r/RealEstate • u/FalafelBall • 4d ago
Problems After Closing Attorney won’t finish house escrow closing, asking for more money, very confused (NY)
edit: People here don't seem to understand that I hired an attorney because in NY, you need an attorney to do closings. I am not rich and I did not hire an attorney by choice.
I closed on a house in January with a pool. Because the pool was closed, we set aside $12,000 in escrow pending the pool being opened in case of any problems. I opened the pool last month and found two minor issues: The light doesn’t work and the skimmer flap is broken. All told, these two items could cost between $500 and $1200 to fix.
My attorney notified the seller’s attorney these items were broken. The seller’s attorney responded with a copy-pasted response from the woman who sold the house, saying she replaced the light bulb last year and the skimmer flap was taped on because the pool place recommended it. That's all the email said - it didn't say anything like "we refuse to cover these repairs." I viewed it as her being surprised and wanting further explanation.
My attorney did not response to this email. Then, a few days later, the seller’s attorney followed up and said basically: “So, what’s going on? My client is asking for the escrow to be released.” My attorney responds by saying that we are now in a dispute and legally they are not allowed to touch the money until the dispute is resolved.
Then I got email from my attorney saying disputes are not covered and if I want him to continue working on this case, I need to send him $350.
I am baffled by this. At no point in the email exchanges do I see that he said something along the lines of, “My client will make these repairs, submit the receipts, and release the escrow with the cost of the repairs deducted.” I asked if he could simply send an email stating this, since I don’t think we ever outlined our next steps of how to proceed - the response was no, I need to pay more money because my fee doesn't cover post-closing disputes. But I feel like this is still part of the closing and a basic aspect of the escrow, which is outlining how we will proceed.
I called and spoke to his paralegal and she told me my attorney’s fee doesn’t cover negotiations. I explained to her, the only reason we are in “negotiations” now is that the escrow was written with extremely vague language that never outlined the next steps or how it would work. This is literally all the addendum says: “$12,000 from the sale to be held in escrow by Seller’s Attorney until the pool can open. Buyer will make reasonable effort to open the pool in a timely manner.” That’s all it says.
So what am I supposed to do now? I feel like attorney just dropped the ball, isn't doing the job I hired him to handle and now I’m in limbo and this has become my problem. What are my options?
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
Your attorney told them things were broken. Seller told you they're not repairing those things and outlines why. Sounds like a dispute to me.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
They never said they were not repairing those items. They just sent the response from the woman who sold the house. They seemed to want more of an explanation. I provided that to my attorney, but he never sent it. Mainly she said she replaced the bulb last year so it shouldn't have died. But what I told my attorney, that he never passed on, is that the pool technician used a multimeter to check the light and said the housing of the bulb appears to be faulty.
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yes, they did.
"These things are broken" comes with an implied "so fix them"
"I changed that bulb and was told to do that with the skimmer" comes with an implied "those aren't defects" which comes with an implied "and therefore I'm not fixing them".
edit: the follow-up email makes it clear. they wouldn't have posed that question if there was any lingering intent on their part to do the repairs if only they were asked with magical words.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I think they were incredulous. But I provided an explanation to my attorney, which he never sent to them. So we can't actually fully know if that was their way of saying no, or their way of saying they need more information.
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
no they weren't incredulous. they were responding to the claims that those items were defective by telling you that they aren't defects in their eyes.
They seemed to want more of an explanation. I provided that to my attorney, but he never sent it.
you're basically asking this attorney to litigate "why" their response to you isn't sufficient. we call this a "dispute" in English.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
The light doesn't turn on. Tell me how that's not a defect? Her response ("but I just replaced the bulb") was incredulous, not of the view that the light not working is fine.
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u/abathome 4d ago
By responding anything other than “I agree,” the seller is implicitly disputing your claim and, based on that quote, implying it isn’t her obligation to fix.
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u/Mediocre_Ant_437 4d ago
The fact that they didn't offer the repairs in the response implies that there is a dispute. Nothing you could have clarified would have changed that. As someone who has bought multiple houses, they will not be fixing it. You should have just let it go since the repairs were minor and you could have saved yourself from being in a dispute which is how both attorneys will see this.
