Most unprofessional experience trying to purchase my first home in TV.

[Craig Vernon]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

[BrianL99]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!


Your Broker/Agent handled the transaction, EXACTLY how it should have been handled.

A Seller has no obligation to "counter" an offer. Your Offer contained a contingency that was unacceptable to the Seller, so they accepted another Offer that was acceptable to them.

Legally and ethically, your Broker/Agent did everything right and it sounds like the Seller's Broker did, too. Just because you don't like the results or someone else was more daring than you, doesn't make it wrong.

If you really wanted the home, you could have made an Offer without any contingencies and still have been prepared to increase it, if the Seller had another comparable Offer.

[bagboy]

Your Broker/Agent handled the transaction, EXACTLY how it should have been handled.

A Seller has no obligation to "counter" an offer. Your Offer contained a contingency that was unacceptable to the Seller, so they accepted another Offer that was acceptable to them.

Legally and ethically, your Broker/Agent did everything right and it sounds like the Seller's Broker did, too. Just because you don't like the results or someone else was more daring than you, doesn't make it wrong.

If you really wanted the home, you should have made an Offer without any contingencies and still have been prepared to increase it, if the Seller had another comparable Offer.

I agree. Time to move on to another property.

[rustyp]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

1st never make an offer without the stipulation of response by the seller in writing. I have actually had an experience with a realtor of an offer rejected and later found the offer was never presented to the seller. This is the oldest trick in the book. If the listing is new see what the market will bring.

2nd Do us a favor and publish the realtor you dealt with.

[manaboutown]

1st never make an offer without the stipulation of response by the seller in writing. I have actually had an experience with a realtor of an offer rejected and later found the offer was never presented to the seller. This is the oldest trick in the book. If the listing is new see what the market will bring.

2nd Do us a favor and publish the realtor you dealt with.

OP was not dealing with a Realtor. It was a VHS agent.

[BrianL99]

1st never make an offer without the stipulation of response by the seller in writing. I have actually had an experience with a realtor of an offer rejected and later found the offer was never presented to the seller. This is the oldest trick in the book. If the listing is new see what the market will bring.

2nd Do us a favor and publish the realtor you dealt with.

A Seller has no obligation to respond or counter any offer.

A Broker has an obligation under Florida Law, to present any offer to a Seller, unless otherwise advised in writing.

There is no such thing as a "realtor". It is "REALTOR®" (a Registered Trademark), who are legally & ethically bound to present any offer to a Seller and in 40 years in and around the real estate industry, I've yet to see a Broker not present an Offer to Purchase, to the Seller or their Broker.

If it was a VLS Agent, the Broker they are working under, is still required by Florida Law, to present the Offer. When selling pre-owned homes in Florida, VLS is bound by the exact same laws as an MLS Broker. It's only when selling the Developers own inventory, they have some discretion as to how they handle the sales process.

[Stu from NYC]

Personally would never bid on a house sight unseen. Also subject to inspection.

Too many dollars involved to buy a pig in a poke.

[Caymus]

I wonder if the successful buyer knows that insuring a house due to the roof could be an issue.

[village dreamer]

well the good news is, you have hundreds of houses to pick from, good hunting.

[rustyp]

A Seller has no obligation to respond or counter any offer.

A Broker has an obligation under Florida Law, to present any offer to a Seller, unless otherwise advised in writing.

There is no such thing as a "realtor". It is "REALTOR®" (a Registered Trademark), who are legally & ethically bound to present any offer to a Seller and in 40 years in and around the real estate industry, I've yet to see a Broker not present an Offer to Purchase, to the Seller or their Broker.

If it was a VLS Agent, the Broker they are working under, is still required by Florida Law, to present the Offer. When selling pre-owned homes in Florida, VLS is bound by the exact same laws as an MLS Broker. It's only when selling the Developers own inventory, they have some discretion as to how they handle the sales process.

What is the documentation under Florida law (which I am not familiar with) that gives proof the offer was presented ? Must be something in writing like I suggested.

[BrianL99]

I wonder if the successful buyer knows that insuring a house due to the roof could be an issue.

This whole roof/insurance thing, is mostly a red herring.

Most insurance companies will insure a home, regardless of roof condition.

The problem is, people with 10-15 year old roofs, thinking they can get a brand new roof, if their 15 year old roof is damaged. That's just not reasonable. If a 15 year roof is damaged, your insurance should only be paying you 40%-50% of the value of the roof.

https://floridapace.gov/blog/home-insurance-roof-requirements

[FloridaGuy66]

Personally would never bid on a house sight unseen. Also subject to inspection.

Too many dollars involved to buy a pig in a poke.

Especially when buying pre-owned. The only big advantage of buying pre-owned is that you can see whether the neighbors have potential red flags and if they tend to maintain their homes and landscaping properly.

