When you search for a home here in the Lehigh Valley, you may start out searching online, but eventually you will hire a buyer agent to work for you who will send you MLS listings. When you are reading the MLS listing information you need to be aware that this is considered “just an advertisement” and the information contained in the listing is not always reliable or accurate. Whether its details about the home, or a list of appliances that are included, before you write an offer, have your agent verify the information.

Recently a young first time home buyer, with a baby on the way, purchased a small townhome in Emmaus. The MLS listing clearly states, that all appliances were included, including the refrigerator. However, after settlement, when the buyer took possession of the home, the fridge was not there! To some this may not be a big deal, but to this young couple, who were short on cash, this was a big surprise, and not a pleasant one.

Apparently, if you go by the letter of the law, if it is not written into the actual contract, the agreement of sale, the refrigerator does not have to stay. It doesn’t matter what the MLS listing says. The buyer and the buyer agent assumed since the MLS listing clearly stated that it WAS included, that it would be there. When the listing agent lists the property, he or she will ask the seller what appliances, if any are to be included with the sale. Then the listing agent will enter the information into the MLS. But some agents, have “assistants” who enter the information for them, and others are just careless and sloppy when entering the data, partly because they know cannot be held accountable for what is says.

This is a great system isn’t it? what ever happened to truth in advertising? The buyer in this case actually called the listing agent to question him about this, the listing agent said tough luck, your agent should have wrote it in the contract. Great reply isn’t it? Obviously this was a mistake, not done on purpose, but you would think the listing agent would have the integrity and the moral, ethic desire to make some kind of effort to make things right. But no. His response is simply “tough luck” you agent should have wrote it in the contract. Legally, this is partly true, but all Realtors have an ethic, moral obligation to deal in good faith and do all they can to make things right.

The moral of the story is that when you are buying a house, you CANNOT count on the information in the MLS listing, you CANNOT count on the seller OR the sellers agent to deal in good faith. you cannot count on the association of Realtors, or the MLS, to stand by the inofrmation that is published, you must, therefore, count on your own good judgement, and YOUR buyers agent to do everything they can to look out for you and your best interests, because nobody else will. You CAN include the MLS listing, and the Sellers disclosure, and pretty much anything you want, in the agreement of sale, and your agent can write in specific appliances and or fixtures to be sure everything is as you expect.

Good Luck in your next home purchase!