Seller has property under contract at two different Title companies!

Seller has property under contract at two different Title companies!

Specialist · Houston, TX · Member since 2012 · 579 posts · 301 votes

I've been working with a seller on an RV Park for over two months. He informed me recently that he has the property under contract at a different Title company 'as a backup.' It looks like they are still in the early stages of the process with that 2nd buyer as they just ordered a survey and requested loan payoff info from the seller. They plan to buy with partial financing and are working with a loan broker who is promising a kickback to the seller.

My buyer is already way past that stage and in their due diligence period discovered a thousand and one issues with the septic, water well, un-permitted buildings, etc. and has formulated plans to remedy all that to satisfy their lender. We're just waiting on lending docs to get to the Title company to close this one finally. Positive the 2nd buyer has not yet discovered all those problems but I suspect they will shortly.

Both contracts original closing dates have now expired though ours has been extended to allow time for the lender to get their docs over. Seller is obviously going to sell to whoever gets to the closing table first. I know we can't interfere with the other buyer and point them toward the issues we've already discovered. We also found out the seller's broker has not been made aware of this 2nd contract now with the 2nd Title company.

We've already put up additional earnest money and the cash portion of my buyer's funds for purchase are now at the Title company as a good faith effort. So the question is, "Is there anything else we can do to try to insure we're there first?" And is it illegal to have two contracts/buyers going at the same time as this seller is doing?

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Specialist · Memphis, TN · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
13y

You must immediately cloud the title. Providing your contract is valid this is the first thing I do every time. They then can't sell elsewhere as they have to go to court to get your lien removed and you can fight that. I find clouding the tile stops sellers from playing games. It has helped us close scores of contracts we would have otherwise lost. Hopefully the other buyer hasn't already done this. If they have then you are basically out of luck.

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  • Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    13y

    Are you sure that you are "in contract" and the 2nd party is "out of contract"?

    You could record a memorandum of contract, I imagine.

    You could alert the other buyer to the issues.

    You could be totally wasting your time with a seller who actually had two contracts, unless the other had specific back up language.

  • Specialist · Houston, TX · Member since 2012 · 579 posts · 301 votes
    13y

    yes, we filed a contract amendment to change the closing date from the original one to the new date, we're still in contract according to that signed amendment at our Title company.

  • Specialist · Houston, TX · Member since 2012 · 579 posts · 301 votes
    13y
    Originally posted by Wayne Brooks:

    You could alert the other buyer to the issues.

    You could be totally wasting your time with a seller who actually had two contracts, unless the other had specific back up language.

    Would alerting the other buyer to the issues been seen 'interference'? We had the original contract and Title open first, he took their contract to a different Title company later. There is no backup language in either contract.

  • Dallas, TX · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 744 votes
    13y

    Belinda,

    It will depend on whose contact was sign first. Did you ask the seller did the other party sign before you or after you.

    Joe Gore

  • Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    13y

    I don't think it matters who signed first, except for an after the fact court battle for damages, etc.. As far as a right to close/enforce, I think the public recording since it gives public notice, is key, particularly if it is recorded while the other party is not "under contract", before they are under contract.

    A seller who is doing this though, is still a problem.

  • Dallas, TX · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 744 votes
    13y

    Wayne,

    No matter if the second sign contact was sign and recorder the first could cloud the title because they had a contract sign first and it would cost everyone money.

    Joe Gore

  • Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    13y

    Does the second contract holder even know that there is a another contract?

    Imagine their reaction after they spent time and money and they find out it was sold out from under THEM . I see legal trouble ahead .

  • Specialist · Houston, TX · Member since 2012 · 579 posts · 301 votes
    13y
    Originally posted by Matthew Paul:
    Does the second contract holder even know that there is a another contract?

    Imagine their reaction after they spent time and money and they find out it was sold out from under THEM . I see legal trouble ahead .

    No they don't. Agreed, they are not going to be happy, just like my buyer was not thrilled to hear of the 'backup' contract. It also looks like the seller may be trying to give them a copy of the new survey that my buyer paid for! We're trying to keep the legal issues on the seller and 2nd buyer's side and away from ours. Just not sure there is a way to make the 2nd buyer aware of any of this without jeopardizing my buyer in the process.

  • Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    13y

    If I'm you, or your buyer, I'm probably telling the 2nd buyer what's going on, after maybe I've recorded a memorandum of contract, in such a way that maybe he'll go away.

    You still can not trust anything about this seller.

  • Rehabber / Flipper · Simi Valley, CA · Member since 2010 · 597 posts · 259 votes
    13y
    Originally posted by Belinda Lopez:

    And is it illegal to have two contracts/buyers going at the same time as this seller is doing?

    Seems like you need to know the answer to this now. Tell your broker what is going on and get their input. If you are the broker and don't know, then contact your department of real estate.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    13y

    I don't know if you can do that with motor homes - or are you buying the actual park?

    I would definitely file a memorandum of sale or an affidavit, explaining that you have a contract or a memo. Write on it for the clerk to cross-reference to the property address and pay for a rush-recording (some counties will otherwise just record an affidavit under your name, which wouldn't do any good). That way the other title company would find this and they can't close without contacting you.

    Twice I've had to sue seller for performance, because they suddenly got a better offer and thought they could just ignore me. I sued both of them. The first one we ended up getting on summary judgment and the 2nd one gave up and sold.

  • Specialist · Memphis, TN · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    13y

    You must immediately cloud the title. Providing your contract is valid this is the first thing I do every time. They then can't sell elsewhere as they have to go to court to get your lien removed and you can fight that. I find clouding the tile stops sellers from playing games. It has helped us close scores of contracts we would have otherwise lost. Hopefully the other buyer hasn't already done this. If they have then you are basically out of luck.

  • Specialist · Westlake Village, CA · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 781 votes
    13y

    This deal stinks and you are being played. I would tell the seller that you don't participate in auctions only transactions. Dean Letfus has the right idea to secure your position by clouding title BEFORE any additional money is put into the deal. It's one way to get the upper hand. I would walk right now if you don't lose any earnest money.

    Suing for performance is a losing game, it shows you didn't have a "seller" just an "interested owner". I would consult with a trusted veteran(s) to review your transactions, business practices & habits to prevent any future messes, your peace of mind, time & money are too valuable to waste.

    Best of luck

  • Investor · Central Valley, CA · Member since 2012 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    13y
    If it were me, I'd go the lis pendens route. It accomplishes a few things at the same time. It cloudes title and and notifies the seller that you intend to put legal dollars behind their performance on your contract. You, of course, don't have to go through with the suit for performance as it may or may not make sense. But if both title companies are aware of the LP, and the seller is aware that you filed one, it will slow things downs and allow the seller to get clear about the risks of not selling to you. Where I am, recording the contract and/or a memoradum of contract may or may not get title's attention (and in some CA counties they are difficult to impossible to record). But a lis pendens should do it.
  • Specialist · Houston, TX · Member since 2012 · 579 posts · 301 votes
    13y

    Quick update: First buyer (my buyer) has filed an Affidavit of Contract to make the associated Title companies aware they were there first. The seller has finally conceded that the lender needs time to finish their paperwork and will sign an amendment giving them time to do so. We had the seller talk directly to the lender as we were in a bit of a chicken and egg situation: seller wouldn't extend unless they knew how much time the lender needed to close and lender wouldn't work on the loan until he had a contract extension. Now that they've talked it seems we can get the extension for the closing date and lender will start working on loan docs as soon as we provide them the updated contract.

    Stayed tuned, when we get this one closed I'm buying the first round of drinks!

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