'Is This Even Legal?' A Homebuyer Says Their Seller Hiked The Price '3 Days Before Closing.' Here's Why People Lashed Out At The Realtor

A Reddit user shared a homebuying nightmare that sparked a good deal of outrage in the r/RealEstate community. 

In the post, the buyer explained that their seller suddenly demanded an extra $7,000, citing an escalation clause, despite both parties having already signed a purchase agreement. “My closing is in just three days, and today my realtor told me that the seller is suddenly increasing our purchase price by $7,000,” the post said.

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The Situation

The buyer said they initially offered $650,000 for the property, which the seller rejected in favor of a higher offer. When that deal fell through, the seller came back to the original buyer, agreeing to the $650,000 price. 

However, as the homebuyer wrote, “Now, just days before closing, the seller claims the price should be $657,000 because of our escalation clause, saying they have proof another buyer offered around that amount.”

According to the buyer, the escalation clause only applied before their offer was accepted, and the signed purchase agreement clearly stated the price as $650,000. "Told my realtor that the Purchase Agreement stated $650,000 and the escalation clause applies only before acceptance and is no longer in effect," the buyer wrote in an update. 

However, when their realtor responded it added to the buyer's frustration, as they felt their representative should be firmly defending the agreed-upon price.

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Reddit Reacts

The post triggered a wave of sharp criticism, with many commenters questioning the competence of the buyer's realtor. One user said, "You have a signed contract. Full stop. That's the price." Another added, "Your realtor is an idiot. They signed the contract, any other offers that weren't previously presented are now irrelevant. Doesn't matter when it was dated for."

Several users pointed out that a signed purchase agreement typically supersedes any prior offers or escalation clauses. "The purchase agreement always trumps any offers," one commenter wrote. "If you have a signed agreement at $650,000, that is the cost of the house." 

Others shared this sentiment, arguing that the seller's attempt to retroactively apply the escalation clause was a clear overreach and likely unenforceable.

Some commenters also criticized the buyer's realtor for allowing the situation to escalate this far. "Your agent should never have written a contract with this sort of ambiguity in it," one experienced commenter noted, adding that a competent realtor would have clearly addressed this issue upfront, potentially avoiding the entire conflict. Another added, "Your realtor sounds incompetent. A purchase agreement supersedes any prior promises, written or verbal."

Others advised the buyer to involve their realtor's broker or even a real estate attorney, suggesting the agent's mishandling of the situation could be a breach of fiduciary duty. 

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Don't Skip the Final Walkthrough

Some also warned the buyer to be especially cautious in the final days before closing, noting that the seller's sudden push for more money could signal other potential issues. "Do not under any circumstances forgo the last/final look. Make sure the place is empty of people and belongings and no intentional malicious damage has been done." This was echoed by others who suggested that a seller willing to push for an extra $7,000 at the last minute might not hesitate to cut corners elsewhere.

Next Steps

The thread’s general view was that the buyer should stick to the original contract price and refuse to pay the extra $7,000.  If the seller persists in pushing for the price increase, many advised getting in touch with the agent’s broker, submitting a complaint, or even taking legal action.

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