Contract Savvy

Milt Schiff of Century 21 Realtors in Northridge misses the point in his letter criticizing the Robert Bruss article headlined “How to Write a Savvy Purchase Offer.”

I have been a real estate investor for 25 years and I also am a former ReMax agent. I have bought and sold many houses in that 25 years as both an agent and principal.

There is nothing wrong with either the buyer or seller marking out part of the contract or making changes to parts of the contract.

In fact, if there is something in the printed contract either party does not like, he or she should change it. If the other party agrees with the change, both parties are in agreement on the purchase contract and the sale will take place.

A seller hires an agent to sell the property. An agent’s job is to make the sale happen. It is not an agent’s job to react negatively to any changes in a purchase contract. The changes could be a benefit to the seller.

The seller and the agent both want the house to be sold. If a purchase contract can be modified so that both the seller and buyer are in agreement, the seller’s agent should encourage the modification.

BOB FORD

Villa Park