Last month’s  Report - In the Maze, A buyer’s primer for purchasing property - was a straight highway taking the buyer from dream to habitation. This month’s report is about the unexpected IEDs (improvised explosive devices) one may encounter on the road to home ownership. Between the checkpoints of identifying a desirable property, making an offer, negotiating a contract and closing one should be aware of the roadblocks and accidents which may derail a purchase, often unexpectedly. Put a group of brokers and their agents in the same room and you will hear no end of tales of frustration, even exasperation.  Here are a few examples. 

For first-time buyers, even those who have had experience before, the process of finding your way out of the maze of property purchase issues seems daunting. Legal Latin, real estate agent jargon, inspector terminology, lender’s criteria and a lot more can cause you to feel you are back in grade school. Take heart, here is a simplified checklist of what to expect and do.