The GAR Purchase and Sale Agreement, exhibits and amendments allow buyers and sellers to refine the terms of their agreement. The Due Diligence Period (DDP), the Buyers’ Right to Inspect, the Right to Request Repairs (RRR) and the Amendment to Address Concerns are all tools that are used to come to an agreement between the parties.  If the parties cannot agree, they are also tools that allow termination of the contract.
 
Important Points to Remember about how these different tools operate:
 
Due Diligence Period and Amendment to Address Concerns
The Due Diligence Period is located in the main body of the contract on page 1, paragraph 8 and is further explained on pages 3 and 4. The Due Diligence Period can be analogized to an option period.  Within the Due Diligence Period, the buyer may decide to proceed or not proceed with the purchase of the Property for any or no reason.  Any negotiation of repairs that come up in an inspection are done during the Due Diligence Period.  The buyer delivers its repair terms on the Amendment to Address Concerns (ATAC F704). The seller can agree to the terms, can reject the terms or the terms can be negotiated, but there must be agreement prior to the end of the Due Diligence Period or the buyer can find itself buying “as is.”  That is, if there is no agreement between the parties regarding the terms of the ATAC and the buyer has not terminated the agreement, then the buyer has accepted the property “as is.” 
Unilateral Notice To Terminate Purchase and Sale Agreement and Proposed Disbursement of Earnest Money
Alternatively, if the buyer decides not to proceed, either because they have decided against the house or terms of the ATAC cannot be agreed, the Buyer must send a notice to terminate to the seller.  Usually, it is sent using a Unilateral Notice To Terminate Purchase and Sale Agreement and Proposed Disbursement of Earnest Money (F522).  However, some agents play it safe and include a Notice of Termination within the ATAC in the event that the Buyer and Seller do not agree. Although the Buyer has the right to terminate unilaterally, both parties must agree to the disbursement of earnest money.  Usually, if a termination is during the Due diligence period, it’s not an issue and the seller signs off on a return of earnest money to the buyer. However, if the parties cannot agree to disbursement, then the Holder of the earnest money joins the action by sending a “10-Day Letter” to all parties.  A 10-Day Letter is a reasonable interpretation of the contract as to who is to receive the earnest money.  The process is explained in detail in the Purchase and Sale Agreement, page 3 paragraph 7.

​If a buyer is denied a loan, based on the loan described in the contingency, the buyer must 1) notify the Seller within the contingency time period AND must 2) provide the Seller with a Loan Denial Letter within seven (7) days from the date of notice. 
 
A Loan Denial Letter must be for the Loan(s) described in the Finance Contingency. A buyer may also apply for different conventional loans, however, the denial of such other loans is not be a basis for a buyer to terminate.  If there was an approved lender, the letter must be from the Approved Lender.
 
The Loan Denial Letter may be provided to Seller after the Financing Contingency Period has ended, if the seven (7) day period to provide the Loan Denial Letter falls outside of the Financing Contingency Period.  The reason for the additional 7-day period to produce the Loan Denial Letter is because lenders may not be timely.  It may take days for the lender to produce the letter.  If, however, the lender does not produce the letter within the 7-day period, the finance contingency is completed and cannot be relied on to terminate.  In effect, the sale becomes a “no financing” sale and the buyer’s earnest money is at risk.

In this very hot seller’s market, buyers are doing everything they can to be the winning bid in multiple offer situations. It is now very common to see buyers waiving the finance contingency and agreeing to pay a purchase price above the appraised price.
 
Avoid extra steps and stress. Consider the following appraisal and price issues:

1. Special stipulations regarding the amount the buyer is willing to pay above the appraisal must be clear.  A vague special stipulation can make the contract unenforceable and/or subject to more negotiation.
2. A cap on the amount the buyer is willing to pay over appraisal and a cap on the final Purchase Price keeps the price within the buyer’s projection and protects the buyer against an unscrupulous Seller (The one that has his best friend offer a higher price so your client’s escalated price keeps on going up.) 
3. Include a remedy if the agreed dollar amount the buyer will pay over the appraisal is lower than the purchase price.  Query:  Which is best? An automatic price reduction or a procedure that allows for a termination?  (Compare #2 and #4 below.)

​by Mark Moore with Fairway Mortgage 

The “appraisal gap” as it’s becoming known, is a real issue with the lack of homes and so many buyers.  Multiple offers are commonplace and so are bidding wars.   Even good appraisers who know the market and understand the actual definition of fair market value are struggling to come up with comparable sales that meet the criteria of the agencies (Fannie, Freddie, FHA, etc).  


Now more than ever, current market data provided to the appraisers can help.   Be sure you have copies available of the multiple offers on your listings, and let the lender know that you have them and are willing to provide to the appraiser.   Also, any recent market information you have that the appraiser might not know about can help.  For example, do the realtors involved know of a similar property that has just closed in the last week or is scheduled to close just before the subject property?   If so, providing that information is another way to help appraisers get the value in this tough market.  
 
