Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q ~ We sold our house in August 1998. Before the sale, an inspection
of the bathroom floor revealed some water damage. The inspector
did not find structural damage. We replace the vinyl and wood under
the floor. Later the inspector cleared the bathroom and the buyer
signed off on [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: Recently, for the second time, we canceled transactions due to the condition of each home. Both sellers had cursory or no inspections that truly revealed the state of each property. Our buyer’s agent explained that it is protocol to send each report to the seller’s agent as [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: We arrived home after last Sunday’s open house to find the listing agent had removed his signs, fliers and the Realtor key safe with the spare key to our home still inside it. We feel this is a breach of contract as we are only five weeks [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: Recently, during the showing of our home, a buyer’s real estate agent broker the key off in the deadbolt. This agent has repeatedly refused to pay the locksmith’s bill. The lock had worked fine for years. Who should pay for the locksmith’s bill?

A: Do you think the [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: We are selling our house and the buyer’s home inspector is recommending further inspection of the sub-area by an appropriate professional. We don’t feel this is warranted, as our pre-sale inspection noted basically the same observations and comments. Should we grant an extension to the buyer for [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: While shopping for a smaller home we have come across numerous real estate agents who seem, to put it bluntly, incompetent. What are they teaching at real estate schools how to be unprepared and ill-mannered?

A: Ouch. While it is true our industry has gone through changes at [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: We are trying to view homes when they have an open house. However, in many cases the real estate agent insists that we sign a guest book, often referring us to a note stating the seller requires visitors to provide personal information. Why would a seller make [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q: I thought buyers paid for inspections, Why does my listing agent
keep insisting on us paying for seller inspections?

A: Your astute agent knows your home will sell better and faster with
a full disclose package, which includes inspections. Moreover, pre-sale
inspections also tend to keep a seller out of legal [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News

Q: We have many friends and relatives who are licensed real estate agents. However, I feel if we go with one agent the others will feel hurt. My father-in-law always says, “It’s not a good idea to do business with friends and family.” The agent who originally sold [...]

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Pat Kapowich for the San Jose Mercury News
Q ~ We sold our house in August 1998. Before the sale, an inspection
of the bathroom floor revealed some water damage. The inspector
did not find structural damage. We replace the vinyl and wood under
the floor. Later the inspector cleared the bathroom and the buyer
signed off on [...]

[Read more →]