Quote:
Originally Posted by Kirsten Lee
Ask a Villages sales rep for a blank copy of the offer to purchase. It is longer than most I have seen. (I have worked in lending for 27 years.) Read it carefully. It says if you do not close in The Villages, Mclin and Burnsled (The villages attorney firm) basically control the closing. Their attorney's prepare the settlement statement. Also, the title company will require a survey ($200) or they will not issue title. This is a pure money maker as I am sure the lot lines are well known. Most lender's do not require a survey unless there is an unusual item like a shared driveway. We paid a closing fee here in Wisconsin and a closing fee to Mclin and Burnsled. Our Village Sales rep was very concerned that the independent appraiser would not appraise the property correctly. He even showed up at the house and gave the appraiser a list of other homes in the area for him to compare our house to. Totally illegal. This was after I told him and his boss (he claimed he would retrain the sales rep) that he was not allowed to have any contact with the appraiser.
That being said, use your outside lender, the rate is much better and with the slowdown of refi's, I am sure your lending can get the deal done quickly.
|
I would think that an independent appraiser not used to the home styles here would be mighty confused comparing one designer to another. Some designers vary up to 700 square feet in area and many look alike until you know the difference.and the upgrades here..
Where I am from I don't think that practice would be illegal. Laws vary from state to state, and you seem to know of what you speak.
But the op is a realtor, and of course the laws in her state may vary from Florida's real estate laws.
And of course, sales people do want to sell, but it isn't very hard to do that here, whether you are MLS or a villages rep.