Dear David,
I sold my house firm, with no conditions. When the buyers came for their agreed-upon one hour walk-through, they brought an inspector with them and stayed for 2.5 hours! Afterwards, they sent me with a list of things they expect me to fix. What do I do now? – After the Fact

Dear After: When a property is purchased firm (with no conditions), the buyer is agreeing to buy the property without an inspection. In such a case, it is up to the buyer’s agent to write the agreement in such a way that their client retains a reasonable level of protection. I haven’t seen your agreement and can’t speak to its terms, but can say that if a full inspection is what the buyer wanted, it should have been written into the deal.

There is nothing to preclude a buyer from bringing someone with them to take a quick look when they arrive for an agreed-upon walk through, but again, they must stick to the terms of their agreement. If an hour in the home is what was agreed upon, they are entitled to an hour. A full inspection and 2.5 hour stay is definitely unacceptable.

At this point I suggest you to speak to your Realtor, who will let the buyer’s side know that boundaries have been crossed. Speaking in broad terms, the list of repairs that was provided to you is probably not worth worrying about (unless anything on it was specified in the original agreement). Again, your Realtor can clarify this for you.

Dear David,
My home is listed for sale. I got an offer while I was at the cottage, but wasn’t checking my phone. I took a few days to respond and the buyer walked. Can I get them back? – Off the Grid

Dear Grid: I wish I had better news, but unfortunately I don’t in this case. If you’ll pardon the Hollywood cliché, a real estate offer is a bit like a ticking bomb. When your agent receives it, it’s counting down to its irrevocable (the time at which it expires) and sometimes, that “countdown” window can be as short as a few hours. Generally speaking, if you take action before it expires, your Realtor can keep the deal in play. But if the irrevocable time passes and you haven’t responded, the buyer can walk away and has no further obligation to you. Boom.

While disappointing for sure, this situation is a lesson in the importance of staying connected to your Realtor while your house is on the market, no matter where you may be. With today’s digital tools, I’ve been able to help clients through the sale process on airport layovers, during lunch breaks or from the other side of the world. Be sure to stay connected moving forward, and best of luck with your next offer!