to have the kitchen professionally cleaned. I would make the agent draw up that offer and present it to them. Stick it to them hard so every agent in the community has a good laugh about the $50,000 bowl of stew. You won't get the house, but they will think twice about leaving dinner cooking while showing their property to a prospective buyer.
What is a little bit of stew in the midst of a deal probably worth a few hundred thousand dollars...
What idiot seller leaves food out and invites guests over with the anticipation that the guests won't eat it?
BTW: Complain that the stew story is a sham and that the listing agent kicked out your offer because of your religion which allows visitors to eat food if it is there. Get a lawyer to draw up a letter demanding $10,000 as compensatory damages from the seller and listing agent for red lining on religious grounds. It will cost you 30 or 40 bucks, but the result will be a real hoot. Who knows - you may get a check for $10,000...
It is a seller's worst nightmare to have a bidder tie their house up by litigating that the bidding process wasn't fair. No buyer wants to enter into a contract on a house where there is pending litigation that may delay the deal waiting for a court date. Title insurance and mortgage underwriters won't sign off on the prospective buyer's loan if you have a lawsuit filed against the seller - even if the suit has no merit.
Selling houses is a business where you give up your privacy. These sellers were way in the wrong to fault you as they did. They aren't very motivated to sell, if you ask me.
2007-03-22 02:26:05 · answer #1 · answered by Dave 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I called this one into my RE attorney and his first question was: Is this a Black family bidding on a house in a White neighborhood? You don't mention the racial dimension in your question, so I couldn't answer.
If the seller is kicking out bona fide high bids, then something fishy is going on. It sounds like the stew story is a red herring for some sort of discrimination. You should get legal representation.
2007-03-22 03:05:23 · answer #2 · answered by Bear 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Could you please update with your name and city so I can be sure to avoid you as well?
You have some serious issues. They were right to bounce you - your agent should do the same.
There's more to an offer than price. The sellers are committing to a long and complicated transaction with you. If the buyer is a slimy amoral self-centered user (I think I'm being generous) then the transaction will not go smoothly.
2007-03-22 06:21:24 · answer #3 · answered by sdmike 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you may have had the highest bid but not the biggest amount of earnest money. you gotta come with the cash....you came with a Realtor and the after sale cash in the owners pocket dropped 3 percent....
2007-03-22 02:03:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You ate from the crockpot?? Yuk! They would have to throw out the whole thing. Think about it, a stranger double dipped a fork into your food!
Still though, if it were me, I'd make you pay for taking my family out to dinner since you ruined my meal and then take your bid.
2007-03-22 02:07:03 · answer #5 · answered by Bobbie 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Of course this is legal. I am happy to see that the seller didn't need your money badly enough to sell it to you!
If you did that without the real estate agent saying anything about it, then the agent should lose his license as well. The agent has a duty to protect the property while he/she are there.
You brought your germs into this families dinner uninvited. Disgusting is a mild expression of what I would feel.
2007-03-22 02:04:24 · answer #6 · answered by plezurgui 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
If this is for real and you are that much of a callous jerk while in my home then I would not enter a business deal with you either.
The owners have the right to refuse your offer for any reason - and to me your theft of their food would constitute a good reason to not consider you trustworthy enough to enter into any contract with.
2007-03-22 02:02:51 · answer #7 · answered by Susie D 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Looking at your other questions, I conclude this story is fake. The answer to your question, however, is: Yes, this is legal.
2007-03-22 02:11:16 · answer #8 · answered by Michael E 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
YES they can. they have the right to deny any offer, for any reason.
in your case, its because your an ignorant thing; i dont care if your mommy never taught you better or not, your an adult and should know better.
self-centered, ignorant mooch.... (ewwww!).
i would deny you to... even if you tripled the asking price.
.
2007-03-22 02:11:26 · answer #9 · answered by Yvette B yvetteb 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
why, oh why would you steal their dinner? Even taking just a bite. How would you feel if someone did this to you!
2007-03-22 02:01:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