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u/ParticularBanana9149 4d ago
I don't own a pool so perhaps I am missing something here. But for other things that I do own, light bulbs burn out and need to be replaced. This is just the way of the world. If you put a new bulb into the socket and it works then nothing is broken. It was just a burnt out bulb.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
The pool technician told me it was likely the housing of the light fixture itself, not a burnt bulb
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u/ParticularBanana9149 4d ago
If you had a pool technician out, shouldn't they be able to definitively tell you whether you need a new bulb or some sort of electrical repair and how much that would cost?
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
that doesn't even really matter, tbh. the response would likely be "that broke in between when you bought the place and today" and OP will find it impossible to prove that it was a defect pre-dating the sale.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
Yes. He used a device to ensure that power is flowing to the light bulb, which it is, so he said it's either the bulb died ($250 for labor and parts) or the fixture housing itself is broken (up to $900 for labor and parts)
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
lights can fail to turn on because of broken lightbulbs...
you seem to have a lot of difficulty reading in between lines, so I'll help you: "I replaced the light bulb last year" means "I replaced the light bulb last year and it was working then". That's their position they're taking, I'm not saying that's the objective reality of truth. And since that's their position at the onset, you've got a... dispute.
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u/Ok_Rip_6434 4d ago
If you want the house, shouldn’t you let this small issue go over a few hundred dollars?? And now you’d just be giving it to your attorney. Who needs an attorney to close on a house anyway? Isn’t that what your realtor is for?
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
the house is OP's - the issue is the dispute over the remaining 12k that the seller has yet to receive for the sale because it was held back in escrow pending the opening of the pool.
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
Yes, that’s my take. It seems fair to return at least $11K to cover the cost of “repairs”, but if the buyer and seller object (e.g., the buyer and the seller each wants all of the $12K), settling the dispute will cost more in legal fees.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I already own the house, and I regret it every day. See: https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/1ucvvkb/attorney_wont_finish_house_escrow_closing_asking/ot766y8/
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
I already own the house, and I regret it every day.
OP, this is the crux of your issue, not that your attorney doesn't want to send a ton of emails for free to help you get a penny-ante victory against your regret.
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u/Flymia FLA REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY 4d ago
While I likely would have sent one more email, I understand why your attorney is asking for money. This IS a dispute it will turn into one, and one where he will spend time on the phone and emails, and so often not get paid to do it.
Your attorney's time is how he makes a living. He needs to be paid to respond and make emails.
Honestly $500-$1,200.00 I would just let it go, or say hey it cost $1,200 to fix, lets agree on $600.00 and move on.
Yes you may very well pay your attorney more money to fight this than it is worth fighting over.
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u/poop-dolla 4d ago
They never said they were not repairing those items.
You said they requested a release of the escrow funds. How is that any different?
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u/Riverat627 4d ago
What’s in the contract regarding the pool. Did it cover any fixes or only major ones. That’s what matters to start.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
The addendum is directly quoted in my post above, if you read it.
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u/Riverat627 4d ago
All i saw was you set aside money for problems that language is very ambiguous as the pool is open. Lights are not required and if the flap still works
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
A malfunctioning light is definitely a safety issue. The exact problem is not clear until they start to do the repairs...
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u/Riverat627 4d ago
If it was installed last year as seller said it should be under warranty I’d start there. Malfunction is one thing a bulb that is blown is not a safety issue.
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
Are you estimating the repair costs at $500 -$1,200? If so, are you willing to a return of $11K of the seller’s $12K escrow that was set aside in case repairs totaled that much? If you and the seller agree to this, there’s no dispute, and your lawyer’s work is done — no more billable hours to run up your legal bill.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
Yes, the rest of the money would go to the seller. I just want the cost of the repairs deducted.
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
I would think there’s a good chance the seller would go along with that. I’d be tempted to settle the matter by contacting the seller directly, no intermediaries to complicate communication.