Fairway uses a very small rotations of quality appraisers in each area of town.   We attempt to provide enough work to those appraisers to become important to them.   They are a very important part of our team and critical to our success and are graded on accuracy, timeliness, and other factors to determine which appraisers make it into our “elite rotation”.  As a result, we have had very few appraisal issues during this market, and we have become the “bailout” lender for many of the big banks, credit unions, and internet lenders who do not use such a strategy.   


However, with the market pressures (everyone asking for faster and faster appraisal contingencies) this can sometimes force us off the elite panel and into a less trusted group of appraisers to meet the ever-shortening time frames.  If you have a good offer, with a solid local lender, encourage your sellers to give that lender time to get a quality appraiser out to the property.   It will create much less stress and hassle down the road!  Faster isn’t always better!!
 
If you have further questions about this or anything else, we are happy to assist.

​Low inventory has been driving multiple-offer situations and bidding wars.
If the perfect house is already under agreement, your Buyer may want to secure a position by using a back-up offer.
 
GAR Forms has the situation covered by submitting the basic Purchase and Sale Agreement and including a Back-Up Agreement Contingency (F604) as an Exhibit. If the agreement is accepted by the Seller with the Back-Up Agreement Contingency Exhibit included, it becomes a Binding Agreement – in second position.
 
From the Seller’s standpoint, there are good reasons to accept a back-up, especially if the price and terms are better than the first agreement. From the Buyer’s standpoint, there are considerations.  The back-up Buyer may need to increase the price or be flexible on terms to be accepted as a back-up.  Further, a back-up can work against the second Buyer by elevating the primary’s motivation to make the deal work, so the Primary buyer may be more likely to forgive inspection issues and be more cooperative in Seller negotiations. 
 
Buyer Protections
All things considered, the Buyer’s risk is moderated by protections built into the GAR back-up contingency exhibit.
 
The back-up Buyer is not locked in until they become Primary.. 

• The Buyer can terminate the back-up agreement at any time prior to it becoming the primary.  So, if the Buyer finds another house, they can terminate the back-up and go for the other house. The formal process is a Notice of Termination from Buyer to Seller and payment of $10 to the Seller (F604#6).  
• Second, the back-up Buyer can place a time limit on Seller’s ability to make the secondary into the primary.  That is, if the back-up does not become the primary by a certain date, the back-up agreement automatically terminates.  (F604#6)
• Third, there is a formal process by which the back-up becomes the primary.  The Seller has to terminate the original agreement and then has to send a formal notice to the back-up that it has become the primary.  (F604#5) Until the Seller completes the formal process, the Buyer can back out.

 
Multiple Back-up Agreements
If there are multiple back-up agreements, the order that the Seller signed the agreements would be the order in which they are entitled to become primary.  Later offers would, of course, most often be at higher prices.  This would to entice the Seller to sign a backup offer instead of putting the home back on the market if the first sale failed.
 
Earnest Money Deposits
The timing of the earnest money deposit is a negotiable term.  If your Buyer does not want to deposit earnest money until the agreement becomes primary, write it that way.  But if the Agreement is written that the earnest money is due upon binding (or days after binding) agreement, then it must be paid that way.  An accepted agreement, even one with a back-up contingency, is a binding agreement.
Note: Delaying payment of earnest money could be interpreted by the Seller as a negative strike against a Buyer.  Something to consider.
 
The Binding Date Changes Upon Delivery of Notice of Primary Agreement Termination
Time limits for a secondary agreement that has become the primary agreement start on the date that the Seller sends Notice of the Termination of the Primary Agreement.
The new Primary Buyer still has the right to conduct its due diligence or fulfill other contingencies.  If the changes to the contingency periods or the Due Diligence period overlap the closing date, then the new closing date is extended to seven (7) days from the last date Buyer has to fulfill Buyer’s contingencies or the end of any Due Diligence Period, whichever is later. (F604#5) 
Hope this helps!

Fair Housing testers are out in Metro Atlanta.  Although you may have attended many Fair Housing seminars and think you know the ins and outs of staying compliant, you can get caught in an innocent situation and be found liable for a fair housing violation.
 
The Department of Justice brings suit on behalf of the United States to enforce the Fair Housing Act.  The Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity determines violations of the Georgia Fair Housing Act.  Suit can be brought by either or both for Fair Housing Violations.
 
There are multiple ways to get caught in the Fair Housing net.  One is through Fair Housing Testers and another is having a complaint filed by protected class members that think they have been treated unfairly.
 
