Appliance fraud after offer acceptance

[Doug Heim]

Several years ago the seller of an investment house I bought installed an old, broken cooking range right before closing and my agent missed it during the final walkthrough.  In Miami, I have heard stories from home inspectors of agents staging properties with top-of-the-line appliances, only to swap them out with cheap appliances after an offer is accepted.  Curious if anyone else has encountered these types of appliance fraud.

[Janice Carter]

I have never had that experience personally but I have definitely heard similar stories. That is why it is critical to document appliances in the contract with the model and serial numbers if possible and verify them again at final walkthrough. Unfortunately, if it is not clearly specified, it can become a gray area at closing.