Just as my eleven successful eBay transactions managed to give me faith in the inherent honesty of people, I heard a couple of house-buying horror stories to shatter that newly developed trust.
My mom told me, a week or so ago, about her co-worker, Dolly, who had purchased a house recently. The aggreement was that the washer and dryer would be left in the house, but when she and her family moved in, the washer and dryers they had seen in the house before had been replaced with older models. I was pretty shocked when I heard that, I mean, who would do such a thing?
Then, today, my co-worker, Richard, told me about the problems he experienced moving into his house last week. Before he bought the house, he had asked whether or not the fridge and stove would be included with the house. Originally, the owners said no, so he hadn't planned on buying the house until they gave in and said they would leave them. Having heard stories about things being taken when they were supposed to be left, his wife made sure she wrote the brand names down and recorded them (I believe) in the contract. However, that didn't stop the owners from taking the fridge and stove and replacing them with older, and smellier models. The fridge was so bad, that even after washing it, it still reeked so much that they still couldn't leave it in the house. Not only that, but all the vertical blinds were taken, when, according to the contract, the fixtures were supposed to be part of the deal. Also, the old owners left junk in the basement and backyard--stuff like propane tanks, glass, charcoal, etc. etc.
Since the previous owner still brings his kids back to the neighbourhood for babysitting, Richard still sees the guy from time to time. The first time, Richard said he confronted the guy and told him that the blinds were taken and junk was left in the basement and yard. Apparently the guy denied everything, saying that there had never been blinds in the first place. Obviously that would make Richard pretty mad, so he told the guy that he had already contacted his lawyer, etc. etc. Then, the guy said he'd give the blinds (which supposedly never existed) back, but he hadn't replaced the fridge and stove which Richard hadn't yet mentioned. What kind of an idiot is this guy, I wonder? Not only is he a cheat and a liar, but he's a dumb one who can't even cover his tracks!
On the bright side, for me, I guess it's good that I've heard these things now, so that if I ever buy a house from someone, instead of getting one built/new, I'll know to get absolutely everything in writing. Not just the brand names of supposedly included appliances, but makes and model numbers as well! I'd record specifically what fixtures in what rooms were to be left behind, and I might even take pictures for further proof as well. Basically, I'd give free reign to my normally somewhat checked anal retentiveness. =Þ Then again, I was planning on living in a condo, so maybe it won't be such a big issue for me.
Man, I still can't get over it...People are so dishonest sometimes...