I had an acquaintance that bought sight un-seen in Southwest Florida and he was angry when the RE agent didn't mention that the home next door had violent hoarders living there with multiple broken down vehicles/boats on their property.

[Stu from NYC]

Especially when buying pre-owned. The only big advantage of buying pre-owned is that you can see whether the neighbors have potential red flags and if they tend to maintain their homes and landscaping properly.

I had an acquaintance that bought sight un-seen in Southwest Florida and he was angry when the RE agent didn't mention that the home next door had violent hoarders living there with multiple broken down vehicles/boats on their property.

First priority of many agents is to sell the house, the buyer if not happy can always buy another one

[BrianL99]

What is the documentation under Florida law (which I am not familiar with) that gives proof the offer was presented ? Must be something in writing like I suggested.

Chapter 475 Section 278 - 2024 Florida Statutes (https://m.flsenate.gov/Statutes/475.278)

[CarlR33]

Craig, you do not put your heart and soul on the first home you put an offer on. Simply make offer based on a full home inspection and deduct from there based on legitimate findings. As you know and have read on this forum there is plenty of inventory here to move on. You will not compete with cash offers and insulting them further with $5K under. If those cash offers people make stupid errors that is on them since you have done your homework. Do you have a VLS agent to work for you and not just the sellers? It’s summer now so consider renting for a few months while shopping here for a home since the rent is low. You will be better off and make the best on the ground decisions without stressing over the first home offer from afar while enjoying the dream.

[walterray1]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

You state you "have purchased ten homes in my life" so by now you should know how the process works. Win some, lose some. Learn and move on.

[Kelevision]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

I’m confused. The realtor asked you if you’re prepared to lose the house and you said yes! So you lost it. This has nothing to do with your realtor and everything to do with the seller taking the best and easiest offer. It sounds like they did everything they could for you.

[Malsua]

This whole roof/insurance thing, is mostly a red herring.

Most insurance companies will insure a home, regardless of roof condition.


https://floridapace.gov/blog/home-insurance-roof-requirements

I'm not sure where you're getting this statement.

If the roof is 16+ most underwriters will not write a new policy. There are two that I'm aware of that will write a 20 year roof. None will write a 21+ roof.

Most sales of homes 10 years old or older require a 4 point or Wind Mitigation inspection (or both) before insurance will write the policy. Both inspections include roof information and condition.

I am a licensed, certified, insured and bonded home inspector. I deal with these issues for people every day. I don't make them get the inspections, the insurance company does. On many sales, If they want insurance, they have to change the roof covering. If you have an old or roof of an unknown age, on your home, they will keep raising your rates annually. When you call to complain, they say "get an inspection". When you get the inspection, if roof is 15 years or older, and does not have an expected life of at least 5 years, they can drop the policy.

[BrianL99]

I'm not sure where you're getting this statement.
.

I quoted the FL law and included a screen shot of what it says. That's where my statement came from.



Most sales of homes 10 years old or older require a 4 point or Wind Mitigation inspection (or both) before insurance will write the policy. Both inspections include roof information and condition.



That's been true in Florida for at least 15 years. How is that unreasonable?



I am a licensed, certified, insured and bonded home inspector. I deal with these issues for people every day. I don't make them get the inspections, the insurance company does. On many sales, If they want insurance, they have to change the roof covering. If you have an old or roof of an unknown age, on your home, they will keep raising your rates annually. When you call to complain, they say "get an inspection". When you get the inspection, if roof is 15 years or older, and does not have an expected life of at least 5 years, they can drop the policy.

& some how, that isn't reasonable? 60%-70% of the life expectancy of the roof has been used up and folks think an insurance company should pay the FULL VALUE of a NEW roof when their used up roof is damaged?

[Rwirish]

Don’t see an issue here except for a potential buyer buying a house unseen.

[jimkerr]

Trust me, this was a good thing. There are hundreds of other homes for sale. You’ll find something you like even better and don’t buy sight unseen. I’ve heard too many horror stories from people that have done that.

[Indydealmaker]

This whole roof/insurance thing, is mostly a red herring.

Most insurance companies will insure a home, regardless of roof condition.

The problem is, people with 10-15 year old roofs, thinking they can get a brand new roof, if their 15 year old roof is damaged. That's just not reasonable. If a 15 year roof is damaged, your insurance should only be paying you 40%-50% of the value of the roof.

https://floridapace.gov/blog/home-insurance-roof-requirements

Red Hering! Not! Insurance companies ARE flat out refusing to insure homes that have roofs that do not meet their underwriting requirements.

[Mrmean58]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!
Not sure where the unprofessional part comes into play. What you described is exactly how real estate transactions should be handled per my real estate retired wife who spent 35 years in the industry.

