We looked at a house on some property 2x over the last 2 weeks and have been doing our due diligence on the land etc over the last 10 to 12 or so days. About a week ago we put in an offer with one of the points being that we wouldn't execute the contract until the pool was ready for inspection because it needed some work, basically to be turned on and cleaned, as they just let it sit for the winter months. The sellers made a counter offer the next day, but also simultaneously started cleaning the pool and providing us updates on when it would be ready for executing the contract. We go back and forth several times on some concessions and other items in the contract and yesterday they emailed us their final counter offer. Shortly after that, The agent let mine know that they have received another showing request and will show until we reach a final agreement. Shortly after receiving that message, my agent let them know we agree to their terms, and to let us know when the pool is ready so we can submit the final contract as they requested. The sellers agent acknowledged that we accepted their terms. During the several days of negotiations, the seller gave multiple updates on the status of the pool and when it would be ready for inspection.

This afternoon, we got a message that they are expecting another offer and we need to submit another offer by noon tomorrow so the agent can present it to their clients.

I know nothing is official until things are signed, but from my perspective, we had reached an agreement that was proposed by the seller and the agent acknowledged that we accepted it. They agreed we wouldn't go under contract until the pool was ready and they initially said it would be yesterday, but pushed it until Monday at the latest.

I am pretty pissed off, and want to tell them to do some not so nice things with the offer. Of course i am somewhat emotional about the situation, and this was going to be a 20 year place that my wife and I have been pretty invested in and have been really wanting to make the changes this move allows, but I dont even want to deal with these people anymore out of the principal of the whole thing. Id just love to hear some of yalls thoughts on the scenario. I haven't decided what I am going to do, but I am HEAVILY leaning towards submitting the offer as we agreed to or just walking away. Walking away will be hard because our timeline is restricted due to work. What a pain in the ass situation.

Every decision we made was mine, it is not my agents fault.

I got burned on the last house we had under contract with a pool situation, I wasn't going to get burned again. This pool was dark green when we looked at the house. I wouldn't have put it under contract without knowing that the pool was in working order or could at a minimum see the bottom of the thing. That would have been throwing money away.

I completely understand what you mean and know that and maybe I am learning a life lesson, but last month it cost me around $1400 when it was all said and done to find out a pool was shot to hell and needed 20 grand+ worth of work the sellers wouldn't do anything about. That lesson was fresh in my mind going in to this and maybe I thought that the owners were negotiating in good faith after meeting and speaking with them both times we looked at the property.

Without getting in to more details, I just dont think there is any way they could have got the impression we were being wishy washy.

Yes we probably should have just got it under contract. Had I not just had almost the exact same thing happen last month, which cost a fair amount of money and was the exact reason I canceled the contract in the option period, we probably would have. I understand I could have done things differently. We all make some mistakes and I already said It is probably a life lesson, but if they tell me we have a deal I guess I expect to have a deal. Maybe I just value my word more than them. Again, life is full of lessons.

We submitted several offers. Here is what the sellers said in response to one of them.


They verbally agreed to sell us the house and then said oh wait, nevermind.

And the pool is not ready to go, and they have continually pushed the pool being ready to go to the right. Had this been my option period I would still not have been able to get an inspection and I'd be running out of time.

I understand that, and if you read that quote, the sellers stated they wouldn't sign until the pool was ready but would verbally agree to terms. I took them at their word. I didn't think it is a bad thing to take people at their word. Guess I was wrong.

I took them at their word that they would agree to terms and sign when pool was ready.


Absolutely I would stand by my word if I told someone I would sell them somethin 10 times out of 10.

I do appreciate everyone's opinion, truly. I dont think discussing my position on the matter says otherwise.

Sure seems like they had an out to me and took it.

ElephantRider said:

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Sea Speed said:

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Sure seems like they had an out to me and took it.

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And you're salty about it. I'm saying in your opinion, they shouldn't have had an out even though you did all along.

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What it boils down to 100% is that I took these people at their word and thought that was good enough. Guess I won't make that mistake again.

Rexter said:

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That screenshot makes a YUUUUGE difference. If you weren't willing to sign up front, then the the "blame" is 50/50. The sellers didn't want to sign until the pool is done. Your OP made it sound like that was your stipulation, so you're getting the blowback.

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My understanding is that it was OP's stipulation, and the screenshot is just the seller agreeing to it. It is poorly worded.

Sea Speed said:

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I completely understand what you mean and know that and maybe I am learning a life lesson, but last month it cost me around $1400 when it was all said and done to find out a pool was shot to hell and needed 20 grand+ worth of work the sellers wouldn't do anything about. That lesson was fresh in my mind going in to this and maybe I thought that the owners were negotiating in good faith after meeting and speaking with them both times we looked at the property.

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$1400 is money but in terms of a several hundred thousand dollar transaction it is the cost of doing business. You got to take the emotion out of it and look at it in perspective. 1.5 cents on the dollar, compared to the $20.00 it saved you

They are negotiating in good faith, with 2 buyers now.

Good Luck man!

Sea Speed said:

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Without getting in to more details, I just dont think there is any way they could have got the impression we were being wishy washy.

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They don't know you. And you don't know what experiences they have had selling in the past. Our last house we went under contract 6 times and didn't sell until the last one. 3 options period pull outs, two earnest money pull outs (one of which we split earnest money because the title company dropped the ball) and finally our last one that went through Never given a good reason for the pull outs. Just vague "I'm not sure this is the right house for us at this time." We wanted to know why peope pulled out so we could address it for the next buyer. Never given anything concrete.

We know the current buyers. They love the house and it has no problems. Just people were being wishy washy without good reason. I trust nobody now.

Don't take the advice on this thread personally. You have brought up an excellent learning point for any potential buyers. Good luck to you.