This real estate agent was rude.

Question: When I purchased my house, the home inspector listed a number of items that needed repair, including problems with the bathroom plumbing, the lawn sprinklers, the yard drains and some of the doors. My agent told me "everything will be fixed by the sellers." But nothing was ever fixed &8212; a fact I learned after moving in.

My agent never even advised me to have a final walkthrough inspection before closing escrow. I've now spent $3,000 on various repairs, and my agent seems completely disinterested. He told me to call the sellers' broker. The sellers' broker says the sellers are liable, but he refuses to give me their new address. And now, the broker won't even return my calls. I'd like to take the sellers to small claims court but don't know where they are. Aren't the agent and broker responsible for this situation?

The buyer certainly deserves the help of her agent; he should be her contact person for communicating with the other side.

The buyer shares some of the blame, of course, for not having a final walkthrough; yes, your agent protects your interests, but if you don't take some responsibility, you are going to be disappointed with the results.

I suggest the buyer make a personal visit to the agent's office and speak with the agent's boss (the broker) to discuss the matter.

If that's not successful, I'd take the case to court. Or, threaten to meet the agent in a dark alley, some night.

Source: Wronged by home sellers - By Barry Stone, Inman News, by way of The Boston Globe