Altering the Terms of A Real Estate Purchase Contract

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A search hit that I got:

What is the reasonable amount of notice to give when changing contract terms in California

Unfortunately for this person, a real estate contract is not something like Lando Calrissian's bargain with the Empire in Star Wars, where Darth Vader was free to alter it at will backed by Stormtroopers and Star Destroyers.

The real estate contract is negotiated until both sides are in complete agreement as to the terms the exchange will be made upon. There cannot be any differences in the terms of the proposed agreement and accepted agreement, or you aren't done negotiating yet. Actually it's stronger: If you're not in complete agreement as to terms, you don't have an agreement.

Once accepted by both parties, the contract terms are not unilaterally alterable by either party. You can, in most cases, walk away from the deal completely if something isn't right, but you can't say, "The deal is still on, but you're paying me $5000 more than you thought," any more than they can tell you, "And I get your car, too!"

If something pops up such that you don't think it's a good exchange to be making any more, in most cases you can walk away from it, albeit with possible consequences for the deposit. In such cases, if the other party wants to keep the deal going, they can offer concessions, just as you can ask for concessions, but you cannot force them to change the terms of the contract. The same thing holds true in reverse. They can't force you to alter the terms of the contract, but if they're ready to walk away and you want to keep them in the contract, you can offer concessions or ask what it would take to keep the transaction going. If you don't like what they say, you don't have to accept those terms, any more than they had to accept the contract in the first place.

In some cases (consult a lawyer in your state), the other party can force you to live up to the original contract via a court action called a suit for specific performance. It's also possible for them to sue you for more money than the deposit. I consider this an excellent reason not to sign a contract you're not completely satisfied with. I also consider it an excellent reason never to offer something I wouldn't happily accept as a purchase contract - because the other side can always just accept the offer and it then becomes a binding contract. But notice the essential elements: offer and acceptance. Both parties declaring their acceptance of the terms.

In short, contracts to purchase real estate are two-sided contracts, and are not alterable by any party to it without the agreement of all parties. Any alteration of terms must be agreed to by both parties, and if you cannot agree on those alterations, the contract is essentially dead. There are circumstances, however, where the other side can hold you to the original contract. Consult a lawyer for details.

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About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Dan Melson published on March 28, 2021 7:00 AM.

Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster? was the previous entry in this blog.

Advertising a Sold Property As Available on MLS is the next entry in this blog.

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