[Odale123]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

I purchased a home online through a Village realtor. When I arrived to my house from out of state the listing that I saw online versus what I got was completely misrepresented. I have owned 8 homes and this has never happened to me. Without getting into details I decided not to retain an attorney but just move on with my life. Totally unprofessional and they get away with their nonsense because they’re not affiliated with a professional realtor’s association. If people start posting snarky remarks to you on this feed just ignore their remarks and know that your opinion is valid and true. You have to watch it here as it’s different than other areas of the country.

[Tomptomp]

Most homes that are uninsurable is because of the roofing scam that is causing the insurance industry to walk away from Florida. The scammers check your roof for free (sometimes doing damage ) causing a claim. Florida law states that if 25% of the roof is damaged the entire roof must be replaced. The insurance companies pay the replacement cost because the cost of litigation makes it a losing proposition for them.

[Laker14]

Craig, I don't see the problem here, other than you didn't get the house at the offer you made. You knew there was a better offer on the table, and you had an opportunity to improve your offer (which frankly, IMO would have been a mistake on your part) and you chose not to. You invited a counter offer that you verbally indicated you wouldn't accept, so the seller went with the offer already on the table, but wasn't your offer.

Having been in TV now off and on for many years, I have seen some houses planted in locations I would never want to buy. I encourage you to not buy a house without being there in person to evaluate not only the house, but the specific surroundings. You are lucky that right now there are many to choose from. If you are definitely ready to buy, take a couple of weeks and be patient and look around.

Good luck!

[Dougmudge]

First priority of many agents is to sell the house, the buyer if not happy can always buy another oneVery true, we all know by now where a Realtor's loyalty lies. They are all very entitled, but times change and so do markets. Don't ever buy a home without an independent home inspector checking it out first. ( I mean NOTyour Realtors recommended home inspector )

[BubblesandPat]

well the good news is, you have hundreds of houses to pick from, good hunting.

I agree! So many amazing houses to look at...treat this as a sign it wasn't meant to be and move on...

[ron32162]

The villages makes their commission on the full price with a rebate on roof instead of lowering the price by 5k on the house and taking a loss on their commission. Its all about The Villages not the buyer.

[retiredguy123]

A basic principle of contract law is that, if an offer is made, it must fully comply with the seller's conditions. If it doesn't, the deal is dead, and the seller has no obligation to make a counteroffer.

[BrianL99]

The villages makes their commission on the full price with a rebate on roof instead of lowering the price by 5k on the house and taking a loss on their commission. Its all about The Villages not the buyer.


I'm doubt the additional $300 in Commission attributable to a roofing allowance, would lead someone to break the law and put their livelihood at risk.

[motherflippinpicker]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

I'm sorry your experience was poor. I would recommend Shalyn Barker as your VLS agent, she's phenomenal. She listens and is not at all pushy. I would also recommend thinking of purchasing a new or newer home if insurance worries are a factor.

We had two home sales fall through due to insurance issues. We are in a new home and could not be happier. The Florida insurance market does seem to be improving but there is still a long way to go.

I also hope you enjoy your new journey in buying a home. I think finding a better matched VLS agent will make the process more enjoyable for you and it should be enjoyable.

An early 'welcome to The Villages' from me.

[KendallW]

Cash is King...they don't have to worry about insurance

[msilagy]

The VLS agent did the same thing with me. They are shoddy (not all) and in my case I don't think the offer was presented to the seller. Another buyer came along 2 days later. Then she said I had to pay full price to get the home. I did but WOW!

[Switter]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

As others are saying here I'd, I just move on. In my neighborhood in the north of the villages, there are three homes for sale just on my street alone. All of them have been sitting for a long time and the prices keep dropping. This is a great time to buy if you're patient. I bought in 2023 when the market was still strong and prices were still high. I wish I would've waited two years before buying but hindsight's 20/20 I guess. It's also approaching summer now and things will slow down even more. Spring is typically the busy time in real estate so prices are gonna be higher.

Have you thought about doing a long-term rental down here, like say maybe a month or two? The long-term rentals over the summer are substantially cheaper. When I rented for the whole months of July and August (2023) I got a very nice villa in Pennecamp for $2200 per month. That's like half the cost during prime season. This would give you time to see places in person.

I envy you, you're sitting in a very good place.

[jimmy o]

What is the documentation under Florida law (which I am not familiar with) that gives proof the offer was presented ? Must be something in writing like I suggested.
No there is no written proof that the offer was presented if the seller rejects and does not counter. An offer is written into a contract, so the contract is proof of offer being made by buyer, but if seller reads that contract and disregards it there is no proof that the buyer received that offer. E.g. Seller may be thinking over an offer and then another offer comes in that is better and decide to deal with the new offer. Then first offer is rejected and ignored. There is absolutely no reason or obligation for the seller to sign anything on that rejected offer.