The Testing Process
 
Fair housing testing is a strategy used to determine whether people looking for housing are being treated differently, based on their membership in a protected class. Testers are looking for differences in the quality, content, and quantity of information and services provided to seekers of apartments and houses.
The testing process often begins when an individual with a protected characteristic (e.g., race or national origin) files a complaint with a private fair housing advocacy organization that he or she has been treated unfairly.   The process can also be random, without a complainant initiating it.
The characteristics that are most commonly the subject of testing are race, disability, familial status, and national origin.  To determine if discrimination played a part in an applicant’s rejection or in the treatment the individual received, the advocacy group, many of which are funded by HUD, will send a “comparable” person to inquire about renting a unit at the same complex or purchasing a home from the same sales agent.
A testing method that is currently being used in Atlanta involves using 3 different callers to the same agent.  One is African American, another Hispanic and the third Caucasian. All ask the agent if the property is available.  All ask for more information. If the agent tells one caller about the community amenities, but doesn’t tell the others, a flag is raised as possible evidence of discrimination. If an agent requires a pre-qualification from one, but not others, a flag is raised.  If an agent spends more time on a call with one caller, a flag is raised. 
Sales agents do not use set scripts.  An agent may have more time to talk or may not have any time. Although the 3-caller method is supposed to be fair, maybe it’s not, but it is being used.  The key is to be consistent in that initial call.  Ask consistent questions. Give consistent information.  Be available for a follow up call or appointment.  Don’t give the impression that you’re too busy for a call.  That call may just be a tester looking for red flags!
Recently, an RMAA agent was accused of a Fair Housing violation by an applicant for a rental.  The Complainant was treated the same way that the eventual tenant was treated.  The home was presented to both in the same way, with private appointments. Both were sent applications for rent, including income and credit checks.  A third-party verification database was used to process and assess the rentability of each applicant.  The Complainant was informed that there was another application in process for rental of the house.  Both applicants were considered at the same time.  The eventual renter had a slightly higher credit score, although both were more than adequate.  The Complainant’s third-party report suggested that the income may not be as high as stated in the application.  The Caucasian applicant got the house. The African American applicant filed a complaint with the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity, stating that she was denied based on race.
Fortunately, the Complaint was found to have “No Reasonable Cause” for a violation.  Evidence of equal treatment of the 2 applicants and the superior third-party report were important factors.
To prevail under the Georgia Statute, the Complainant must show that:
​To prevail under the Georgia Statute, the Complainant must show that:

1. The Complainant is a member of a protected class.
2. The Complainant applied for a unit and met the minimum qualifications to rent.
3. The Respondents, knowing the Complainant was a member of a protected class, passed over or rejected the application of the Complainant.
4. The unit remained available to similarly situated persons who are not members of the Complainant’s class.

In this case, the Complainant failed elements 3 and 4 above and a “No Reasonable Cause” letter was issued.

If there are previous listing brokers or buyer brokers that represented a prospect that wants to be your client, what are your responsibilities?
These situations come up daily.  A seller or a buyer wants to change agents and calls you.  Or a buyer is referred to you, but the buyer had been looking at houses with another agent. Or you want to list a property that has been listed by another broker.
Be very careful.  You could be violating both Georgia law and the NAR Code of Ethics.  Each carries its own consequences.
If there is an active written agreement with another broker and the prospect, you have to honor that agreement and back away until you are certain that no active agreement exists.  Even if a brokerage agreement has expired, there may still be a protection period that has to be honored.
These rules need to be top of mind:

• NAR Code of Ethics Article 15 (plus 3 Standards of Practice)
• NAR Code of Ethics Article 16 (plus 20 Standards of Practice)  
• Georgia License Law Code § 43-40-25 Unfair Trade Practices, particularly #13 and #14.

​Earnest Money Defined
Earnest money is the buyer’s commitment of funds to indicate a serious desire to buy a property.  It is customary, but it is not a legal requirement for a binding sales contract.  The mutual promises to exchange valuable assets provide the legal consideration, if there is no earnest money. In this hot Seller’s market, an offer without earnest money may not even be considered. 
 
The Holder and the Amount of Earnest Money
The amount of earnest money is a matter for negotiation between the parties and varies with the circumstances of the transaction and the relative negotiating power of the parties.  If the buyer pays a small amount of earnest money and later decides not to buy, they may be more willing to forfeit the earnest money and walk away from the contract.  On the other hand, a substantial earnest money deposit offers more protection against the possibility of a buyer’s breach.
 
The Holder of the earnest money is also up for negotiation.  In the Atlanta market, the Buyer’s broker generally holds the earnest money.  In other markets, like Savannah, it is the opposite.  There is also a trend to the closing attorney holding the funds, as attorneys are generally seen as neutral third parties.

Telephone Solicitations and DO NOT CALL Compliance
It is the policy of RMAA to comply fully and completely with all federal and Georgia state laws and regulations regarding telephone solicitations.  Federal and Georgia law and regulations prohibit the making of unsolicited telephone sales calls to homeowners who have entered themselves on the National Do Not Call (“DNC”) list.  The Company also maintains an in-house DNC list. It is the responsibility of every employee or licensee to check both lists and to be certain not to make an unsolicited sales call to a person on either list.  If the Company is fined due to a violation of the DNC laws and regulations, the Associate is responsible for the fine and will be billed accordingly.
 
The FTC has a fully automated and secure website — telemarketing.donotcall.gov — to provide access to the National Registry’s database of telephone numbers, sorted by area code. 
The National Do Not Call registry requires a fee, which must be paid by the Associate. For fiscal year 2020, the annual fee is $66 for each area code of data accessed or $18,044 for access to every area code in the registry, whichever is less. The first 5 area codes of data may be accessed at no charge. 
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