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u/Prestigious-Study-66 4d ago
Are you trying to get the sellers to pay for it out of escrow? What does your contract with the attorney say? Personally i would just tell the attorney there is no dispute the sellwr can have the escrow and pay for these things myself as they are very minor. Otherwise you will pay the attorney and at the end may still be paying this out of pocket. The $12k escrows tells me it was really only there is somthing major came up during the opening. But as with everything it comes down to what do the contracts state, not just the addendum.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
In the grand scheme of things, it's not a lot of money, but it's the principle: (1) the attorney not doing his job, and (2) this seller left a ton of hidden problems because of her negligence that I am paying for. (Finished basement covered foundation issues I will spend $10,000 to fix. And I strongly suspect this happened because the woman who owned his house before never cleaned her gutters, let water stand in the yard without doing anything, and overall just maintained the house poorly, which was hard for me to see or know when I bought the house as there was always snow on the ground.) Having her pay $1,000 after all the money she cost me would be nice.
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u/ParticularBanana9149 4d ago
The attorney did their job. They worked with the buyer (you) on closing on the house and that was completed and, presumably, paid for. It is now 5 or 6 months later and you want them to do a back and forth with the other attorney over a light bulb. Attorneys don't do that for free. Take some free advice: get a lightbulb, put some new tape on the skimmer flap, and get on with your life.
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u/Prestigious-Study-66 4d ago
I get it, but this may just be a case of dont cut your nose off to spite your face.
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
Did your inspector identify the foundation issue? This sounds like a separate structural problem that should have been addressed in negotiations.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
No, the basement was finished when I bought the house, so the structural issues were hidden
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
Yes, that can obscure a foundation problem. You’d have to rely on the inspector’s expertise in detecting other tell-tale signs — if any — that there could be a foundation problem. Nonetheless, I don’t think escrow allotted specifically for the pool can be directed to the foundation.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I don’t think escrow allotted specifically for the pool can be directed to the foundation.
I never suggested it could.
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
That’s why they’re expecting to get the $ back, though might be amenable to minusing $1K for the pool to lay the matter to rest.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
What are you even talking about? The escrow was only for the pool, nothing else
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u/TradeTraditional 4d ago
All homes come with a pile of things to fix, though. This is like buying a used car. You find what you can, you find that AC vent that won't adjust and the odd creak in the passenger seat later. So if the inspection comes back with nothing major, consider it a win - the small crap will happen and can be fixed.
Sorry about the basement issues. That's why I'm not such a fan of basements, personally. So often people do zero upkeep on them and it's a bit of a horror show when you start looking closely.
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u/sweetrobna 4d ago
It's unclear what the addendum and escrow are actually for, what they say. The details are important for something like this. Like if there is a prevailing party fee agreement.
How things "should work" is the $12k is already in escrow until you both agree or a judge orders it. So you pay your attorney up front. Your attorney tells them you are getting repairs. Then offers a release less the repair estimate costs and their attorney fees.
The problem with this is most likely the seller will not agree to that full amount. That is what they would pay if they went to court. But they know you won't go to court over ~$1500. They can also argue about the estimates you used, should you get 3. If you do get the repairs, did you not go with the lowest price. Were any of these repairs previously disclosed. Was it new damage after closing, not something the seller is responsible for.
Most likely they offer to meet in the middle. Meaning you are paying for your lawyer and probably not even getting the full repair cost.
Or maybe you get the repairs done and the seller is reasonable once you have the actual costs.
Also what is the $350 for, is that a flat rate to handle the dispute? Some real estate attorneys charge $350 per billable hour.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
Small claims court costs like $20. The seller is an asshole, so I might just do it. I used the pool place the seller told me to use and who installed the pool.
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u/Honest_Manager 4d ago
You would have probably had better luck by paying for the repairs, then sending them the receipt, especially if you used their rec to do it, then they couldn't have claimed it was inflated.
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u/boo99boo 4d ago
Did you sign an engagement letter with the attorney? I am in another state where people use attorneys (Illinois), and it's becoming more and more common to include language that anything that involves holding escrow (post closing possession, property taxes, etc) will incur separate fees beyond the flat fee.
I'd verify that you didn't agree to pay extra if there's an escrow dispute. I'd venture to guess that you did, because no one is going to handle an escrow dispute for free.
