This week, two law firms worked to get approval for me to buy a little $130,000 condo in an "Over 55 Community" in Sarasota that has a pet weight limit of 25 pounds. It also required two letters from my doctor to the Board of Directors. Yesterday, everything was finally approved, and closing is Monday.
Beautiful Burt Reynolds, formerly a breeder's stud is my AKC registered chocolate cocker spaniel; he is really sweet but five pounds overweight. The Homeowner's Association Board of Director's initial response to my application three weeks ago: "DISAPPROVED! WHAT PART OF 25 POUNDS DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?" I showed them that he weighed 26.4 pounds a couple of years ago before he was neutered but the pet policy is 25 pounds at full maturity. Who doesn't put on weight when they get a little older?
In addition to my own transaction, the past three deals I put together required legal research, phone calls, agreements, and letters from Sarasota real estate attorney Steve Greenberg with the Law Firm of Icard Merrill, and also attorney Mark Hanewich from Berlin Patten Ebling. These attorneys kept the deals together even until the last minute. In these transactions, I worked with both Buyers and Sellers.
Most people say that real estate closings are getting more difficult, and my fellow Realtors agree. Laws change fast in real estate, it takes a village and broker oversight today to get things done correctly. If you are thinking of selling your home without a Realtor, think again: you could lose a Buyer and more money than you can imagine for repairs and legal fees.
When I was a new Realtor in Atlanta with Harry Norman, Realtors, one of my tag lines was "I can help you with a smooth and seamless transaction all the way to the closing table." That was 2007, but things are much different in the world of real estate. Today, I tell Buyers, "There may be issues, so please use an attorney for the closing...we'll all be glad you did." The Seller may think they are both real estate and legal experts from the things they read on the internet so they put their gloves on and keep them on all the way to the closing table. My mechanic tells me the same thing - his customers research car repairs online and all of a sudden, they know more than he does!
In Florida, Buyers have a choice of using a title company for closings or being represented by an attorney. It costs no more for legal representation through this process. Most of the time, Buyers won't need an attorney, and title companies do an awesome job; however, every now and then there are issues, and an attorney is needed to keep things on track. I just won't take chances for Buyers and always try to get legal representation for them by checking that block in the contract--even on new construction.
Reminds me of something funny a doctor said to a person asking about surgery. The doctor said, "Going to South America and getting a dermatologist to do a facelift is like going to Alabama and getting an ENT doctor to do a breast implant."
Burt and I will move into our new home Tuesday, and although he's a grouchy old man and will have trouble adjusting, he'll be away from the mean dogs who have attacked him, and it's an issue each day when I walk him here! We will have peace of mind and maybe my hair will stop falling out! He looks like a brown rabbit on a leash, and maybe big mean dogs consider him to be a wild animal? We did not have this problem until I moved into a community that has no weight limit for dogs and young people love rescue animals.
So here we go to an Over 55 community and a Board of Directors that already hates us. Life goes on!
Have an awesome day, great weekend and thanks for reading my blog.
Most sincerely yours,
Linda Holley, Realtor, GRI
Michael Saunders & Company, Siesta Key, 941-914-4914
Check out my website: LindaHrealtor.com and four-year history of my blog posts: LindaHrealtor.com/blog
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