[TomSwango]

I do not understand what the problem was. The Seller chose to sell to someone else for whatever reason. That is their choice. Move on. Best wishes

[rsmurano]

You can make any offer you want to a seller of a used house. 4 years ago when things were selling in a couple days, I offered $60k less from asking price and they countered to $50k less. Now, with houses on the market for months (used houses now), depending on what the owner paid for the house, how desperate they are, and how much I wanted to spend or how bad I want the house, you might pay full price or offer hundreds of thousands off the listing price. I would always get an inspection and have a clause to back out of deal or have seller fix the repairs needed.

As for roofs older than 15 years old, yes, an insurance company can refuse covering you unless you get a new roof. I’ve never encountered this in other states, but in Florida, insurance companies require this.

[Malsua]

I quoted the FL law and included a screen shot of what it says. That's where my statement came from.



That's been true in Florida for at least 15 years. How is that unreasonable?



& some how, that isn't reasonable? 60%-70% of the life expectancy of the roof has been used up and folks think an insurance company should pay the FULL VALUE of a NEW roof when their used up roof is damaged?


You said:

>>>>>Most insurance companies will insure a home, regardless of roof condition.

This is simply NOT TRUE.

I made no comment on whether an insurer should pay to replace an old roof. I don't believe they should. Anyone that gets a 10ish year old roof replaced for free because of some walk-up roofing dude says it has "damage", likely just cost the rest of us money.

[bonbonn]

dont let them pressure you there are thousands of homes for sale here, market has slowed down

[Biskopski]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

A Seller offering a roof credit upfront knows there is a roof problem and if you would have accepted their terms you would have been unable to have voided your agreement when you would have found out a new roof is going for around $20k plus or minus depending on home size. In life everything happens for a reason. When you find your new home you will look back and smile.

[Bay Kid]

Karma. That was not the home you were meant to own. You need to be here. Come stay and look with a real agent that will represent you and a Village Rep for their properties. You should be able to find that perfect home in less than a week.

[gorillarick]

New construction in 2006. Original roof.
After last fall's hurricane, had a small stain on outside wall, but inside of course - on drywall.

Called an independent roofer specializing in repair only, (no longer any affiliation with any roofing company).

Found a loose (raised) nail under a shingle. Voila, ten minutes later fixed. Had him smear some sealant anywhere else where it seems like it needed a dab.

Asked how much longer I have on the roof before I should replace.
Said something like; 'unless some storm damage, that roof is good for another 20 years.'

Admittedly, I do hold my breath every year when I get the bill to renew my policy.
I'm gonna wait til I have-to. Will be a selling point when I do have plans to sell to have a fairly recent roof.

[Pugchief]

insulting them further with $5K under.

You can make any offer you want to a seller of a used house. 4 years ago when things were selling in a couple days, I offered $60k less from asking price and they countered to $50k less. Now, with houses on the market for months (used houses now), depending on what the owner paid for the house, how desperate they are, and how much I wanted to spend or how bad I want the house, you might pay full price or offer hundreds of thousands off the listing price.

Ya, not sure how offering less than listed price is "insulting". Unless it's a seller's market (low inventory with high demand like in 2020) it is typical to offer less than list, sometimes way less as rsmurano pointed out. The current climate is a buyer's market (high inventory with lower demand) so offering less than list is the way to go. IMHO

[BrianL99]

You said:

>>>>>Most insurance companies will insure a home, regardless of roof condition.

This is simply NOT TRUE.



You're right. I should have said "regardless of age".

[Larryandlinda]

Correct.
Not every real estate agent is a Realtor.( too often mispronounced REAL-a-tor.)
Whether in TV or outside civilizations.Realtors belong to a trade organization and the name is trademarked.
We’ve bought a dozen residential properties in and around TV , 11 with the same agent and his wife/ business partner.
We’re not sure if they are Realtors but use some acronyms- Designations of an (ALC) Accredited Land Consultant and a (CCIM) Certified Commercial Investment Member.
We also don’t remember if our two homes in TV were ever listed with Properties of the Villages or MLS.

[retiredguy123]

Correct.
Not every real estate agent is a Realtor.( too often mispronounced REAL-a-tor.)
Whether in TV or outside civilizations.Realtors belong to a trade organization and the name is trademarked.
We’ve bought a dozen residential properties in and around TV , 11 with the same agent and his wife/ business partner.
We’re not sure if they are Realtors but use some acronyms- Designations of an (ALC) Accredited Land Consultant and a (CCIM) Certified Commercial Investment Member.
We also don’t remember if our two homes in TV were ever listed with Properties of the Villages or MLS.
The Properties of The Villages is not a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), so NONE of the licensed agents who work for them are Realtors. Period.

[Craig Vernon]

Thanks to all. I was just venting after a long day of back and forth. I do not think anything was shady just different from what I was used to. All the deals on homes I have made in the past were in writing not over the phone. For those who mentioned not seeing the home I was going to fly out today to see it within the three-day window for the contract. Anyway thanks for not kicking me too hard when I was down. I will be down for the month of May to continue the search in person. Have a wonderful day.