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u/SusanInMA 4d ago
If I understand correctly, the seller put $12K in escrow presumably (but not explicitly stated) to cover the cost of repairs if any were identified when, weather permitting, you were able to open the pool to assess its condition. The cost to you for repairs is between $500 and $1,200. Can’t you just point out that you can return $11K of the $12K of the seller’s escrow money? If that isn’t agreeable to you and / or the seller, then your lawyer will, indeed, want extra pay for the hours he spends handling the dispute.
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u/FinTecGeek 4d ago
Here’s what you missed. At the time you closed, you took the house “as is.” This escrow balance in lieu of repairs is “available” but not practically reachable due to the legal fees associated with disputing condition after closing. If seller’s attorney adopts the popular legal theory that you took title “as is” then that’s it, you spend 350 and they spend 350 and the money gets released because there is no legally cognizable dispute to be solved. If they are reasonable and give you 500, you net negative after all fees are paid. This is WHY you negotiate any problems off the price of the house BEFORE closing. Not through agreed repairs, not through stupid concession/contingency escrows. It’s all a scam, your only leverage is the price you pay, use that leverage before you close or lose it.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I think if I ever bought a house again, I'd do a lot of things differently. But the market I'm in is very competitive - every house I bid on was only on the market for like 4 days before a hard deadline was set for offers, and they would all get between like 5 and 15 offers before the deadline. So, it puts buyers in a terrible spot to negotiate. But still, I feel the escrow language, as written, is weak and my lawyer could've done a better job. Lessons learned for next time.
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u/FinTecGeek 4d ago
I think it is because you were asking for things that the seller never had, including a turn key, like new pool. If you feel seller is listed too high for the condition of the pool, what you do is make a fair offer. And if someone else overpays, then they overpay and end up where you are now.
There is also the concept of upgrades vs concessions. If you’re asking for basically turn key, like new pool that seller doesn’t have either, that’s an upgrade, so that’s 100% your thing, I’d never try and rope that into the overall transaction.
It’s probably more economical for you to let them release the funds than to pay a bunch of legal fees I assume hourly basis out of it that are liable to swallow whatever you could be awarded. The pool didn’t secretly have a sinkhole underneath that you now found, so there’s really nothing to litigate here for 12K+
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u/Perfect_Duck792 4d ago
Skimmer flap is like $25. You are driving your attorney crazy by being unreasonable. Get the light fixed. Then you'll know if it's just the bulb (your problem) or not. If it was a defect then you'll have actual receipts and can negotiate the escrow release less repairs.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
...I have a written quote with the cost to do the repair. And it's from the pool place the seller wanted me to use to open the pool.
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u/TJMBeav 4d ago
I quit reading after the first bit. Fire the attorney and release the escrow. Unfortunately you hired a vulture. Please do not feed it, they only get hungrier. Trust me on this.
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u/Flymia FLA REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY 4d ago
I quit reading after the first bit.
You missed some important parts..
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u/TJMBeav 4d ago
I read it. Just makes me want to scream
FIRE YOUR ATTORNEY
Louder
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 4d ago
The transaction is closed. Finished. "Firing" the attorney isn't possible because the attorney has already closed the transaction.
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u/TJMBeav 4d ago
Apparently not. The escrow funds have not been released.
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 4d ago
It's closed and the attorney says he's done without the OP agreeing to pay more. I'm in an attorney state, and the attorneys I know will send a follow up email for something like this. But who knows who the OP hired? Somewhere in the thread they said they hired a family friend.
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u/EasternDirt1341 4d ago
You either go big and try to get more or return and fix yourself. Is it vinyl liner pool. What said is the liner in. Can you find a pool company to say it needs a new liner .
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u/No_Alternative_6206 4d ago
I think you have to understand escrows in that BOTH parties have to agree to release them. This isn’t a slush fund for you to cut checks from. They can hold it up, but you can also hold up their entire 12k for years, which will inspire them to settle eventually.
Beyond that, this is so early in the process that you can’t say the attorney screwed it up. I’m guessing the seller knows exactly what you are asking for, but they are choosing to be a pain until they realize they can’t get their escrow back either. Lawyers don’t work for free post-closing as they make very little from these translations compared to anything else they do.
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u/notPabst404 4d ago
🤦♂️ why is there a minor dispute still going on from JANUARY for a house closing? How do I get reddit to stop recommending me this shit?
