I should have used a realtor!! maybe

[cocowum]

Okay so we got another buyer and everything is going along smoothly until she talks to the property manager we live in a townhouse and everything is supposed to be uniform on the outside. well when we bought our townhouse 5 years ago the previous owners changed the original sliding glass door to a french door without authorization from the association. Well we didn't know it was not authorized. So anyway every year since then when the board does a property inspection it sends us a letter saying the door is not authorized and if and when we replace it, it must be an authorized door. Fine no big deal, right? Wrong, our property manager keeps trying to convince our buyers that they have to replace the door when they don't! and why does our property manager keep calling these people? It was her mistake for not noticing the fact that the previous owners were changing the door. arggh now she is trying to get us to pay for her mistake! and she is scaring potential buyers away! in the whole five years that we've been here we have never had any problems with the association and now that we are trying to move this lady is messing with us! And to top it off you cannot even see the back door because of a large privacy fence that surrounds our deck! and we are under serious time constraints. because school starts in 3 weeks in NY and we have to move into our new house before then!!!! Arggh I'm so stressed out! I should've gotten a realtor! (for 7% no not really )

Thanks for letting me vent!!

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Just tell the new owners that you'll either change the door yourself, or you'll knock the money for a new one off the buying price.

 

[jennyanydots]

don't blame the property manager. she's doing her job. sorry, but you just can't ignore the letters you've gotten over the years from the association. either you or the buyer will have to change the doors. and if you don't, the assoication can BLOCK THE SALE OF YOUR PROPERTY until you do.

 

[cocowum]

maybe I was not clear in my post nothing is wrong with the door. The door does not need to be replaced. the property manager and the board told us in the letter we received every year that WHEN the door needs to be replaced it needs to be an authorized door. and that is what she not telling the buyer. If it was something we were required to do of course we would but it's not and our property manager is making it seem like it is.We have asked her point blank and she said no she could not stop our sale because of this it is nothing we did wrong if they had wanted to do something it would have been against the previous owners the letters we just to make sure we did not make any unapproved changes.

 

[mbb]

for the sale to go through

 

[inaminute]

I understood what you were saying. However, I agree with jennyanydots. For whatever, reason, they made an exception for you. Now that ownership is changing again, they're going to enforce their rules. According to the association--the door does need to be replaced, no matter what was stated in the letters to you. That obviously won't apply to the new owner.

It's going to have to be replaced--either by you or by the new owner. I don't think the manager is doing anything wrong. I would guess this falls under some kind of full diclosure law. Finding out that you weren't completely open about the situation is legal grounds for a buyer to back out--with no compensation to you.

A similar thing happened to a friend. They went to court and she lost--big time.

 

[CarolA]

Your big misstake was NOT checking this when you moved it. Your buyer did the right thing and is protecting themselves by wanting this fixed.

Since there is no formal waiver approved and on file at ANY time the association could require the door be fixed. They just haven't done that to you. Your buyer does not want to assume that liablity.

 

[kaseyC]

Do not stress over this. Go to Lowes or Home Depot, price out the new authorized door and installation and offer to knock that $ amount off the price of the House so the new owners can replace it or rebate the amount out of your profits at closing.
I am pretty sure you will still come out ahead, it will be less than the 7% realtor commission.

 

[Disney Doll]

Sorry about the door thing.

I am all for calling the experts in when you have something that requires expert knowledge.

When I have a plumbing problem, I call a plumber. When I have an electricity problem, I call an electrician. When I have to buy/sell a house, I call a realtor.

I learned this lesson the hard way!

Good luck with your sale.