I AM SO ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

Must...stay...calm...must...not...run...amok...with...shotgun...

Seems like the house sale is off. Roof problems - buyers want an entirely new roof for $9000 based on their guy's estimate, while ours said he could make repairs for $1200. They won't go for it. This is all due to shoddy workmanship and defective installation on a BLOODY FOUR-YEAR-OLD HOUSE. I'm ready to SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have already bought a new home in Irving, TX (or are in the process). My husband says he can pay two mortgages if the deal falls through, but it'll mean not eating for the next year or so until we get another DAMNED offer on this DAMNED house.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

[Ilsa]

1. Four year old house? Isn't there a builder's warranty?

Heck if I know, though. I wish you lots of luck in finding a buyer.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

2. The bastards didn't give us one

Gave us a one-year warranty on the entire house, not just the roof. Very defensive if you try to call them on it. I have the name of a construction attorney and am trying to contact him to discuss the case; I'm told we do have a cause of action against the builder. Meanwhile, our closing is supposed to occur on October 13th, and the buyer's closing on their place is a week before. Can't they just agree to pay half??? I'm in my last year of law school - it's not as if I have ANYTHING ELSE TO DO ALL DAMNED DAY!!!

[Ilsa]

11. I'm thinking there must be a law protecting you

since the house is so new, and the roof is a major item, as opposed to an appliance, for example. I'm glad you are getting attorney! Go get 'em!

[shoopnyc123]

3. Look for another buyer...

...they aren't serious to begin with.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

4. Well, they signed the sales agreement

Had the home inspection - asked if they could rent half of our garage the week or two before - hurried and sold their apartment so they could proceed to buy our house. We're already losing money on the house, and we paid $15,000 two years ago to finish the basement, so they're getting THAT for free.

[sleepyhead]

15. Agreed.

We are trying to sell a house with a very sturdy roof (inspected multiple times) that may, perhaps, need replacing in 10 years or so, and just got a message from the realtor that the latest prospective buyer was ready to make an offer but was "turned off" by the roof - concerned that they may have a mold problem if the roof is not replaced. That tells me that they were not, in fact, serious, and were looking for an excuse either not to make an offer at all or to lowball the offer. Buh-bye!

[Deja Q]

5. Housing is a profitable business, you'd think they'd do a better job

How much do carpenters, contractors, sub-contractors :eyes:, and so on get anyway for a low-end $150k home?! Must be LOT$!

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

6. I don't know, but they certainly didn't seem to give a flying crap

Who do they hire to place roofs, Republicans? Whatever happened to doing the job right the first time and then standing behind it?

[AlCzervik]

8. This is where you need your agent, all things are negotiable

Have you talked to Him?her yet regarding this?

[Krupskaya]

17. I'll tell you what they get.

The carpenters themselves probably get about $8-$10/hour without bennies.

The foremen might get $12-$15/hour.

The owners of the contracting and sub companies make major profits on these new houses and they're built like CRAP.

If you're building, build union. Solves a lot of problems straight up front.

[Pirate Smile]

7. We sold our house after living in it for 18 months and had the same

inspector who worked for us when we moved in say (he was now working for the prospective buyers) that foundation work was required ($3,000 worth). I was livid but we had already bought (in the works) another house and needed to move quick so we did it. We refused to do any of the other requested fixes (and there were quite a few).

You are going to have to fix the roof no matter what now (sorry, but we knew we were going to have to fix the foundation whether it was for those buyers or a different buyer after we were aware of the situation).

How much is your mortgage? How many months would you have to be paying two mortgages before it would be over $7,800 difference. How long was your house on the market before you got this offer?

You should start a post requesting help from people familiar with residential real estate.

Will they split the Realtor costs now? Will they chip in a couple thousand for the new roof (they can include it in the mortgage - for them it isn't cash on hand)?

Can you get an estimate for less than $9,000 but for a new roof (they don't care about price because they aren't paying)?

Just a few ideas.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

9. Current mortgage: Approximately $1400

New mortgage on TX house: Approximately $2700

Husband says he's done the calculations and can pay both; just need to watch the credit card bills (and maybe not eat or buy underwear for a while).

Buyers refuse to consider that there might be another competent roofer anywhere in the known universe and insist that the guy giving the ungodly estimate do the work. Buyers refuse to pay half, but want to make us pay what OUR roofer said he'd do the job for ($7000 to replace, $1200 to repair, but they want it REPLACED) and they'd pay the other $1860. BIG WHOOP.

Know we'll have to fix roof regardless. Question is, can we do just as well to just repair it?

House on market since February 2004.

[Pirate Smile]

13. Just my opinion, but what if you wait another 6 or 7 months to get another

offer, plus you have to pay to fix it anyway (and good enough that the next inspector a buyer hires doesn't give you a hard time about it).

So you are talking about paying $5,800 more if you sell to this buyer (7000-1200).

Would both mortgages be $4,100 per month? If that is true, you will be losing money on the second month you pay two mortgages.

I know it feels personal and you would almost rather lose money instead of giving those MF's the satisfaction of a new roof, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

The situation just sucks!