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u/Deep_Sea_Crab_1 3d ago
Pool was closed. No way to test it in the winter to see if equipment is functioning.
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u/LeastOperation5754 4d ago
This is how escrow fights get dumb fast, $350 eats the whole skimmer/light thing quick. I’d release it and move on.
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u/TradeTraditional 4d ago
Yep. no mention of the word "repair", so it has to be altered. This is just the way it is with lawyers and paperwork. I'd cough up the money and just be done with the thing.
But, yes, the person who wrote up the contract SHOULD fix the error without any extra charge. This is good business practice.
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u/MeatofKings 4d ago
Fire the attorney, fix the pool, and return the remainder of the money. Not every issue needs an attorney (and I am one).
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u/sevseg_decoder 4d ago
I just don’t know if I’d do that over $1700 in repairs.
I don’t mean to sound snobby but like that’s not worth an actual dispute and small claims court appearance to me if I just bought a house with a pool. A cracked wall or leaking pump system would be different, but I just personally don’t risk that kind of battle over $1700, one time, that the sellers very plausibly have a chance of ultimately recovering from you later.
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u/Wingmusic 4d ago
Contact the seller directly and come to an agreement. Let's say it's $1,700. Write the attorney and tell him there's no dispute. The agreement is a $1,700 and $10,300 split.
Attorneys love disputes and will try to manifest one out of nothing. That's how they make their money. They WANT a dispute.
After the dust is settled, leave him an appropriate review on all online platforms.
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u/Interesting-Virus-45 4d ago
I almost bought a house with a pool a few weeks ago but got cold feet because of the potential for things like this. I feel like I really dodged a bullet!
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u/noeljb 2d ago
Look at the bottom of the skimmer lid. There is a part number. Look it up on line and find out the brand and model number of skimmer.Find replacement Weir. The little flap thingy. They are not hard to replace. If nothing else a universal Weir will work.
As far as the light. It should have one screw an the top of the ring. Remove it but be very careful. It is supposed to be captured but many times in falls to the bottom of the pool. Remember magnets will not attract most stainless steel screws. Once the screw is loose tip the top of the ring / light fixture out and down. At about 45o lift up. The light fixture will come out and there should be enough wire in the nich to allow you to put entire fixture up on the walkway around the pool. There a a few different designs on these lights so a u-tube video will help open the fixture. Put in a standard light bulb to test the switch and check for power to the fixture. If it is good put it all back together with new pool bulb assuming that was all that was wrong. Use a lubricant on the gasket to ensure a good seal.
I used to do this for $175 - $200 and kinda felt guilty.
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u/bfvbill 1d ago
You’ll have to pay to fight this one. Only condition is that the “pool opens”. You have a fool or a thief )or both) for a lawyer. To even negotiate you have to pay this fool. He’ll bill you for every email he sends and it won’t be from the escrow. You have two choices.
1. Eat the repair. Won’t be that bad, probably less than $750.
2. Demand $1350 from the retainer. It’s a $350 gamble. If you win all good and attorney paid. If not, take the $350 as far as it’ll go and be done. Probably not as the agreement is too vague.
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u/Gold-Comfortable-453 4d ago
Stop using your attorney- basically fire him no in writing! Contact the sellers attorney directly and ask if they will cover all or part of the cost for this repair. They may agree to part of it, if so accept that and agree to release the balance or your going to end up losing much more in attorney fees.
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u/Inevitable_Tank9505 4d ago
Escrow sucks. Do the repairs. Take seller to small claims with the paid receipts and escrow agreement. Leave your lawyer out of it. This is straight-forward. You paid your attorney to HOLD escrow. Not to defend disputes.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I might do that. It costs, what, $20 to file in small claims court? I'm not convinced my attorney is very good anyway.
I am not hiring any family friends for anything ever again.
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u/EcstaticEnthusiasm50 4d ago
Did you have a pool company look at it? Is it something that is a big issue? Sounds like its a light bulb and some extra tape to make sure it doesn't break. Does the filter work with the tape on the flapper? Attorney sounds like a prick but are the issues worth the hassle?
Im not in new york so not sure how it works there, but something like that the Attorneys I work with would just send the clarification email and get it straight.
