Breaking Up Is Hard

“Canceling a Sale Is Rarely Easy” by Robert J. Bruss, Jan. 13, oversimplified some important facts: “ ... if the purchase offer accepted by the seller includes a contingency for the buyer’s approval of a professional home inspection report and if that report reveals serious defects the seller didn’t disclose, the buyer can cancel the sale and get his earnest money deposit refunded.”

As the title of the article stated, it is in fact not that easy for the buyer to cancel the sale and have his deposit refunded. The contract states that after the buyer reviews the inspection report he must either approve it and thereby remove the contingency, or he must provide the seller with a reasonable written request for repairs.

If the seller agrees to make the repairs, then both parties are in agreement and the transaction proceeds. If, however, the seller refuses to make all or some of the repairs the buyer can cancel the sale and receive a refund for his deposit.

MAY GONZALEZ

Pasadena