Help Please!

[outlan]

What state are you in? Ohio

Please help! My wife and I just sold our house. The buyers offered full price and bought the house "as-is". We were still occupying the home when the buyers came though.

Now, a few weeks after closing, the buyers are trying to sue us stating that we did not disclose water damage to the basement and were trying to conceal it with a large couch. Here is the kicker--the whole-house inspector did not catch anything when inspecting the house, and said he "did not move couches" so that is why he did not catch it. The owners also did a 24-hour walk-through inspection.

My wife and I bought the house from a relocation company, therefore nothing was ever disclosed to us about water damage. We never had any problems with water in the basement the entire time we lived there, and did not make any repairs to the basement walls. We were completely unaware of any water issues and the basement was never damp or wet--therefore we did not feel there was anything to disclose.

Do the buyers really have a leg to stand on? They are trying to sue for a large sum of money!! My wife and I are scared and cannot afford to pay this large sum. We feel the new owners are simply trying to gouge us for money to fix up the home.

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by outlan

What state are you in? Ohio

Please help! My wife and I just sold our house. The buyers offered full price and bought the house "as-is". We were still occupying the home when the buyers came though.

Now, a few weeks after closing, the buyers are trying to sue us stating that we did not disclose water damage to the basement and were trying to conceal it with a large couch. Here is the kicker--the whole-house inspector did not catch anything when inspecting the house, and said he "did not move couches" so that is why he did not catch it. The owners also did a 24-hour walk-through inspection.

**A: the home inspector is correct. Home inspectors standards of practice do not require the moving of furniture etc.
**********

My wife and I bought the house from a relocation company, therefore nothing was ever disclosed to us about water damage. We never had any problems with water in the basement the entire time we lived there, and did not make any repairs to the basement walls. We were completely unaware of any water issues and the basement was never damp or wet--therefore we did not feel there was anything to disclose.

Do the buyers really have a leg to stand on?


**A: yes.
********
They are trying to sue for a large sum of money!! My wife and I are scared and cannot afford to pay this large sum. We feel the new owners are simply trying to gouge us for money to fix up the home.

**A: time to hire an attorney.

[jdnt04]

Can you explain why the buyers would have a case? If the home passed inspection and the sellers truly were not aware of the problem, I would think that they would be OK. However, I am clearly not an expert, which is why I am asking for some clarification.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally Posted by jdnt04

Can you explain why the buyers would have a case? If the home passed inspection and the sellers truly were not aware of the problem, I would think that they would be OK. However, I am clearly not an expert, which is why I am asking for some clarification.

My response:

When Harry S. Truman was President, he had a little sign, a "saying" if you will, on his desk. Do you know what it said?

The same holds true for home sellers.

IAAL

[outlan]

Originally Posted by I AM ALWAYS LIABLE

My response:

When Harry S. Truman was President, he had a little sign, a "saying" if you will, on his desk. Do you know what it said?

The same holds true for home sellers.

IAAL

What was the saying? I also forgot to mention we have photos we took of where the couch was as well as the visible area on the wall where the inspector could have seen if there was water damage and did not catch it.