 verbal agreement
I am currently house-hunting in Missouri. Saw a beautiful home - for sale by owner - several times and decided I wanted to purchase it. Made a verbal agreement with the owner on a Saturday, and told him that I didn't want to go to a lawyer and get contracts drawn up if he wouldn't accept my offer. He said he would accept my offer. In reliance upon his word, the following Monday I paid $600 to get the paperwork done, and he refused my offer. I want to take him to small claims court to get my legal fees back (requested verbally and in writing for my money, as I made an expenditure in good faith), he reports he is not responsible for my legal fees. Do I have a chance in small claims court or should I just cut my losses at $600, without investing another $100 in filing fees? No one by the home owner and myself were around when we agreed on the price, but I do have character witnesses who will testify that I was acting on the belief that we had an agreement, and that I am not the type of person who will spend $600 on a whim. Thanks! (musogbe@swbell.net) | 
11-09-2001, 08:01 PM
Linear Mode