[Lindawc]

Everything happens for a reason. A better home is in store for you.

[BrianL99]

Thanks to all. I was just venting after a long day of back and forth. I do not think anything was shady just different from what I was used to. All the deals on homes I have made in the past were in writing not over the phone. For those who mentioned not seeing the home I was going to fly out today to see it within the three-day window for the contract. Anyway thanks for not kicking me too hard when I was down. I will be down for the month of May to continue the search in person. Have a wonderful day.

... so let me see if I have this correct.

The "Roofing Contingency" was partially motivated by a desire to give yourself a "3 day window" in the contract, so you could go look at the home and make sure you really wanted it?

[thelegges]

The Properties of The Villages is not a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), so NONE of the licensed agents who work for them are Realtors. Period.

So VLS wasn’t involved in class action lawsuit alleging the real estate industry (NAR) engaged in anticompetitive practices. With final real estate settlement approval of $418M?

[MSGirl]

Your Broker/Agent handled the transaction, EXACTLY how it should have been handled.

A Seller has no obligation to "counter" an offer. Your Offer contained a contingency that was unacceptable to the Seller, so they accepted another Offer that was acceptable to them.

Legally and ethically, your Broker/Agent did everything right and it sounds like the Seller's Broker did, too. Just because you don't like the results or someone else was more daring than you, doesn't make it wrong.

If you really wanted the home, you could have made an Offer without any contingencies and still have been prepared to increase it, if the Seller had another comparable Offer.

Well said and correct.

[frayedends]

I may have missed in the replies, but here's what I don't get. They offered 10K because the roof needs to be replaced. But your offer required the roof to be good. Isn't the 10K basically saying they know the roof needs replaced?

[Stu from NYC]

I may have missed in the replies, but here's what I don't get. They offered 10K because the roof needs to be replaced. But your offer required the roof to be good. Isn't the 10K basically saying they know the roof needs replaced?

Could be either an insurance requirement or the roof was no good

[Stu from NYC]

Thanks to all. I was just venting after a long day of back and forth. I do not think anything was shady just different from what I was used to. All the deals on homes I have made in the past were in writing not over the phone. For those who mentioned not seeing the home I was going to fly out today to see it within the three-day window for the contract. Anyway thanks for not kicking me too hard when I was down. I will be down for the month of May to continue the search in person. Have a wonderful day.

Great that you will be here for a month looking for what you want.

[JMintzer]

The Properties of The Villages is not a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), so NONE of the licensed agents who work for them are Realtors. Period.

And this matters how? The VLS Agents are licensed and have to abide by the same laws as "Realtors"...

The NAR (National Association of Realtors) is nothing but a "Trade Organization"...

[retiredguy123]

And this matters how? The VLS Agents are licensed and have to abide by the same laws as "Realtors"...

The NAR (National Association of Realtors) is nothing but a "Trade Organization"...
I didn't say that it mattered. But, the NAR claims that Realtors are better. Obviously, many people don't know what a Realtor is because a lot of people refer to all agents as Realtors.

Also, I didn't say that the NAR is anything more than a trade organization.

[HORNET]

Was it a Village’s sales rep or an outside realtor $

[J1ceasar]

There's certainly plenty of other fish in the sea and you certainly can choose another realtor to work with

Don't be bothered by somebody that doesn't help you, all they really care about is getting the commission
I can recommend a great realtor if you want .
So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

[frayedends]

Could be either an insurance requirement or the roof was no good

Already know the roof is no good. Hence the seller offering the credit of 10K.

[frayedends]

I didn't say that it mattered. But, the NAR claims that Realtors are better. Obviously, many people don't know what a Realtor is because a lot of people refer to all agents as Realtors.

Also, I didn't say that the NAR is anything more than a trade organization.

VLS agents don’t include co broker’s commission right? Meaning they won’t work with MLS buyers agent. So the lawsuit would be a moot point anyhow as it had to do with how buyer’s agents are paid. In any case the VLS agents aren’t a member of NAR (unless the keep that going for other reasons).

[retiredguy123]

VLS agents don’t include co broker’s commission right? Meaning they won’t work with MLS buyers agent. So the lawsuit would be a moot point anyhow as it had to do with how buyer’s agents are paid. In any case the VLS agents aren’t a member of NAR (unless the keep that going for other reasons).
Buyers are never required to pay a buyer's agent commission. I would never agree to pay a buyer's commission as a buyer or a seller. If a buyer's agent wants a commission, they would need to get the buyer to pay it.

[Kevco]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

I know it can be upsetting when things like this happen, but maybe you dodged a bullet on this home and agent. Put it in that perspective then leave it behind you. The Villages is a fantastic place to live. keep looking and we’ll be waiting for you when you get here!