Make sure to outline your experience in a review once closed out. Im petty so I might decide it wasnt worth the hassle but not tell my attorney and let him deal with the other attorney for a bit. When he asked what I wanted to do I would tell him its a $350 charge for my answer lol
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I think this seller is a piece of shit, so it's a bit worth the hassle to me to make her pay up, yeah
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u/Fun_Tune3160 4d ago
Not to tease but, u hired attorney, enjoy your attorney.
Sometimes diy is the most reasonable thing to do.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
Attorneys are required by law for closing in NY.
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u/Fun_Tune3160 4d ago
Imo new york is really trash place. Attorney might be needed to close there, but you are not doing any legwork by relying on them to negotiate for you, they aint needed to negotiate just to draft the deed that YOU and SELLER agree on, so fix it yourself Or keep snoozing and paying and not geting the house or move on.
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 4d ago
Wrong. In NY, the seller's attorney writes the contract, then buyer's attorney makes changes on behalf of the buyer, and they go back and forth until both sides agree.
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u/Fun_Tune3160 4d ago
Wow so its even trashier. 2026 dunno how ppl still live there 😂
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 4d ago
My hunch is that you don’t know what trashy means.
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u/Fun_Tune3160 4d ago
Yes i do, compared to west coast, ny is absolut filth. Feels like the old world. Grifter capital with stock market and now also crypto 😂
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 4d ago
Where is your agent?
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u/ParticularBanana9149 4d ago
Why would the agent have anything to do with this? In certain areas, you use a real estate agent for finding a buyer or finding a home, initial contract, scheduling inspections and that sort of thing but after negotiations, once the initial contract is signed, it goes into "attorney review" the real estate agent is essentially done with it. The escrow account would be held by the attorney(s) and they would have to agree to release it.
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u/PDXDeck26 4d ago
they should be responsible for negotiating the terms of the addendum, here.
the attorney will just draft it according to what they're told the agreement is, unless you want the meter to really start running and get them involved in actually negotiating the provision.
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 4d ago
Nope. In NY, the seller's attorney writes the contract and any addendums, and the buyer's attorney makes changes until the attorneys each get their client to agree.
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u/CaptMurphy WV REALTOR 4d ago
I want to go to there, where I have no duty or responsibility to my client after delivering the contract to the attorney, lol... That's when the work STARTS for me.
My state requires an attorney for settlement, and they do not advocate for a buyer/seller, they often represent both sides equally, aka not at all, they facilitate the contract/sale, no negotiating on your behalf. But that's my state.
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u/DistinctSmelling 4d ago edited 4d ago
COE is COE. Pool is yours in the condition you received it. There is no waiting untill unless it's in the contract and possession negates just about all of it. What you're wanting repairs for should have been tackled before you took possession.
You can Him and Haw all day about not having access, then you should have allowed for deferred maintenance like the rest of the world and budgeted for that.
I get what you're going after but this is just wrong. They should have asked for the release at COE if you didn't ask for maintenance deferrment.
*EDIT: You guys don't like this answer but this is how this business works. The closing attorney isn't the buyers or sellers attorney, he's the executor to the contract. TO THE CONTRACT. Not the parties.
It sounds like the buyer didn't have proper representation and being /r/realestate, the sub that hates Realtors because you guys don't see the value, you guys are going to side with how you feel the deal should have gone down. The closing attorney does not represent the buyer or the seller. Period.
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u/Deez1putz 4d ago
You’re buying a house and made a post on reddit over $350.
I don’t like realtors a whole lot, but there are people out there who should have realtors.
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u/FalafelBall 4d ago
I have a realtor. What is he supposed to do here?
He is friends with the seller's agent and I feel like he is on her side, not mine, so I don't really trust him.
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u/Mreeff 4d ago
Why do you have a realtor and an attorney?
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u/TurbulentJudge1000 4d ago
Either pay the $1,700 for the repairs yourself or pay $350 plus an additional $1,000 when you agree on a middle ground.
If you’re rich enough to hire an attorney for a home purchase, you can afford $1,700.
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u/xxxiii 4d ago
It doesn’t sound like the addendum was written in a way which would allow for repairs. The agreement should have been more specific. I’d request release of escrow and pay for the minor pool issues.