Realtors are, as a rule, quite aware of the requirements, from a legal standpoint, of working with married couples. Particularly when selling a property. ‘One can buy, but two must sell’ is the motto, but that is just a part of it. Often it is an easy thing to sell a home, even with a divorce and subsequent remarriage to others. There is though, another side of the equation; that of the Seller and their understanding of the ‘rules’ and requirements of selling.
I recently had a sale that, a couple days from closing, the attorney called and asked about the wife of my Seller. ‘He was not married.’ was my answer. ‘Yes he is.’ the Attorney told me. So, I called my Seller and asked. ‘Yes, I am.’ was his answer. I pointed out to him that I had asked that question when doing the listing agreement. ‘Oh,’ he says, ‘I thought you meant when I bought the house.” At that point I was more a bit perturbed over the closing and a successful sale. We did have enough time to resolve the situation and the sale happened.
So, here’s what I learned from this; always, always make sure that the Client understands the question, its context and why it is important. Even the most experienced home seller needs to be reminded that there are a number of things that a Seller needs to know and that this is not a negotiable point. Always better to know and resolve before closing.