[frayedends]

Buyers are never required to pay a buyer's agent commission. I would never agree to pay a buyer's commission as a buyer or a seller. If a buyer's agent wants a commission, they would need to get the buyer to pay it.

Yes yes we know. You state this in every real estate thread and it has nothing to do with what we were discussing. The point we are discussing is that the NAR lawsuit doesn’t apply to VLS because they aren’t part of NAR and also don’t cooperate with MLS buyers agents. The fact some sellers do offer to pay buyers agents through their MLS listing agent has zero to do with the fact you would never pay them.

[retiredguy123]

Yes yes we know. You state this in every real estate thread and it has nothing to do with what we were discussing. The point we are discussing is that the NAR lawsuit doesn’t apply to VLS because they aren’t part of NAR and also don’t cooperate with MLS buyers agents. The fact some sellers do offer to pay buyers agents through their MLS listing agent has zero to do with the fact you would never pay them.
Sorry. Maybe I don't fully understand the lawsuit. I will agree to pay an agent to represent me as a seller when selling a house. But, I don't think a buyer agent should have any role in a real estate sale, or to receive a commission. As a buyer, I can represent myself.

[frayedends]

Sorry. Maybe I don't fully understand the lawsuit. I will agree to pay an agent to represent me as a seller when selling a house. But, I don't think a buyer agent should have any role in a real estate sale, or to receive a commission. As a buyer, I can represent myself.

Yeah the lawsuit was about how buyer’s agents are paid or more so about how the commission is disclosed.

[BrianL99]

Yes yes we know. You state this in every real estate thread and it has nothing to do with what we were discussing. The point we are discussing is that the NAR lawsuit doesn’t apply to VLS because they aren’t part of NAR and also don’t cooperate with MLS buyers agents. The fact some sellers do offer to pay buyers agents through their MLS listing agent has zero to do with the fact you would never pay them.

As a legal matter, I believe that is untrue.

The FTC decision on Commissions, apply to every real estate Broker, regardless of their affiliation. As a practical matter, it doesn't have any impact on VLS Agents, because (I believe) all the "Agents" are working for a single Broker. The Broker of Record for VLS was H. Gary Morse, I suspect it's now Jennifer Parr.

As for the FTC decision on "Non-Compete" agreements took effect on 9/24/24. The Villages sued the FTC and got a Federal Court Judge in FL, to grant The Villages a Limited Injunction, which prohibits the FTC from enforcing their position on Non-Compete Agreements.

[frayedends]

As a legal matter, I believe that is untrue.

The FTC decision on Commissions, apply to every real estate Broker, regardless of their affiliation. As a practical matter, it doesn't have any impact on VLS Agents, because (I believe) all the "Agents" are working for a single Broker. The Broker of Record for VLS was H. Gary Morse, I suspect it's now Jennifer Parr.

As for the FTC decision on "Non-Compete" agreements took effect on 9/24/24. The Villages sued the FTC and got a Federal Court Judge in FL, to grant The Villages a Limited Injunction, which prohibits the FTC from enforcing their position on Non-Compete Agreements.

I'm not sure what that really means in regards to the lawsuit. The lawsuit was against NAR, which the VLS agents are not part of and VLS agents don't pay out to MLS (NAR) agents. They won't even show houses to MLS agents. Whatever they do with commissions internally from VLS to VLS agent is not really relevant. But I may be misunderstanding the FTC info you posted as how it relates.

[Craig Vernon]

... so let me see if I have this correct.

The "Roofing Contingency" was partially motivated by a desire to give yourself a "3 day window" in the contract, so you could go look at the home and make sure you really wanted it?

Or the roofing contingency was to see if the home was insurable and the three day window in any legal contract would allow me to see if the house was as represented to me by an agent that works for the seller. You are an antagonist I will give you that. Have a wonderful day.

[BrianL99]

... so let me see if I have this correct.

The "Roofing Contingency" was partially motivated by a desire to give yourself a "3 day window" in the contract, so you could go look at the home and make sure you really wanted it?

Or the roofing contingency was to see if the home was insurable and the three day window in any legal contract would allow me to see if the house was as represented to me by an agent that works for the seller. You are an antagonist I will give you that. Have a wonderful day.

There is no "3 day window" in "any legal contract".

[retiredguy123]

It seems to me that whether or not a house is insurable is a pertinent fact that could be important to a prospective buyer. As a buyer, I would just include that as a contingency in the offer, or just include a 3-day delay for any reason. The seller can decide to accept or to reject the offer as presented. But, I don't see any reason to hide the purpose for the contingency.

[frayedends]

It seems to me that whether or not a house is insurable is a pertinent fact that could be important to a prospective buyer. As a buyer, I would just include that as a contingency in the offer, or just include a 3-day delay for any reason. The seller can decide to accept or to reject the offer as presented. But, I don't see any reason to hide the purpose for the contingency.