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

14. My husband would pay $5000

But not more. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask them to pay half. Our agent is supposedly negotiating with their agent, but they seem hell-bent on their course of action.

I don't think my husband has made the calculation of making two mortgages and losing money later. He's just thinking he can afford to pay two mortgages for the duration (which will hopefully be short).

I would be fine with paying the damn thing and just getting it OVER WITH, but I don't call the shots here, with my paltry $10.00/hour part-time job.

[radwriter0555]

10. Why not make the $1,200 repairs with the felow you guys found?

And even though they went that far, it's true, they weren't that serious. You see, with the repairs your guy makes, he will provide a warranty on his work.

BTW, a tip for your next home? KEEP THE HOME BUYER'S WARRANTY every YEAR, not just the first.

I literally re-piped a whole house one pipe at a time with that warranty, at $30 per visit. It's worth the $300 a year.

Do the repairs, and have an open house.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

12. I'm thinking that's what we'll do

I have an apartment lined up to move into in 3 weeks (my husband is working in TX while I stay in PA to finish law school). I guess I'll have to eat the $200 deposit and stay in the house. Meanwhile, when (probably not if) the deal falls through, we'll still move everything but the air mattress and few things I'm keeping here so I can at least have a place to sleep and a desk and chair to use for study purposes, as well as a TV and the computer. Am getting the moving estimate done Friday (at least my husband's company is paying for the move). We'll have our guy do the repairs and see if it takes ANOTHER 7 months to find a buyer. If it takes a while, I'll have to move to TX in June after I graduate and get a property management company to manage the property and try to get it sold, because I'm not staying away from my husband another minute after graduation.

I really DO NOT NEED THIS. I am in my last year of law school and am working and doing a clinic, as well as taking three other classes. I also have three extracurricular responsibilities which must be attended to. I have been a nervous, sobbing wreck for the last 4 days, and this must STOP.

If you're reading this, buyers, BITE ME. :evilfrown: :mad: :nuke:

[bratcatinok]

16. Here's what typically would happen in a situation like yours.

I retired in 2000 from a 23 year career in mortgage banking.

Typically three bids for the repair are gathered and the seller has the right to choose which bidder he wants to do the repair. If the buyer demands his guy do the repairs then he pays for any difference between the acceptable bid and the cost his chosen repairmen is going to charge.

How much was the repair allowance in the sales contract? Did the roof problem come up during the appraisal or was it during the home inspection?

Also, remember that your mortgage company that is making you the loan on your home in Irving will have to include the mortgage payment of your existing home in your ratios if your current home doesn't sell. Your husband may feel he can make both payments but the mortgage company may determine otherwise.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

18. Bratcatinok, thanks for your advice

There was no repair allowance in the sales contract, at least as far as I can tell. The option chosen was to either accept the house as it is, have repairs made or terminate the agreement.

The roof problem came up during the home inspection. Also, the buyers never gave us anything in writing as to what repairs they wanted made. (There is also some landscaping we are willing to do to put in some gravel and dirt due to soil shifting, which very commonly occurs in PA.) Are you in Oklahoma? (Just a guess based on your name.)

I'd like to tell our agent what you said, but I'm afraid she'll be angry at me for posting about it here!

[bratcatinok]

20. I'm in Oklahoma now.

I moved here from Texas after I retired due to medical reasons.

The last 9 years I worked in morgage banking, I worked for large banks which did mortgage loans in all states.

Don't tell your agent you posted here. Tell her you:
a. talked to someone at your lender for the Irving property and they gave you some information.
b. talked to a friend in the business. (that'd be me :) )

Have the buyers made their demand for their own repairman in writing? What exactly is in writing at this point about the roof repair? Usually these things are negotiable by addendums to the sales contract. Make your agent earn her money, that's what she's there for. Of course, I would strongly urge you not to do any repair until all negotiations have been settled.

Lastly, this stuff is typical when selling a house or buying a house for that matter. There always seems to be a large bump in the road which makes it feel like the whole process is being derailed. Stay calm because 9 times out of ten things work out with a compromise both parties feel comfortable with. It's good to have contingency plans just in case but please don't go borrowing the worst case scenario until you absolutely know that's going to be the end result.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

21. Thanks for your soothing words

I feel somewhat better. There is nothing in writing regarding the repairs except for checkmarks and circles on the home inspection report and the two roofers' estimates. To my knowledge, no addenda have been drawn up regarding repairs. My agent is angry at the buyers and their agent because they have put no repair requests in writing, as is the usual practice. Also, the buyers had the temerity to contact me directly a few nights ago to try to get me to commit to paying the $7000. I told them to talk to their agent, but they said they asked her permission to talk to me, which was granted. I said nothing, but merely listened and remained unmoved.

I'm just very frustrated because I'm here alone having to do everything myself (so it seems). My husband has been very sweet - he told me to concentrate on work and school and he'd take care of all financial issues. I don't have time to be running around taking care of this crap, but someone has to do it.

[fishnfla]

19. Paying 2 mortgages is a bad idea, unless

you can retain ownership of the current place and rent it out for a little more, someone else would be paying it then...

I'm not good with numbers, but you'd lose more than a new roof by paying 2 mortgages, it seems....