Greedy Sellers Renege on Agreement

[Buzzy2]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?Hawaii

I'm just wondering how binding email/phone agreements are. Some months back, I contacted the sellers for a piece of property they wanted sell in hawaii. I spoke to them and emailed them, and we agreed to terms of contract. Seller told me to go ahead and contact my lawyer. The said they would go ahead and sign the contract and send it back to him. I contacted my lawyer who prepared an agreement of sale with the understanding that they the sellers intended to sign. The sellers contacted my lawyer and said they wanted to wait a bit and would get back to him. They did not contact me back personally. I sent them another email asking them why the delay. The wife told me it was her husbands idea and that they could get more for the property. They did not bother to ask more from me but only told me to wait that they would forward the sign contact to my lawyer after thirty days. The thirty days was up and I still had no word from them. I sent another email stating that, if they wanted to renege on our agreement then the honorable thing they should do is at least pay for the lawyers fee, afterall they are the ones that told me to go ahead and contact my lawyer. I have recently seen now where they listed their property and have excepted another offer. I'm just really peeved that they have not even contacted me or my lawyer. I have all their emails regarding this matter. I just wish they would pay for the lawyer fees since they are the ones who told me to go ahead and contact my lawyer. Are emails legally binding...is there anything I can do?

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by Buzzy2

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?Hawaii

I'm just wondering how binding email/phone agreements are. Some months back, I contacted the sellers for a piece of property they wanted sell in hawaii. I spoke to them and emailed them, and we agreed to terms of contract. Seller told me to go ahead and contact my lawyer. The said they would go ahead and sign the contract and send it back to him. I contacted my lawyer who prepared an agreement of sale with the understanding that they the sellers intended to sign. The sellers contacted my lawyer and said they wanted to wait a bit and would get back to him. They did not contact me back personally. I sent them another email asking them why the delay. The wife told me it was her husbands idea and that they could get more for the property. They did not bother to ask more from me but only told me to wait that they would forward the sign contact to my lawyer after thirty days. The thirty days was up and I still had no word from them. I sent another email stating that, if they wanted to renege on our agreement then the honorable thing they should do is at least pay for the lawyers fee, afterall they are the ones that told me to go ahead and contact my lawyer. I have recently seen now where they listed their property and have excepted another offer. I'm just really peeved that they have not even contacted me or my lawyer. I have all their emails regarding this matter. I just wish they would pay for the lawyer fees since they are the ones who told me to go ahead and contact my lawyer. Are emails legally binding...is there anything I can do?

**A: emails are legally binding in some cases and circumstances but this is not one of them. If you have an email from them stating that they agree to pay your legal fees if the transaction is not closed, then you may have something.