But doesn't it stand to reason, as I've posted earlier, that the seller already knows the roof is a problem. They were offering 10K toward the roof. That basically means, "the roof needs to be replaced, we don't have the money to do it, but we will discount the house price so you can do it after you buy." I can't understand why the buyer would want proof the roof is fine if the seller already said it is not fine.

[Retoline]

Try using Peggy Shafer
352-801-0041
Tell her Robin Toline gave you her name.
If you need Village agent try Katie Crane 352-446-2317.


So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

[BrianL99]

But doesn't it stand to reason, as I've posted earlier, that the seller already knows the roof is a problem. They were offering 10K toward the roof. That basically means, "the roof needs to be replaced, we don't have the money to do it, but we will discount the house price so you can do it after you buy." I can't understand why the buyer would want proof the roof is fine if the seller already said it is not fine.

If a Buyer is offering rebate/discount to replace the roof, as you point out, obviously the roof needs replacing.

Often Buyers want Sellers to believe they're making a "all cash, no contingency offer", come up with some seemingly innocuous "inspection" or something to give them a few days to arrange the money or decide if they really want the property.

In this case, it's very clear what happened in my opinion. The Buyer was making an offer, sight unseen. Buyer knew (or suspected) that the Seller wouldn't accept an Offer with a Contingency that the Buyer has a couple of days to come view the property in person ... so they came up with an idea that might work ...

The potential Buyer made an Offer, with a seemingly logical contingency ... "I just need a couple of days to make sure I can get insurance". Such a contingency might fly under normal circumstances, but when the Seller already knows the roof is bad and he's got a real "no contingency" offer coming in, he did what any savvy Seller would do ... take the Offer without conditions.

What I would have done in the Buyer's situation, was to be more surreptitious. If I wanted to make a "Full Price, no Contingency" Offer, but really wanted 48-72 hours of leeway to back out, I would have made the offer subject to "receipt/review of all Rules, Regulations, Covenants & Restrictions" affecting the property (or some such language as that).

The Buyer obviously knew the roof was bad, but wanted some "back out time", without being obvious about it.

[MplsPete]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home . . .

I poked around and the only villages I could find that were developed ~ 2008 were Amelia, Hadley, Hemingway, and Duval. Am I close?

[Snakster66]

Thanks to all. I was just venting after a long day of back and forth. I do not think anything was shady just different from what I was used to. All the deals on homes I have made in the past were in writing not over the phone. For those who mentioned not seeing the home I was going to fly out today to see it within the three-day window for the contract. Anyway thanks for not kicking me too hard when I was down. I will be down for the month of May to continue the search in person. Have a wonderful day.


Looks like you are basically at the stage I was in this time last year. Best of luck in your continued search. My philosophy was (and is), there's always another house. I saw a lot of houses I liked last year come and eventually go when I was not quite in position to move on something. My wife would get bummmed sometimes, but I just kept saying, "there' always another house". And, of course, there was. Very happy with where we are now and it's shaping up quite nicely after renovations. So again, best wishes on your continued search. If you have time for golf, hit me up and I'll make the tee time.

[manaboutown]

As I understand it Seller received offers from the OP and another prospective buyer. Seller responded with counteroffers to each of them. Buyers consequently responded with further counteroffers. It went back and forth until Seller elected to sell to one of them. Buyer and Seller then signed a contract. End of a fairly typical residential sale story.

Looking back since 1966 I have bought 14 homes and sold 11 of them. There is a "story" for each of them and I was outbid or walked away from a few others. Probably pretty typical.

[tophcfa]

Thanks to all. I was just venting after a long day of back and forth. I do not think anything was shady just different from what I was used to. All the deals on homes I have made in the past were in writing not over the phone. For those who mentioned not seeing the home I was going to fly out today to see it within the three-day window for the contract. Anyway thanks for not kicking me too hard when I was down. I will be down for the month of May to continue the search in person. Have a wonderful day.

I’m pulling for ya. You have put a lot of time and due diligence into the process and did the right thing with the contingency. Very wise not to buckle from pressure applied by the sellers agent, who has no vested interest in you. It’s more of a buyers market now than it’s been in a long time, you’ll find what you are looking for eventually. Your trip in May should be a whirlwind of an adventure. Thinking about it brings back fond memories of our house hunting trip back in 2015 when we eventually found our forever Villages home. Best of Luck!

[Ann Marie Acacio]

Hello Craig... Sad to hear about your experience; however, I believe in the words of the song "Something good will come from this." We are selling our lovely home in the Village of Dunedin (Brownwood) for health reasons (we're not able to drive) and I would love to have you see it. It's an MLS listing. Please feel free to contact me for details. FONT="Arial"][/FONT]

[graciegirl]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

I don't understand. Best offer wins. Buying a home here is nothing like the process before. No one has to give a buyer breaks. There will be another buyer along in just a while.

[Snakster66]

There will be another buyer along in just a while.

In many cases, a loooooooooong while. It's that kind of thinking that cost the sellers of the house I bought 50k.

[frayedends]

If a Buyer is offering rebate/discount to replace the roof, as you point out, obviously the roof needs replacing.

Often Buyers want Sellers to believe they're making a "all cash, no contingency offer", come up with some seemingly innocuous "inspection" or something to give them a few days to arrange the money or decide if they really want the property.

In this case, it's very clear what happened in my opinion. The Buyer was making an offer, sight unseen. Buyer knew (or suspected) that the Seller wouldn't accept an Offer with a Contingency that the Buyer has a couple of days to come view the property in person ... so they came up with an idea that might work ...

The potential Buyer made an Offer, with a seemingly logical contingency ... "I just need a couple of days to make sure I can get insurance". Such a contingency might fly under normal circumstances, but when the Seller already knows the roof is bad and he's got a real "no contingency" offer coming in, he did what any savvy Seller would do ... take the Offer without conditions.

What I would have done in the Buyer's situation, was to be more surreptitious. If I wanted to make a "Full Price, no Contingency" Offer, but really wanted 48-72 hours of leeway to back out, I would have made the offer subject to "receipt/review of all Rules, Regulations, Covenants & Restrictions" affecting the property (or some such language as that).

The Buyer obviously knew the roof was bad, but wanted some "back out time", without being obvious about it.

This is exactly right! The idea of a contingency that the roof is insurable when the seller already said it needed replacement. The buyer just looking for a few extra days to back out.

[JMintzer]

I didn't say that it mattered. But, the NAR claims that Realtors are better. Obviously, many people don't know what a Realtor is because a lot of people refer to all agents as Realtors.

Also, I didn't say that the NAR is anything more than a trade organization.

Of course the NAR is going to say that NAR members are better!

[Craig Vernon]

Already know the roof is no good. Hence the seller offering the credit of 10K.
I just wanted to see if the roof was insurable until roof could be replaced as per advised by insurance companies I contacted. The roof was original so they were offering a rebate because they did not want to wait to replace before sale but they disclosed no known issues with the roof.

[frayedends]

I just wanted to see if the roof was insurable until roof could be replaced as per advised by insurance companies I contacted. The roof was original so they were offering a rebate because they did not want to wait to replace before sale but they disclosed no known issues with the roof.

My replies were based off of this statement from your original post: "Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement."

I read that to mean it needed replacement. I don't blame the seller for going for another offer. Why take a contingency when you don't have to? I understand you aren't happy with the listing service, but they were told that you wouldn't remove the contingency. The other offer may have had a deadline. They can't waste time going back and forth with written offers when they have already been told your offer won't have what they want.

[yankygrl]

So, I found a home on the VLS made an offer based upon agent video walk through. Seller stated original roof on 2008 home willing to offer 10k toward replacement. I offered 5k less than price. My VLS agent calls me and says they are only going to give rebate for roof with a full price offer. I submitted a full price offer with roof being inspected within three days as contingency to make sure the home was insurable. The agent calls me and says there is another offer both cash offers btw but they were going to counter my offer with removing the contingency. I disclosed to the agent that I couldn't buy a home that I may not be able to insure she stated that because it is a cash offer and that I could. I said well I cannot have a home in another state that may not be insurable. She said so you are willing to lose this deal? I said I guess I wouldn't have a choice but have them counter and I will respond. Agent two hours later calls back and says they took the other offer. The seller never responded to my offer at full list price or countered. I have purchased ten homes in my life and I know there are 1799 more to choose from on the market but...wow. Not feeling very happy with TV listing service or agents at the moment.. Have a great evening one and all!

I know this reply is “late” BUT just FYI - the villages sale reps for the most part are not realtors AND they work for the developer NOT the client.

[JMintzer]

I know this reply is “late” BUT just FYI - the villages sale reps for the most part are not realtors AND they work for the developer NOT the client.

Village Sales Reps are licensed real estate agents and must abide by the same rules as any other realtor.

"Realtors" are licensed real estate agents who happen to belong to a trade organization the "National Association of Realtors (NAR)"... That is the only difference between the two.

[BrianL99]

I know this reply is “late” BUT just FYI - the villages sale reps for the most part are not realtors AND they work for the developer NOT the client.

That is not exactly true.

They are don't function as a REALTOR®, that much is true.

If they are selling a pre-owned home, they are working for a Florida Licensed Real Estate Broker and the Agent is licensed by the State of Florida. They have the exact same obligations, relationship and restrictions as an MLS Broker or Agent has. No difference when we're talking about pre-owned homes (unless it's a home, owned by the Developer).